Omar shares his experiences – psychiatric intensive care at Priory Woodbourne
Omar is a young man diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, who is also on the autism spectrum. Before coming to our service, he was living at home with his family but was struggling with worsening psychotic symptoms, increased anxiety, and was displaying unsafe behaviours that required police and crisis team involvement. He had experienced earlier support from community mental health teams, but during relapses he became isolated, distressed, and at risk of harm to himself and others.
When Omar first arrived, he had little insight into his illness, was fearful, and sometimes aggressive due to his paranoia. His mood and behaviour were unstable, and he needed close support and supervision to keep him safe. He also required help with medication, emotional regulation, and daily routines like eating and self-care. Consistent, structured support was key to helping him stabilise.
‘’I was facing challenges for my mental health and way of life, feeling paranoid, religious delusion, negative symptoms and depressive symptoms.’’
Our multidisciplinary team — including doctors, nurses, psychologists, and occupational therapists — worked closely with Omar’s family and previous community services to plan his care and support a smooth transition into hospital.
The importance of dedicated, bespoke care
Omar received a structured care plan and the team worked closely with his family to adapt the plan as his needs changed, ensuring he felt supported throughout his recovery.
Now Omar enjoys connecting with his family a lot more, and we get to see his good sense of humour. He enjoys showing kindness towards others and is also interested in spirituality and technology.
‘’They supported me when I was in crisis, calming me down. They also supported me with housing and occupational therapy, therapeutic support when I needed it.’’
Omar is now eating and drinking regularly again, attending to his personal care, and engaging more with structured activities. With support, he’s using escorted leave and beginning to build the confidence needed for more independent living. He has recently visited the dentist and he is able to manage his finances and focus on his hobbies. During his time here he has tried his hand at t-shirt printing, designing his own temporary tattoos, painting and decorating the activity room, Quench music project, animal therapy including exotic animals, poetry and fitness.
During occupational therapy sessions, Omar has become a lot more knowledgeable about his mental health presentation, warning signs and coping skills that can manage some of the symptoms he has been experiencing.
Hopeful for the future
Omar hopes to move to supported accommodation and is in the process of viewing potential homes. He expressed an interest in pursuing a job in software engineering and has been advised to consider apprenticeships or voluntary work to gain experience in this particular field. Omar would also like to improve his kitchen skills and learn to make new recipes.
*Image changed to protect identity