What is relapse?

Relapse means feeling worse temporarily. When we relapse, our symptoms revisit us once more. Relapse is a normal part of recovery.

Relapse doesn't mean we're back to square one again.

Very often, the things we've learnt, and the skills we've gained in dealing with our thoughts and our emotions mean we recover from relapse much more quickly than we once would have done, and that the intensity of each relapse may well be less than the one before it.

We do need to remember to be gentle with ourselves – should our symptoms return, we can accept them as a normal part of our recovery process, without judging ourselves to be weak or despairing about our progress. Relapse can be seen as another opportunity to deal with our symptoms in another way, a chance to learn more about them and about ourselves.

Please remember - always consult your GP or an appropriate health professional if you're in any way concerned about your health.