Is It Okay to Have A Mental Health Relapse: How to Get Back on Track

Photo from Pixabay.com

Please note: This page contains affiliate links, meaning I receive commissions from purchases made through those links, at no cost to you.

A mental health relapse can occur at any moment, usually at a weakened state of mind. In drug and alcohol abuse, the word relapse is always related to these illnesses as a setback. But a relapse can also be associated with mental illness as well. And too often for many out there living with depression, relapse is just about guaranteed to happen. So is it really okay to have a mental health relapse?

As I venture through my own relapse right now, there is this feeling of failure because I wasn’t able to maintain a healthy balance between my mental and physical being. A sense of frustration, disappointment, and at some points thinking “What’s the point?” are all recent feelings I’ve felt about this latest setback.

Despite these feelings, I have to remind myself that it is okay to have a relapse. Depressive episodes as they are called, tend to come back as our triggers are pressed. And what I mean by triggers is those events in life that can spark a long episode of depression.

Now while it’s not a good thing to have a relapse when it comes to managing your mental health, it shouldn’t be looked at as a failure. So let’s dive a bit into what a Depressive Episode is and how can we get back on track mentally.

What is a Depressive Episode (Mental Relapse)

A Depressive Episode can be best described as a change in mood, often times a low point combined with other symptoms of depression that last longer than 2 weeks. People can experience a loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed. And while there’s no set timeframe for an episode, it could average duration of 6 to 8 months.

How Do You Know You’re Having a Depressive Episode (Mental Relapse)

An episode can be triggered by a history of depression, loss of a loved one, a change in lifestyle, sometimes a financial burden, the strains and stresses of taking on the role of caregiver, or a list of others. These life-changing events can contribute to a depressive episode, causing disruption in your everyday life and a journey of negative thoughts and mood changes.

Just to name a few, here are some symptoms of a depressive episode you may experience:

• Persistent sad, anxious or “empty” mood
• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
• Decreased energy, fatigue, feeling “slowed down”
• Restlessness, irritability

If you’re experiencing several of these symptoms every day, almost every day, for at least 2 weeks, then this could show a diagnose of depression.

Steps to Get Back on Track with Your Mental Health

So now that we’ve learned that we’re going through a relapse, you’re probably asking yourself “Now what?” Whether it’s your 1st relapse or your 30th, here are a few steps you can take to get yourself back to a healthier mindset.

1. Understand What Triggered Your Episode

A key part of getting back on track with your mental health is understanding what triggered this episode in the 1st place. Get to the root of what caused you to become depressed. Look at changes in routines and mood changes, and jot them down. If you had to give them a number rating, what would be considered the highest or lowest to describe your mood during that time? What is the thought or feeling associated with that rating?

By taking this step, it may help you identify what your trigger is, and help you build a plan based around handling it if it should occur again. Also, spotting early signs of a depressive episode may help you combat a full-blown depression.

2. Take a Deep Breath and Stay Calm

Often times during a depressive episode, our mind is running in overtime with thoughts and emotions. And learning that you may be in a depressed state could, for some, be a lot to take in. it can become overwhelming and scary, leading to anxiety and panic.

The best thing to do is to take a deep breath and stay calm.

Remember that while it may not seem like it, these feelings don’t last forever and depression can be treated. Such techniques as self-help books, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can help to calm the mind and body during these times.

Personally, for myself, I’ve used the Calm app on my phone for moments where I’ve felt overwhelmed. On it, you can find different breathing techniques, beginner programs for learning to meditation, even calming music for different situations. They offer both free and yearly subscription.

3. Journal Your Thoughts and Moods

One of the best ways to understand your relapse is to journal your thoughts and moods. By writing your feelings and thoughts down as they occur it can become a good way to release those negative thoughts from your mind. A journal can serve as a personal escape for you and ease your mood over time.

A journal can also be a guide, helping you during your next episode to see how you managed it the last time.  

Places like Staples, Amazon, and more provide a variety of different journals to fit your personality. Your journal is your own little companion for you to share your thoughts with when your support is not available at that time. Use it to document both your negative and positive thoughts and moods.

4. Establish a Routine

Sleep, exercise, and eating well are a huge impact on your mood and mental health.

Lack of sleep can help contribute to your symptoms of depression, causing you to have a lack of energy and tiredness throughout the day. By not having enough sleep it can impact your mood in a negative way. Try establishing a daily bedtime for yourself, and begin to wind down before then.

Drinking some soothing tea or warm milk, take a warm bath, or read a book before bed can help to calm you before bed. Maybe write in your journal before you turn in for the night to help relieve some of those racing thoughts.

But try to avoid any screen time such as phones, TV, and computers that can continue to stimulate the mind. The idea is to calm the brain during bedtime. The less engaged the mind is the better it becomes to establish a healthy sleep pattern.

Exercise is another great routine to help with depressive episodes. By exercising, you’re releasing chemicals called Endorphins that can help improve your mood. It can give you that energy boost that you need to do other tasks, triggering a happier mood, and can help you cope with stress.

Routines can bring structure to your everyday way of thinking. They are the positive forces you can use to help eliminate the feeling of emptiness and sadness that leads to negative thoughts. When you have something to occupy that empty void, then you may find that there’s no room for the urge for your mind to feel depressed.

5. Practice Rethinking Your Negative Thoughts

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an effective therapy for someone with depression and mood disorders. CBT focuses on changing negative thoughts into more effective balanced thoughts, altering your feelings and behaviors. Through a licensed therapist, they can provide you with tools during your sessions to help manage your thoughts in a more productive way.

You can also practice this technique on your own for recurring episodes. Identify your negative thoughts and the effect they have on you. Such sayings as “I’ll never get that promotion” or “I’m just not that good at this” could be replaced with positive statements like “I’ll get that promotion next time” or “I’ve tried my best and I should be proud of myself.”

6. Seek Professional Help

One of the most important things to remember during an episode is to always seek help if your symptoms last longer than 14 days. Psychotherapy is a talk therapy that may be beneficial to someone who is experiencing a mild or moderate depressive episode.

There are different forms of therapy such as counseling, problem-solving therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and group therapy. They can help you develop helpful ways of thinking and acting more effectively.

For some, a combination of psychotherapy and medication maybe be more effective, depending on the severity of your case. But never be afraid to ask for help.

Conclusion

A mental health relapse in depression can be scary to go through. It’s an obstacle in life that we never plan for but is something that we manage to overcome. With the proper techniques, self-care, and management, a relapse in mental health doesn’t have to feel like a failure or a reason to give up. Remember, that as difficult as it is at the moment, it won’t last forever and you will make it through.

Until next time this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive and NOTHING is impossible!!!