Dealing with a relapse

Former Member

Hi all..its been a while

I'm having some kind of breakdown of sorts and I'm getting weak. I can feel it happening, i'm about 75% aware that its going on and I don't really know what to do/how to deal with it.

I'm dealing with a lot of personal issues at the moment and its making me spiral, my moods have got really erratic and unpredicatable and i've got really needy towards my friends. I SHed for the first time in about 4 months (and the time was the first in 2) and I don't feel bad about it at all.

I do intensive CBT to work through everything and I'm just losing my grip a little.

Does anyone have any tips on getting through a relapse? I seem to have lost sight of what to do and I'm letting it get to me. And things are starting to suffer, such as work, and whilst they are understanding it gets very hard when things get out of my control.

Any advice much appreciated

Former Member

First off, remember that you are in control. I'm bipolar and I understand feeling like things are out of control, especially when it comes to your emotions. In the end though, you are not a slave to your emotions, or to your stress, or to anything going on in your life. My little sister had a bunch of sayings that she pinned up to her ceiling above her bed, and one of them was, "I can control the weather inside my head." I always think of that when I feel like my life is getting out of control, and it helps to remind myself that I really am capable of pulling out of those spiraling moods. That's what you're learning to do in therapy, right? Talking things out, figuring out what's bothering you, and learning to cope with it without having to hurt yourself. You're entirely capable, it just takes a bit of work.

Try thinking about what you've learned in therapy, what things have you learned to help cope with your emotions in a healthier way? Does meditation help, exercise, doing something creative? Always try to do those things first, whatever they are. Make a conscious effort. Also remember why you're trying to stop hurting yourself in the first place, and how proud you'll be of yourself when you make it through tough spots without doing it. Four months is a great start, that's worth noting, and the longer you can go, the better you'll feel about that achievement. Slip-ups happen, you can't stop overnight, but the goal with this is to go as long as you can in-between until you don't need it anymore. Be proud that you made it this far, it's still progress, but always look to keep improving. You can get through this.

Former Member

kirsty

how often do you see your therapist? do you feel like you can tell them what's happening?

Former Member

omg hi wrote: »

kirsty

how often do you see your therapist? do you feel like you can tell them what's happening?

Ah, right. You probably should tell your therapist, haha, they're the ones who will know best how to help you, it's what they're there for. My tips were more for what to do in general, but you should still tell your therapist about this when you see them.

Former Member

janey

I go weekly she wants me to come bi weekly but i just cant afford it. Im kind of talking to her about it but its not really helping..

Former Member

is she more of a 'let's stick to the schedule' type?

i suppose all you can really do is keep going to therapy and trying your hardest with it, and take as good care of yourself as you can inbetween sessions. sometimes you can feel the bad patch coming on but there's nothing you can do except wait for it to hit and hold on tightly until it passes. you can get through it, just like you have before. don't do anything extra, just do the things you have to do, go to work and come home again, use the evenings to relax, to take care of yourself, to restore some sense of calm.

Former Member

I don't have anything useful to add, but I just wanted to say:

*hug* Kirsty .

If you need to vent at someone or owt, just PM me, y'hear?