9.3 Relapse prevention for mental health problems

A Family Guide to Concurrent Disorders - Part III: Treatment

Some people only have one episode of mental illness, but many people have more than one episode. In some cases, the mental health problem is expected to recur.

Studies have shown that people can learn to recognize and manage their symptoms  and reduce the chances that they will relapse. If they do relapse, the symptoms may be less severe.

There are some common factors that may contribute to relapse for many mental health disorders. However, sometimes there is no obvious reason.

Risk factors

People may experience situations or feelings that put them at greater risk of relapsing.  A person who has a stressful, demanding life can be more vulnerable to relapse. Lack of regular routines and a poor diet and sleeping habits can also have a negative impact. A lack of social, family and community support may be a factor. Some common triggers are:

• substance use or abuse
• medication use problems—medication is stopped, taken irregularly or the dose is  too low
• high levels of criticism, hostility or too much emotional involvement from family members (high emotional expression)
• conflicts with others
• severe mental stress, such as the death of a loved one
• condition-specific triggers—for example, the anniversary of a traumatic event could be a trigger for someone with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• feelings, thoughts or situations that have come before a previous episode of illness
• other medical or physical problems.

Relapse prevention strategies for mental health problems

The following strategies can help your family member prevent a relapse:

• Identify signs of relapse and work with a professional to develop a relapse prevention plan.
• Take medication as prescribed, and speak to the doctor if it is not working or  if side-effects are too unpleasant.
• Recognize situations that may trigger symptoms, and try to avoid them or reduce exposure to them.
• Learn about the disorders. Psychoeducation—formal learning about mental illness by the individual and family members—reduces the rate of relapse.
• Apply skills learned in treatment to deal with symptoms.
• Practise techniques to deal with stressful situations. Examples include meditation, anger management and positive thinking.
• Develop a structured routine. Pursue lifestyle choices and activities that increase a sense of balance in life, such as relaxation training, stress management, assertiveness training and conflict resolution.

Click the links below to print/view the following PDFs:

• Activity 9-1: Identifying Risk Factors PDF
• Activity 9-2: Relapse Prevention Strategies PDF
• Activity 9-3: Caregiver Relapse Prevention Plan PDF

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