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ePaper created 2014-12-04, 01:15:59 | version 1.33.01
35 Leisure Time If you have ever seen the movie "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest", and been amazed at the amount of time that the patients spent just milling around, then I have some news for you — that is not far from the truth. Yes, there are activities. Yes, there is therapy. Yes, you spend time speaking with your psychiatrist, and you spend time eating. HOWEVER, there is still a lot of time that is not predetermined for any given activity. There is at least an hour or two like this in the beginning of the day, and there is an hour or two like this at the end of the day. This is partly because patients often need lots of time for naps, and partly because you are in the hospital to relax! So they are just providing the time during which you can fulfill those aspects of your recovery. Take advantage of these opportunities! Make friends! Play games! Be happy! These actions will all help to produce what you are really looking for in the first place — a quick trip home! The predispositions you project during your leisure time have a big effect on the length of your stay. If you spend time brooding by yourself, or smoking constantly, then you won't be getting out as fast as patients that participate in positive activities! Believe it or not, leisure time is extremely important. It is observed, as is everything else that you do. So don't let it go to waste!!! Of course, leisure time can also mean naptime. There is nothing wrong with taking a nap once a day if you need it. The meds you'll be on will probably sap a decent amount of your energy, so don't stay up if you really need to hit the sheets for a little bit. Here's a small tip that you may also want to keep in mind — don't spend every minute of your leisure time watching TV. While I don't have hard data supporting this conclusion, I'm of the opinion that too much TV watching could be looked upon in a bad light by the powers that be. If you fill your three to four hours of leisure time with nothing but soap operas and talk shows, you're probably not as well off as the guys who are taking walks around the yard and visiting