What to Wear When Attending Residential Mental Health Programs
If you are ready to seek treatment for mental health, you might want to prepare for a residential or an inpatient program. This means that you will need to live in the facility for a set period, usually thirty to ninety days.
But how should you pack for a residential stay? You will need comfortable clothing for mental health treatment in your duffel bag or luggage, and this is where our latest resource will prove invaluable!
Catalina Behavioral Health wants to spread awareness of mental illness and offer you the support you need to do the hard things associated with treatment. We can answer any of your questions about how to pack for our program and what to expect from mental health treatment in general.
Keep reading to get all the answers you will need, and don’t forget you can reach out at any time to contact our admissions team if you think you could benefit from our services!
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Mental Health Awareness: How Much Clothing Should I Pack?
Mental illness often clouds your judgment and makes it harder to see the answers to questions about getting help. This often includes what you should pack for residential mental health treatment. For the most part, you do not need enough clothes to last for your entire stay. In some cases, clients can stay for up to 90 days or more, so this would be prohibitive.
Instead, you should pack about seven outfits for your stay. Make sure that you pack an assortment of clothes that can be mixed and matched as you proceed through the week.
Some people like to prepare a few extra clothes in case of spills or messy activities on the unit. This can be helpful but not entirely necessary. We can do laundry regularly so you always have clean clothing to wear.
What to Pack for Mental Health Clients: Our 7 Suggestions
Given that 20.3 percent of adults received mental health treatment of some kind in the past twelve months, it should come as no surprise that more people than ever are thinking about packing for residential care. Catalina offers a robust program that can assist you when you need it most, and that starts with packing proper clothes.
Mental health matters should not be influenced by your need to look your best. There is no need to spend tons of money on a new wardrobe that can accompany you to residential treatment for trauma, or for depression for that matter. You can bypass the stigma of buying “hospital” clothes and simply pack items that already reside in your closet.
If you do have to buy new clothing for mental health treatment, it does not neccesarily have to be high-quality clothing. While we encourage you to take pride in your appearance, we do not want you to be distracted by appearances.
Mentally ill patients have enough to worry about when it comes to receiving treatment for a condition. Your attire should be almost an afterthought to your treatment, ensuring that you get quality care first and foremost. When you feel ready to start packing, here are a few guidelines for packing comfortable clothes that will not detract from treatment.
1) Shirt, T-Shirts, and General Clothing Guidelines
For the most part, you want to pack mostly comfortable, ‘all the time’ clothing for your stay at Catalina Behavioral Health. This means that you do not want to wear the same things that you would usually wear to an office job that might be uncomfortable or distracting to other patients.
Most people take this to mean sweatpants and an assortment of t-shirts. Make sure that clothes are not too revealing, tight, or restrictive. If you cannot practice yoga in your clothing, then it may not be a good fit for the activities you will participate in or for life on the unit or in our community.
Also keep in mind that your clothes should have no reference to mental illness, suicide or self-harm, drugs, or alcohol. While some brand or logo t-shirts might be acceptable, it is often better to have plain t-shirts so that patients do not have to worry about encountering triggers.
As a bonus, these comfortable clothes tend to be less expensive if you do have to make purchases to round out a weeklong wardrobe for your recovery stay.
2) A Jacket with No Strings
Much like all sweatpants must be free of drawstrings, your jacket must also have no strings attached. If you will be packing hoodies, remove the string that threads through the hood. You can always keep the string at home and rethread it into the hood upon discharge if you are worried about ruining a favorite clothing item.
3) Sweatpants without Drawstrings
One of the major things to keep in mind when finding clothing to pack for a mentally ill patient is that it cannot have strings attached. Most sweatpants have a drawstring, but this will not be permitted on the unit due to safety concerns.
Instead, you will need sweatpants that can either stay around the waist with the drawstring removed or elastic-waist sweatpants. When this is not possible, you can also pack loose-fitting jeans. Keep in mind that belts will not be permitted, so ensure that your clothes fit well without assistance.
4) Socks and Undergarments
It likely goes without saying, but you will also need to pack your undergarments and socks. If you will not be wearing shoes around the unit, then you may want to consider investing in some socks with rubber grips on the bottom. Pack several pairs so that you have enough to last you for a full week.
Women should be aware that they will not be able to pack bras with an underwire. Sports bras are a good alternative though, as you can find many styles without underwire these days. Make sure you choose a bra that fits well and does not lead to unnecessarily revealing situations that could distract other patients.
Underwear should be comfortable and should not be revealed by your clothing choices.
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5) Super Soft Pajamas as Essential Clothing for Mental Health Treatment
Don’t forget about what you are going to wear to sleep in. Unfortunately, many pajama pants have a drawstring that will not be permitted on the unit. Instead, you should look for pajamas that have an elastic waistband that cannot be removed from the fabric of the pants.
Super soft t-shirts that are not revealing are an easy option for sleepwear. Both long-sleeve and short-sleeve shirts are acceptable.
Many of our clients also like to pack a bathrobe that they can wear at night or in the morning while they get ready. This can be a cozy way to stay warm and have some of the comforts of home with you at all times. Of course, you will not be able to use the belt on your bathrobe, so make sure you can wear it without one.
6) Slip-on Shoes or Socks with Grips
One of the most commonly forgotten items for patients is slip-on shoes. Sneakers and shoes with laces are not permitted in a residential facility. Instead, you might want a pair of cheap flip-flops for the showers or some other type of slip-on shoes when you are out and about on the unit. Slippers are also a great option.
If you have a hard time finding shoes that will work for this, you may instead use socks with grips. This prevents falls and protects your feet from anything that might have been spilled on the unit. We want you to be comfortable, so leave the high heels and other dress shoes at home. Comfort is the name of the game when you reside with us.
7) Outerwear for Outside Activities
Occasionally, our mental health clients may go outside for a group, recreational activity, or just to get some fresh air on our grounds. Depending on the season, you may want to consider packing some type of jacket or other seasonally appropriate-outerwear.
As with all of the other clothing for mental health treatment items we have discussed, you should choose outerwear that zips closed rather than ties. If any strings can be removed, take them out before packing. This saves you from losing the tie if you want it when you are discharged from Catalina Behavioral Health.
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Mental Health Matters at Catalina Behavioral Health
Catalina Behavioral Health wants to make it easy for anyone and everyone to receive the amazing message that there is hope and healing available to all at our facilities. You will love our treatment center, our team of medical professionals, and the robust services offered under our clinical care. With some of these helpful tips, you can start packing right away!
Allow our admissions team to give you the support you need to take meaningful steps toward health and contact our center today. We can answer any of your questions about what to pack and can help you verify your insurance benefits. Give us a call now to learn more about our facilities and all we have to offer!