Once you have successfully met your therapeutic goals or significantly reduced your psychological symptoms (great work!), it is helpful to consider relapse prevention. When you arrive at the final stage of therapy where learned skills and strategies have now become automatic and mood is markedly better, it is important to hold onto these therapeutic gains for the long-term. It is understandable that as we progress in life we might be met with unexpected stressors and people do not want to lose their positive changes and slip back into old habits. We might experience a lapse or a brief return to past unhelpful habits when we experience stress, which is a common occurrence. A relapse is a complete return to previous ways of thinking and behaving that can lead to psychological challenges. Relapse prevention helps people to become aware when they might be experiencing a lapse to stop it from turning into a relapse.
When is it time to get help?
There are certain warning signs that might be indicative of difficulty dealing with stress, life changes, or other significant events, including increase in psychological symptoms, avoidance or procrastination, more conflict with others, and not meeting obligations at work or school. If you are starting to notice that you are falling back into previous unhelpful habits of inflexible and unrealistic thinking, maladaptive behaviours, and adverse emotional reactions then it is important to reach out to your mental health practitioner.
How can CBT help with Relapse Prevention?
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based practice that has been widely utilized for a broad range of psychological concerns that integrates relapse prevention to help clients maintain their therapeutic gains. Relapse prevention strategies may include, but are not limited to:
- Identifying high-risk situations where you might become more vulnerable to an increase in psychological symptoms and stress
- Recognizing early warning signs when you might be slipping into more problematic mood states through certain behaviours (e.g., procrastination, staying in bed longer, and avoidance of situations or people), thought processes (e.g., more negative internal dialogue), emotional changes (e.g., increased irritability or anxiety), and physical changes (e.g., sleep disruptions and fatigue)
- Forming a plan of action by integrating your skills, values, and beliefs developed in therapy that have helped you navigate stressful situations that you can utilize when you enter into high-risk situations or when you notice that your mood is becoming problematic again
How can the team at Oakville Centre for Cognitive Therapy help?
At the Oakville Centre for Cognitive Therapy, we have trained psychologists with experience in relapse prevention. If you noticing that your psychological symptoms are worsening and are interested in receiving evidence-based treatment, please contact us at: 905-338-1397 or admin@oakvillecbt.ca or via our Contact Us page.