Preventing SUD Relapse - The Help you’ve been searching for.
A depression recurrence can be disheartening, especially if you’ve been feeling better.
If you start to feel depressed again, remember that it’s not your fault and that there are cognitive tools you can use to help boost your mood and prevent your symptoms from getting worse.
Symptom awareness
It may sound simple, but being honest with yourself about what you’re feeling can be a key step toward improvement.
For example, if you start to feel that your mood is shifting again or you’re staying inside more often, try taking some time to consider how often this has been occurring.
Prevention can often start by recognizing that your symptoms may be returning and that increased personal care may be necessary.
Mindfulness meditation
A mindfulness meditation practice often involves shifting your attention from negative thoughts (rumination) to how you feel in the present moment.
A 2020 studyTrusted Source mentioned that using mindfulness meditation as a tool in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help you stay grounded and reduce rumination.
Mindfulness meditation may also help reduce the chance of depression, according to a 2019 studyTrusted Source.
Another therapy approach, mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy (MBCT), combines meditation and mindfulness with CBT. A 2019 studyTrusted Source suggests that MBCT may help prevent recurrent depression in people who live with depression. But more research is needed.
Prescribed treatments
Sometimes people stop taking their medications or attending therapy sessions because they feel better. This may end up interfering with your progress.
If you’ve been lax about your treatments, try to resume the treatment plan exactly as it was prescribed to you.
Remember that depression requires continued management and self-care.
Daily activity planning
Loss of interest in activities that you previously enjoyed is a common trait of depression.
Planning out your activities by writing them down can be one way to increase interest in those activities. It helps by:
adding structure to the day
enhancing self-management, including negative thoughts about activities
increasing the likelihood of performing the tasks
reducing the perception of tasks being unmanageable or chaotic
In addition to adding everyday tasks such as going to the grocery store, it may also be beneficial to include pleasant tasks like a coffee date with friends.
Challenge negative thoughts
Negative thoughts, or cognitive distortions, are more commonly seen in people with depression than those without, according to 2018 research.
A 2018 review found that cognitive therapy focused on repetitive negative thinking can be more helpful for reducing this behavior than other types of therapy. But more research is needed.
Other coping strategies that can help challenge negative thinking include practicing self-love, embracing gratitude, and developing self-awareness.
Be prepared
If you live with depression, being proactive about a depression recurrence can help you be prepared when one happens.
Remember that if you’ve experienced at least one depressive episode, you could be up to 60% more likely to have a recurrence of depression, according to the DSM-5.
If you’ve had at least two depressive episodes, the chance of having a recurrence increases to up to 70%Trusted Source and up to 90% for those who have had three or more episodes.
You may not be able to prevent every episode, but there are ways you can be prepared for one. Some strategies you can try include:
keeping a journal of your feelings to keep track of your symptoms
identifying your triggers
marking on the calendar when your symptoms are at their worst
having friends and family help monitor your behaviors
