Relapse Prevention

·         The best way to prevent a lapse is to keep practicing your CBT skills! If you are regularly practicing, you will be in good shape to handle whatever situations you are faced with.

·         Know your red flag early warning signs. Watch for times when you feel more stressed too or when things happen in your life. I shared mine with my wife and she sometimes notices before me and reminds me to look through my toolkit.

·         Use your action plan even if you are feeling well. It really reminded me to set aside time to look after myself.

·         Put your review day on the calendar each month in a colored pen so you know it is your review time, or leave a post it note on the fridge or kettle.

·         Be compassionate to yourself, we all have negative thoughts or times when we don’t feel like doing things, remember it is doing the opposite that helps. When I noticed I may not be feeling like something, like going to see a friend, I make sure I go.

·         Focus on the present moment. If you notice you are having worrying thoughts, or going over things again and again in your mind, the best thing to do is an activity that focuses your attention. It helps to stop you ruminating or worrying and making yourself feel worse.

·         Think about small changes you can make that add up to big changes you may still want to do. Think of the big change as like the end destination you put in your sat nav. Even when it feels far off, there are little directions you can take to get nearer to where you want to be and that make sure you are still heading in the right direction.

·         Reflect on how far you have come rather than just the things you may still want to do or improve.

·         Don’t get too over focused on reviewing your mood, use your toolkit as often as you need to and with a weekly or monthly review day that you stick to. It does not have to be every day and remember that your mood will fluctuate up and down at times and that is normal and OK!