Chronically mentally ill individuals re-entering the community after hospitalization

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to increase the understanding of the experiences of chronically mentally ill individuals who are re-entering the community after hospitalization. Ten individuals from an acute care psychiatric hospital who had had two or more admissions within a 12-month period were interviewed, shortly before discharge and subsequently between two and four times while in the community. Three interrelated themes emerged. First, at the time of discharge, the optimism of the participants about returning home was tempered by a realistic recognition of their problems. As time passed, their problems seemed to become their preoccupying focus and optimism faded. Second, for most of the participants, relationships with others, positive, negative or both, played an important role in their return to home and community. Third, participants who experienced more positive social relationships also described individual achievements and community involvement. The re-entry process was not a smooth transition for these individuals.