I lived in a group home once. I lived there for like a month. It was a non-profit organization that helped the mentally ill. They provide a job for you. You get to earn different phases, like after a while you get to own your own apartment. I liked it because it kept me from being lonely. I had to drop out of the organization because I couldn’t handle working.
6 Likes
I’ve never lived in a group home for the MI because when I needed care, I was over age 55. When a MI person gets that old, the system doesn’t put you in a group home anymore. You get put in an assisted living facility, as I was. Then, you got it made. You are suddenly living like a king or a queen. But, if you are really, really decrepit, they put you in a real nursing home. Then you are out of luck for sure.
1 Like
I’ve been in a few group homes. When I first got sick at age 19 I spent a year in one. It was a world famous, experimental home for schizophrenics called Soteria House.
Their tenet was that they could help schizophrenics recover better without medication or being hospitalized. So they rented a few homes around the world in community’s and staffed them with counselors who had no experience or education in psychology but they were picked for being young and friendly and open-minded and likable.
They claimed a higher success rate than hospitals but that was debated on both sides, by the critics and themselves. I was there 1980-81. It was a trippy place. There were few rules; no drugs or alcohol and no violence were the main rules.
Other than that you could act how you want. I have to say, the experience didn’t help me at all. I was psychotic and going out of my mind the whole time I was there. I was pretty much a loner. I was friendly with other clients but only made a couple of friends during my stay. There were 5 or 6 of us and about 5 regular counselors. I think the counselors were more helped by us, than us by them. The counselors were pretty screwed up for the most part and took sides and fought among themselves.
It was an experience, not one I would like to go through again. I could tell some stories about it for sure. They closed down most of the houses in about 1984 though I think there’s still one in Norway and another in Switzerland. I ran up a bill for rent in the thousands but since I couldn’t handle working while I was there I had no way of paying and they ended up not charging me a cent for rent.
I think I could have done with a group home environment when I was first diagnosed, as being turfed out of hospital and pushing away all the support being offered did not help me in the long run
I lived in a group home for a couple of months. It gave me such bad anxiety that I ended up pooping in the woods. One of the girls found human poop in the forest, and I got in trouble.
1 Like
I lived in a group home for two years.
THey taught me life skills and coping skills, and I learned how to socialize.
It was very beneficial for me.
2 Likes
My second psychiatrist suggested that I should live in a group home with other schizophrenics. It was for free, I would pay nothing. But I get paranoid around others, so I didn’t accept his suggestion
2 Likes
Yes I lived in a group home. The most miserable and traumatic years of my life. I wouldn’t suggest it to anyone.
1 Like
I lived at a group rehabilitation home in Sweden.
I got my own room.
Shared kitchen and lounge.
Ate together but I tried to eat alone in my room because of symptoms.
Staff were nice but I had to tell them when I was leaving and in the end I was at my then boyfriend place all the time.
I can’t remember if I have been to any other group home to live.
I had a time period where I constantly thought about living in a group home because I felt I wasn’t coping and needed the support but then most of the time I had the opposite where I wanted to live alone and isolate even from family etc
I think they can be good but I’m grateful I don’t need one and live as independently as I do.
I like when they move you from hospital to group home to then get your own apartment perhaps with a staff building for support and then stay there or go out in society to your own fully independent place.
Good for those who can not be responsible and pay rent and bills .
Get food made etc
Can’t remember if we had to clean.
I’m not a fan of vacuuming.bääääää😋
2 Likes
I get paranoid around others too.
1 Like
I’m in an assisted living center for the mentally ill. I got my own room, with an internet connection and satellite tv. Life is good right now.
1 Like
Closest thing I lived in that was like that was a board and care.
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.