Mental Health – Why You Should Focus on Relapse Prevention

If you or a loved one is suffering from a mental health issue, the focus is on getting better. But once you are feeling better, what’s next? Dr Byrne discusses why RELAPSE PREVENTION should be an important part of your treatment plan.

Mar 22nd, 2019

When you or a loved one is suffering from a mental health issue, the initial focus is on feeling better, faster. Often, when someone is feeling better, they will stop taking their medication, stop going to psychotherapy, and try to put the episode behind them. It is very important to move forward; however, it is also important to continue with a treatment plan that focuses on RELAPSE PREVENTION.

Why is relapse prevention so important?

While some kinds of mental health issues are limited to one episode, many common problems like Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), or ADHD are long-term issues. For these types of conditions, it can be helpful to make comparisons to other chronic health issues like diabetes.

If someone is diagnosed and treated for diabetes, what happens next? Do they stop taking medication, stop working on their diet and exercise, and stop going to the doctor? If they do not take care of their diabetes long-term, the problems will quickly return and put their health at risk.

Similarly, with many psychiatric problems, if someone does not continue with a relapse prevention treatment plan, they are placing themselves at risk. For example, someone with MDD might start an antidepressant and see a psychotherapist weekly. If they are feeling better and stop the antidepressant and stop seeing their therapist, there is a good chance they will have another depressive episode at some point in the future. This episode will make them feel bad, they will lose time at work or school, they will not be able to care for others. They will then need to restart medication and/or therapy and work hard to get back to their baseline. This can be difficult and take months!

High-quality mental health providers will make sure to include relapse prevention as part of a complete treatment plan. This may be as simple as checking in with your psychiatrist on a regular basis, or with ongoing tracking of your mood. 

If you have suffered with mental health issues in the past and are feeling better – congratulations! Please be sure to ask your provider for a relapse prevention plan so you can get the most our of your treatment and continue to feel better, longer!

Dr. Jennie Byrne, M.D., PhD
With over 15 years of medical expertise, Jennie Byrne, MD, PhD, is a board-certified psychiatrist with experience treating mental health conditions in adults, including dementia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, and depression. After practicing in New York City for 12 years, Dr. Byrne relocated to North Carolina in 2008; she currently cares for patients in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, at Cognitive Psychiatry of Chapel Hill. Dr. Byrne earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She then received her doctorate from New York University Department of Neurophysiology. She also has a doctorate of medicine from New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Byrne went on to complete a psychiatry residency at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York. In addition to her work as a psychiatrist, Dr. Byrne has performed extensive research on attention, memory, and depression. As a board- certified adult psychiatrist, Dr. Byrne focuses on the needs of each patient to pro.