Loss of control and the chronic mentally ill in a rural day-treatment center.

PROBLEM

What do chronically mentally ill clients consider to be the core variable in maintaining health, and how do they go about doing this?

METHODS

A grounded theory design with analysis of interviews of seven chronically mentally ill clients in a rural day-treatment center.

FINDINGS

The core variable in maintaining health according to chronic mentally ill clients is preventing loss of control. A process was discovered that clients used to do this.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic mentally ill clients prevent loss of control by using informal relationships to adapt behaviors, attitudes, and feelings within a supportive environment. If this fails, they turn to formal sources of control such as therapists, case workers, or other mental health providers.