| Thinking About Relapse Prevention |
| What We’re Going To Do Today |
| Talk about relapse prevention | |
| Share knowledge and experience concerning mental illness | |
| We’re going to share things that are personal, and perhaps even painful | |
| We are going to increase wellness levels | |
| How Do I Know About Mental Illness and Relapse Prevention? |
| I’ve studied and researched it | |
| But mostly I know about it the same way that you know about it | |
| All of us in this room have close knowledge, if not first hand experience, with mental illness | |
| I know about it because of the experiences of some of my family members, and because I have struggled with depression | |
| What is Relapse Prevention? |
| It is a type of psychoeducational training | |
| It teaches techniques to prevent recurrences of psychiatric illnesses | |
| It is a tool that empowers consumers | |
| Why Is It Important to Learn about Relapse Prevention? |
| It’s important because many psychiatric conditions are: | ||
| Chronic | ||
| Cyclical | ||
| Episodic | ||
| It can help people have fewer and shorter episodes of acute illness | ||
| Relapse Prevention is Important Because: |
| People can and do achieve wellness | |
| People can and do maintain wellness | |
| Sometimes relapses do occur | |
| Consumers are are often afraid they’ll become acutely ill again | |
| Multiple relapses increase the odds of permanent disability | |
| Relapses can be prevented | |
| Research Tells Us |
| Relapse prevention helps end “the revolving door syndrome” | |||
| Provides familiarity with wellness levels | |||
| Unstable: | |||
| symptoms interfere with daily life | |||
| Stable: | |||
| medications are working, activities can be conducted | |||
| Actualized: | |||
| symptoms move to the background, do not interfere | |||
| What You Can Learn from Relapse Prevention Education |
| That early action at the first sign of symptoms (during the prodromal phase) CAN stop a relapse from happening before symptoms become debilitating | |
| Techniques to SHORTEN the length of an acute episode | |
| Having a clear plan will help you get back on your feet faster if you do experience a set back | |
| What We’re Going To Explore Together |
| General psychiatric symptoms | |
| Identify specific symptoms you have experienced | |
| Learn how recognize signs of relapse | |
| Develop ways to lessen symptoms | |
| Explore feelings and events that might “trigger” symptoms | |
| Develop personalized goals to achieve, maintain and, enhance wellness | |
| Complete a personalized plan should relapse occur | |
| Why Talk About Relapse Prevention Now? |
| Because you are experiencing wellness now | |
| And that’s when it’s easiest to do this kind of hard work | |
| By doing it together we’ll all be able to learn from each other | |
| The more that you know, the less likely you are to experience a relapse | |
| What Causes Mental Health Disturbances? |
| Specific conditions: | ||
| Depressive disorder | ||
| Schizophrenia | ||
| Bipolar Disorder | ||
| Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | ||
| Imbalances in neurotransmitter systems | ||
| Hormonal Imbalances (like in the thyroid) | ||
| Genetic Predisposition (it runs in families) | ||
| Trauma | ||
| Abuse | ||
| PTSD | ||
| Deprivation | ||
| Brain injury | ||
| What Does It Feel Like to Experience: |
| Depression | |||
| Hopeless | |||
| Helpless | |||
| Useless | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| What Does It Feel Like to Experience: |
| Mania | |||
| Racing thoughts | |||
| Like you could do anything | |||
| Speedy | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| What Does It Feel Like to Experience: |
| Psychotic Symptoms | |||
| Voices were talking to you | |||
| People were looking at you | |||
| You saw things that others didn’t | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| How Did You Feel While You Were Having Symptoms? |
| Scared and Nervous | |||
| Like you knew things other people didn’t know | |||
| Like there was something wrong with you | |||
| You enjoyed these feelings | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| What Did You Experience Before Your Symptoms Became Troublesome? |
| Withdrawal from friends and activities | |||
| Sleeping too much | |||
| Not sleeping enough | |||
| Negative or hostile attitude | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| How Might You Feel If You Were To Experience Symptoms Again? |
| Worried | |||
| Embarrassed | |||
| Like there’s nothing you can do about it | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| What Can You Do If You Have Troublesome Symptoms? |
| Call Your Therapist | ||
| Get a Physical | ||
| Have a Med Check | ||
| Seek out friends | ||
| Avoid Negative and Critical People | ||
| Let’s add to this list | ||
| What Must You Do If You’re Experiencing Troubling Symptoms? |
| Admit that you’re having difficulty | |
| Be honest and clear about what is happening, and about what hurts | |
| Take steps to eliminate Harmful Thoughts |
| What Are Harmful Thoughts? |
| All or nothing (polarized) thinking | |||
| Everything’s Good | |||
| Everything’s Bad | |||
| Believing someone else is responsible for your actions | |||
| Blaming others | |||
| Catastrophizing | |||
| Mind reading | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| Dealing With Harmful Thoughts |
| Identify them as negative | |||
| Describe them | |||
| Refute them | |||
| Substitute positive thoughts | |||
| List your accomplishments | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| What Should You Be On the Lookout For? |
| Having trouble thinking or concentrating | |||
| Becoming preoccupied about your health | |||
| Feeling sad, anxious or irritable | |||
| Feeling like you can do anything | |||
| Hearing voices | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| What Else Should You Be Watching For? |
| Isolating behaviors | |||
| Avoiding people | |||
| Not going to activates | |||
| Increased alcohol or drug use | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| More Things To Watch Out For |
| Neglecting Yourself | |||
| Bad Hygiene | |||
| Not caring about your appearance | |||
| Not eating | |||
| Not doing housekeeping chores | |||
| Let’s add to this list: | |||
| Identifying Triggers? |
| Family Stress | |||
| Worrying about getting or keeping a job | |||
| Alcohol or drug use | |||
| Moving | |||
| Relationship changes | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| Ways To Increase Wellness |
| Believe that you have the ability to get well and stay well | |||
| Continue taking prescribed medications | |||
| Stop smoking | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| More Ways To Increase Wellness |
| Improve your diet: more fruits and vegetables, less junk food | |
| Exercise | |
| Create satisfying social interactions | |
| NEVER CHANGE OR STOP TAKING YOUR MEDS WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR | |
| If You Do Have Severe Symptoms? |
| Contact your support people | ||
| Accept help | ||
| Understand that it’s not anyone’s fault | ||
| Even healthy people get colds | ||
| Follow your personalized Relapse Plan | ||
| Be prepared to Get Back in the Saddle | ||
| Getting Back in the Saddle |
| Understand that even even people who do everything right still sometimes relapse | |||
| At the first sign of symptoms take action | |||
| Follow your healthy lifestyle plan | |||
| Take your prescribed medicines | |||
| Let’s add to this list | |||
| Your Personalized Plan |
| Specified Hospital | |
| Name of Person to be spokesperson | |
| Names of your doctors | |
| Current medications | |
| Medications you’re willing/not willing to take | |
| Treatments you’re willing/not willing to allow | |