What is a relapse? Can I really go it alone or will I become unwell again?
I would like to keep working on feeling better
Am I ready?
I feel so much better! But will it come back?
I don’t want to look back….I want to look forwards, how can this help me?
It is great news that you have completed your worry management treatment and feel better! Now it is time to think about staying well in the future. Next, we will learn more about everyday mood fluctuations. It is also important to know when you may be having a lapse or a relapse. You should know what the differences are between them. Using this relapse section will help you to manage your mood in the future. You can put your worry management skills back into action at any time you need them. Everyday mood changes It is normal for our mood to change day to day. Often more than once a day, depending on what happens to us! We all have times when we feel anxious for a few hours or even a few days at a time. We also have worries, a level of worrying is normal!. We just don’t pay so much attention to them as they pop back out of our minds again. What do you do when you have a day like this? Try not to let how you are feeling, or any worries affect what you do. That’s when that vicious cycle can take hold again. It is part of everyday life to feel this way from time to time. Be kind to yourself. Don’t put yourself under too much pressure that your mood has always got to be positive and you won’t worry – you will. This is OK, we all worry! They key is not to let it form a cycle again and affect what you do. You have the skills to manage it. What is a lapse? Sometimes, you can lapse back into old ways for a few days. For example, you may avoid things because of worrying. A lapse does not mean that you have relapsed. Spotting it means you can act to break the cycle before it takes hold. Recognise a lapse for what it is. Try not to worry that it is a sign that you have gone back to square one. It isn’t! If you spot this happening, it’s a sign to put your skills into action again. What is a relapse? A relapse is when you start to feel the way you did before. Your physical symptoms and worries may return for several days in a row. If this should happen, you have the worry management skills to put back into action again. That should mean that the problem doesn’t get as bad or last as long. Completing this guide can help you to spot early warning signs before that vicious cycle has a chance to take hold again. 31
© Marie Chellingsworth (2020). The CBT Resource.
