Inpatient mental health treatments involve staying at a hospital or specialized mental health facility to receive intensive care for serious mental health conditions.

These treatments are designed for individuals experiencing acute mental health crises, such as severe depression, suicidal ideation, psychosis, or other conditions that require close medical supervision and structured support to prevent grave complications.

There are many different types of inpatient mental health treatments:

• Psychiatric hospitalization

• • Reserved for individuals in a dangerous crisis, such as those at risk of harming themselves or others.
  • Provides round-the-clock care, medication management, and therapy.
  • Stays typically range from a few days to several weeks to ensure safety.

• Residential treatment programs

• • Long-term treatment (weeks to months) in a structured and home-like environment.
  • Includes therapy, life skills training, and medical care.
  • Used for conditions like severe depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and substance use disorders.

• Medical detoxification (detox) for substance use disorders

• • A supervised withdrawal process for those dependent on drugs or alcohol.
  • This is often the first step before further inpatient or outpatient treatment measures are taken.

• Involuntary commitment

• • Court-ordered hospitalization for individuals who pose a danger to themselves or others.
  • Provides stabilization, evaluation, and treatment planning.

• Specialized inpatient programs

• • Designed for specific conditions such as trauma, eating disorders, dual diagnosis of mental illness, and substance abuse.
  • Offers a combination of psychotherapy, medical care, and holistic treatments.

• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in a hospital setting

• • Used for serious, treatment-resistant depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia.
  • Involves controlled electrical stimulation to the brain under anesthesia.

• Partial hospitalization programs (PHPs) and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs)

• • Transitional programs that provide organized therapy while allowing patients to return home at night.
  • Partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs include therapy, medication management, and skills training.

Here are a few more specialized or emerging options available in addition to the inpatient mental health treatments already listed:

• Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) in inpatient settings

• • Used for treatment-resistant depression and PTSD.
  • Involves controlled administration of ketamine under medical supervision and is often combined with therapy.
  • Typically provided in specialized psychiatric hospitals or research-based inpatient programs.

• Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in inpatient care

• • A non-invasive brain stimulation therapy for depression and OCD.
  • Uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain.
  • Sometimes integrated into inpatient programs for severe cases.

• Psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) in long-term care facilities

• • A comprehensive, inpatient-based approach for those with chronic mental illness (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder).
  • Focuses on developing life skills, social integration, and long-term stability.

• Secure forensic psychiatric units

• • Inpatient facilities for individuals involved in the legal system due to mental illness.
  • Provides rehabilitation for conditions such as psychosis, impulse control issues, and severe personality disorders.

• Therapeutic communities (TCs) in inpatient settings

• • Long-term residential programs concentrated on social learning and peer support.
  • Regularly used for people with substance use disorders, personality disorders, or trauma-related conditions.

• Mindfulness-based and holistic inpatient programs

• • Some inpatient facilities incorporate alternative therapies such as yoga, meditation, art therapy, and equine therapy.
  • This helps to manage stress, anxiety, and emotional regulation.

• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in clinical inpatient trials

• • Used in experimental or research settings for treatment-resistant depression and OCD.
  • Involves surgically implanting electrodes in the brain to regulate abnormal neural activity.

• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) residential programs

• • Specialized treatment for those with borderline personality disorder (BPD), self-harm behaviors, or severe emotional dysregulation.
  • Includes intensive DBT skills training, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation.

• Psychedelic-assisted therapy (clinical trials and specialized inpatient programs)

• • Some inpatient facilities, particularly research-based ones, use psilocybin, MDMA, or LSD-assisted therapy for PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
  • Currently experimental but gaining approval in various clinical settings.

• Neurofeedback therapy in inpatient settings

• • EEG-based brainwave monitoring is used to help patients regulate brain activity.
  • Applied for conditions like ADHD, PTSD, and mood disorders.

• Inpatient schema therapy programs

• • Specifically designed for individuals with personality disorders, chronic depression, and trauma-related conditions.
  • Focuses on identifying and restructuring deep-seated negative thought patterns.

• Geriatric psychiatric units

• • Inpatient mental health care for older adults experiencing dementia, late-life depression, or psychosis.
  • Provides both psychiatric treatment and medical care tailored to age-related conditions.

• Maternal mental health inpatient programs (perinatal psychiatry units)

• • Specialized inpatient rehab for pregnant and postpartum individuals with perinatal depression, postpartum psychosis, or anxiety disorders.
  • Includes psychiatric care, parenting support, and accommodations for the baby in some instances.

• Inpatient play therapy for children and adolescents

• • Used in pediatric psychiatric hospitals or residential settings.
  • Aids children in processing trauma, anxiety, and emotional difficulties through guided play therapy.

• Intensive inpatient group therapy programs

• • Some facilities concentrate on highly structured, daily group therapy models for mood disorders, addiction, and trauma.
  • Uses peer support, interpersonal therapy, and cognitive-behavioral techniques.

• Animal-assisted therapy in inpatient care

• • Involves therapeutic interactions with trained animals, like horses, or even dolphins.
  • Used in some inpatient settings to help with PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

• Sensory integration therapy in psychiatric hospitals

• • Often used for individuals struggling with autism, PTSD, or sensory processing disorders.
  • Involves activities that regulate sensory input to improve emotional stability and focus.

Conclusion

Most mental health conditions can be handled at home without having to stay in a hospital. That’s preferable, since people are usually more relaxed at home.

Nevertheless, inpatient mental health treatments in a specialized mental health facility to receive intensive care are necessary and even preferred when the psychological issues are too severe to deal with at home effectively.

That’s because serious mental disorders such as severe depression, psychosis, or suicide ideation frequently require close medical supervision and controlled support to prevent critical complications.