What was it like? Did it help?
They offer occupational therapy where I am. But when I was last in hospital I attended a (just one) session and came to the conclusion that writing a “to-do” list on my phone was just as effective.
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My mom shattered her knee cap a few years ago. She got occupational therapy at the house. The guy would just show her how to do a few exercises then walk outside to go on his phone. I would just Google exercises or find an occupational health website with info. Thats my opinion. The exercises did help in the short term but years later she has bad arthritis in that knee. I take her to the YMCA once a week to workout.
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I was seeing an occupational therapist for several years, and there was good and bad to it. She would often provide good advice and advocacy which was useful. On the other hand, she was always trying to get me to do stuff, often things that didnt interest me. If i had the choice whether to see an OT again, i wouldnt do it.
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My grandpa has a occupational therapist coming over but they don’t really do much.
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Yeah, that’s what I’d be afraid of.
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Not sure what occupational therapy is… From the posts here I’m assuming it therapy by keeping busy? I’m sure it can help somewhat. Maybe like 25% of the way. Being busy is part of life. Whether it’s chores, a job, a hobby. When were idle we start ruminating and overworking our brains. If the blood is not in your body it’s in your brain. The key is o have a balance of activity between the brain and body.
If a person works too little they’ll ruminate and overwork the brain and probably bounce back between hyper activity and being sedentary. Same with working to much obviously. You’ll become tired after a while and become sedentary from tiredness.
The key is balance. To have some activity but not too much. It’s what Aristotle and plato taught.
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Maybe it can be helpful to get someone to give you a gentle push… Sometimes our cars break down and we need a jumpstart.
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It hasn’t been offered to mentally ill where I live for decades, except for those with severe cognitive issues. It costs money and we are not a cohort my province feels is worth investing in. The few pennies tossed our way are tossed grudgingly and only for show.
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You are so right, shutterbug! Here they figure the mentally ill are poor and don’t vote, so they don’t want to waste their budgets on us.
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Occupational therapists in Belgium focus more on giving art classes etc.
They had them in the psych hospital where I was.
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When I was a little kid yes
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I did a cookery course through the OT department during my last and longest inpatient stay. I got chucked off it because because according to the OT running it I was being uncooperative. Why so? I was taking too long to peel and cut spuds. A genuine difficulty. My psych history is jam packed with situations that should have had (mental) health professionals thinking ‘We need to look into this’, but instead I got demonised, and treated like I had a major character defect. I can’t complain about the current psych team they’re fine. That’s because my daughter put the record straight re the long standing myths that had built up about me with the psych team here in Wiltshire, prior to my moving.
The damage done by having genuine difficulties ignored, and being treated like you’re a bad person is incalculable.
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I feel bad about how you’ve been mistreated by people throughout your life.
That must be hard.
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I just need to sound off about it every now and then. Thanks for caring.
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Yes. I had brain lesions that caused the right side of my body to be paralyzed.
My right hand was stuck in a fist.
In occupational therapy they would gently open up my fist and have me try to squeeze and release things in my hand.
They would also massage my hand.
It was extremely difficult at first, but got better over time.
I now have full use of the right side of my body
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Here’s a definition of occupational therapy
“ Occupational therapy is a branch of health care that helps people of all ages who have physical, sensory, or cognitive problems. OT can help them regain independence in all areas of their lives. Occupational therapists help with barriers that affect a person’s emotional, social, and physical needs”
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I think that’s one of the downsides of studying occupational therapy.
You’ll have to explain your entire life what you are doing 
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I did OT as a kid and they helped me learn how to write, how to hold a fork, and a few other things. I don’t remember them all right now.
I did OT after my head injury to re-learn how to walk. They also helped me learn some tricks for doing my ADLs more independently on bad days. For example, keeping my loofa on a long string that’s permanently tied to the shower wall, so if I drop it I can pick it back up easily.
In my experience, it is great for physical disabilities. They help you find clever work-arounds to get through the day without assistance, or with less assistance. I don’t know what it would do for people with SZ.
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I got some OT after the strokes when I was having a bit of trouble with my right side (I would tell it to move and it only half-followed instructions). That is it. Nothing for mental illness and this is back when I was floridly ill and non-functional.
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I could see speech therapy being useful for SZ. They handle cognitive rehabilitation.
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