[Indications for inpatient psychotherapy. When does your patient belong in a clinic?]

Institutionalized psychotherapy is indicated for specific disorders, the treatment of which at certain times or phases cannot be implemented in the doctor's office. Further Indications are patient denial and lack of motivation, a need to remove the patient from a pathogenic environment, a need for outpatient treatment initiation, and, in selected patients, a crisis situation, when the symptoms become acute or when internistic reasons are present. When these positive indication criteria apply--apart from emergency and crisis situations--a mental and somatic pre-evaluation--best done by the admitting institution--should be part of the pre-diagnostic work-up.