Relapse Prevention for Co-Occurring Mental Health and Addictive Disorders

Relapse means returning to a previous state. It is vital to understand that relapse does not just mean a return to addictive behaviors, nor does it mean just using. Relapses can happen in terms of people's mood, thinking patterns and behaviors. In actuality, a person's thinking patterns and behavior often become problematic long before they start showing symptoms of addiction or depression again. Some people call this return to old ways of thinking, behaving and feeling as "relapse warning signs" or "lapses." In my mind, it is actually the beginning of a relapse. That doesn't mean that the behaviors have to be continued to the point of using again. A relapse can stopped and corrected at any point. The earlier these old behaviors and ways of thinking are stopped, the less more likely the person is to stay healthy and happy. In this episode we will discuss ways to remain mindful in order to address any potential issues before they start impacting recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices