Relapse

notes from a Kaiser group discussion about

7 things to reduce/prevent relapsing

1.strategies for coping with stress
stress can be internal (body/mind), or external (e.g. relationships)
out, in: out of your head, in the present moment
   exercise/walk, shower
   meditate, nap, go to church
   conversation 
   read, listen to music, watch tv
   write/journal/blog, make art
   good food, enough sleep
   routine/variety.
       sameness can be good.  change can be good, too.

___
this reminds me of my list of activities (Most Everything):
bio: body, input, output
b-eat, exercise, sleep
i-read, watch, listen
o-write, talk, create
also,
vatog: visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory
(see, hear, touch, smell, taste)
____
2.participate in treatments that help you recover
    kaiser "wellness club" (tuesdays/thursdays 10:30a to 12p, drop-in),
    therapy- e.g. cbt (cognitive behavioral therapy) group, individual
    meds (i.e. medication, medicine, pharmaceuticals, drugs)
    community, family, friends

3.build social supports
      we all need someone to lean on! -Rolling Stones (Let it bleed)
       211 (3 digit phone number to connect you with services)
       Kaiser Oakland Dept. of Psychiatry (752-1075)
      google 'crisis support', or 'suicide hotline'
      Berkeley has a Mobile Crisis Team
         (981-5254, voicemail)
         (981-5900, for quick service, connects to police dept.,
           who will contact MCT for you)

4.use medication effectively
       -follow dosage/frequency, as directed
      - changes mind/behavior: find balance between Authenticity and
                                      Staying out of trouble (e.g. hospital or jail)
       -side-effects, interaction effects (be aware of)
       -adjust as necessary
       -some can self-medicate, w/o professional (i.e. doctor's) guidance
            (alcohol and pot and tobacco, e.g., can work/help,
              but also be problematic)
        -if you're on vacation/forgot your meds, you can get
            like 1 week of Emergency supply from most pharmacies

5.recognize events or situations that contributed to Relapses in past.
         sleep changes
         ADL changes (activities of daily living)
        energy-level changes
        (for me, a pot edible) also,
        my handwriting changes (wide range, from neat/legible to not)

6.know early warning signs that you might be starting to have a relapse
             -ew signs, lol

7.Respond, Act!
          get help, before becoming full-blown
          -family, friends, professional(s)