A common misconception about depression and other mental illnesses is that you're safe from future episodes once you've had an episode. Unfortunately, this isn't true at all. You can't necessarily control the future or predict when depression will hit you again, but some signs can help to alert you to the fact that your depression may be returning.
If you find yourself dealing with any of these symptoms, it's important to call your doctor right away so that they can help you figure out how to handle your situation and make sure that your depression doesn't get worse than it needs to be.
What Is A Depression Relapse?
A relapse to depression can be defined as the person's condition returning to a previous low point, or may even be worse than before. This can happen for different reasons such as not following medical advice, feeling self-pity and hopelessness, and having a period of negative thinking or mood swings. To prevent relapsing into depression, it's important to break the emotional pattern that you're in right now and get professional help.
Early Signs Of A Depression Relapse [Red Flags That You May Be Slipping Back Into Depression]
It can be difficult to recognize the warning signs of a relapse, as they are often similar to symptoms before the depression. One thing you might notice is that you may start to feel like you've forgotten how to enjoy things, or that you don't care about anything. Here are some more signs that could indicate it's time for help:
- Feeling guilty for no reason;
- Having racing thoughts;
- Low mood;
- Sleeping too much or too little;
- Feeling unusually irritable and angry;
- Having trouble concentrating;
- Being unusually anxious or panicky (particularly when there's no obvious trigger);
- Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, and/or hopelessness.
These are all warning signs of mental illness and if you're experiencing them, it might be time to get back on track with therapy and treatment.
[ Also check: 15 Smart ways to fight depression ]
Causes Of Depression Relapse
Depression can be hard to prevent, but there are warning signs to look for. These can include feeling hopeless or helpless, feeling unmotivated, or having a sense of loneliness. Many different factors can cause these feelings, so it’s important to understand them before making any rash decisions. One way you could break the emotional pattern and prevent yourself from getting depressed again is by staying away from anything that triggers depressive thoughts.
- Experiencing the death of someone close to you,
- Abuse in childhood, addiction relapse,
- Trauma with PTSD and substance use disorder are some common causes of depression relapse.
- Hormonal changes during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and postpartum depression are all causes of teenage/adult depression relapse.
- Mental illness can take over our lives and make us forget about other aspects of life.
Some people feel that they need drugs or alcohol to cope with everyday life when their mental illness takes over. It's important to learn how to break the emotional pattern because if you do get back into your old habits you'll end up becoming even more ill than before.
[ Also check: Exercising regularly-A natural way to ease depression ]
Tips For Preventing A Relapse
To prevent getting depressed, it's important to know the warning signs of mental illness. If you notice that you're starting to feel like things are too hard or if you start feeling a lot of guilt, it could be a sign that you're in emotional pain. Breaking the pattern and avoiding doing the things that make you feel this way can help stop a relapse from happening. It's also really helpful to get involved with activities that bring joy into your life, like hobbies or spending time with friends. Here are 12 tips for preventing yourself from getting depressed again:
- Know what your warning signs of depression are and how they affect you.
- Start an activity log to monitor when these symptoms happen and what they're related to.
- Make a list of things that make you happy and do them often.
- Try not to isolate yourself--getting out into the world will help prevent withdrawal symptoms later.
- Seek professional help if you need it.
- Stay connected with family and loved ones.
- Take care of yourself by eating healthy, exercising regularly, and sleeping enough.
- Pay attention to what triggers your mood swings.
- Get a hobby that helps you escape from stressors.
- Spend time with people who care about you and make you happy.
- Learn how to avoid negative emotions, thoughts, or behaviors.
- Take care of yourself physically and mentally.
Conclusion
Sometimes you can't tell if you're feeling better or worse. But there are warning signs of mental illness that everyone should be aware of, so you know when to get help. If any of these warning signs apply to you, it's time to take action:
- Feeling sad or down for more than two weeks
- Having trouble sleeping or have disrupted sleep
- Increased anxiety and worries
- Difficulty focusing, concentrating or making decisions
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Increased use of alcohol or drugs
If you notice one or more of these warning signs in yourself or someone else, Talk therapy can be helpful, as well as doing medication management with a doctor or therapist. When it comes to coping with depression and other mood disorders, the most important thing is being patient with yourself while also taking care of your mind.
