Laugarásinn - treatment centre

The heart of Laugarásinn is in a big and beautiful house on Laugarásvegur 71 in Reykjavík. At another location, Víðihlíð, on the west side of Holtagardar, there is room for various activities as well as clinical work.

The core work of Laugarásinn is the outpatient ward where more than 100 people are served, while the building on Laugarásvegur also has an inpatient ward for 7 people.

Research shows that the earlier a psychotic illness is intervened with intensive treatment, the better the long-term and short-term prognosis is.

In Laugarásinn there is opportunity for all individuals to develop their different skills, for example in art, music or sports. This improves their quality of life and encourages independence and productivity.

If a young person between the ages of 18-35 might be experiencing incipient psychosis, they are referred to the Laugarás Assessment Team.

The team reviews and assesses all referrals, each person's situation and which treatment would be most suitable for that person.

The goal of the team is to ensure that the individual is offered the best possible solution to their problem as soon as possible and to shorten the period of untreated psychosis, should this be the case.

If the person is diagnosed with an incipient psychosis and is aged 18-35, they are referred to the services of the Laugarás treatment psychiatric department.

Others are guaranteed follow-up by the team or other therapists until another acceptable treatment can be started.

Varied and evidence-based treatment options are offered for incipient psychosis that aim to reduce symptoms, prevent relapse and support people to participate in society.

The activities are individualised, flexible and everything is done to meet the individual needs of everyone.

A variety of treatment options are available at Laugarásinn:

• Varied exercise and health promotion
• Education about psychosis and psychotic disorders
• Cognitive rehabilitation with social training
• The art project LISTAFL
• The music workshop HLJÓMAFL
• Education for relatives about psychotic disorders
• Stress management
• Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis, anxiety and depression
• Diverse group work with different focuses
• Support for studies
• Intensive vocational rehabilitation

Facts

• About 3% of people will experience psychosis at some point in their lives
• The first psychosis occurs in most cases between the ages of 16 and 30
• Psychosis is a condition in which the connection with reality is severed
• People with psychosis experience delusions and hallucinations. Thinking can become disorganised.
• Psychosis is often accompanied by anxiety and depression, and many people become socially isolated.
• Psychosis affects the way we think, feel and experience the world
• Individual Placement and Support – IPS

Intervention

• Early intervention is prevention and the key to recovery
• Intensive and specialised treatment immediately results in recovery

The department has a strong multidisciplinary team, consisting of psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, sports scientists, kinesiologists, paramedics, counsellors and support representatives.

Those who attend services are helped to get a better handle on the psychotic illness and daily life in various ways.

Other focus areas in the service include working with relatives and a healthy lifestyle.