“Your mental health is a priority. Your happiness is an essential. Your self-care is a necessity.”

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When I was in treatment there was one thing that was stressed, that was our hygiene. So here is the way things went basically every day.

Every day was basically the same. When you are first admitted, this was usually for someone who has never been a patient, a tour of the ward. Tour would be your room, the shower/bath, dining area, television, and where they keep your personal things like cigarettes, money, etc.,

They would walk you through how the day will progress, meals, group sessions, free time, breaks for smoking. The one thing the strongly stressed is that you have a shower/bath and get dressed. It wasn’t encouraged to stay in your pajamas.

On the floor there was a laundry room to wash and dry your clothes. They believed that this would basically be what you would do in your own home.

Meals were at eight, noon, five o’clock. You would be given a menu to fill out for the week. After you were done eating it was up to you to put your tray back in the cart.

There were basically two group sessions every day. I cannot recall the times that they were.

The rest of the time was basically yours to do whatever.

Again, the major stressed point was our hygiene, they would kindly remind you by asking if you have taken a shower yet.

So dear reader I realize that when you are in the depths of depression the easy way is just stay in bed, leave your pajamas on, and skip the shower/bath. Self-care is essential to keeping a good mental health state.