Table 6 Quotes on staying involved in everyday life before (T0) and after (T1) treatment

T0.3.1 Maintaining autonomy and independence (38)

 “Yes, actually I don’t feel so sick that I have the feeling I would need comprehensive care. I manage to deal with everyday stuff and I’m also quite content that I’m able to keep my flat in order.” (O)

T0.3.2 Promptly implementing therapeutic contents (24)

 “The problem of going to hospital is that you will be staying there, you get “full board” and perhaps you also learn a lot there, but when you leave you suddenly—boom—have to cope with your everyday life. This is not the same with the evening clinic. When you have learnt something there, you can immediately try to include it in your daily life.”(I)

T0.3.3 Continuous contact with the social environment (37)

 “Yes, well, due to the fact that I’m at home with my family in the mornings and also at other times except for these 3 days, I can continue fulfilling my obligations in the family. It is not as restrictive as it would be if I were in a day-care clinic.”(C)

 “I’m fine there, even if there might be a lot of problems, but all the same I get the feeling of being safe and having a place to retreat to. And this is exactly what I wouldn’t have in inpatient therapy.”(F)

T1.3.1 Maintaining autonomy and independence (10)

 ”Well, I wanted to stay in my life. It was important to me to be able to manage independently in my everyday life. So that was one of my goals and, um, I don’t know, I’ve never received inpatient therapy before, but I have the feeling that everything, like preparing food etc., is done for you.”(G)

T1.3.2 Promptly implementing therapeutic contents (65)

 ”Yes, that I have the feeling that I am doing something for my daily routine and, um, I can practice, maybe reorganize my life, maybe a little bit. That was also a concern of mine—to get out of this old rut in which I was stuck” (O)

T1.3.3 Continuous contact with the social environment (40)

 ”[….] in which you can basically keep on with your regular daily routine without being afraid of missing out on something or letting others hang.”(F)

 ”Yes, of course I simply had to put some people off and say: “sorry, I can’t do it at the moment, I can’t manage it”.(L)