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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Are some mental health issues recurrent?

    Related Topics
    Anxiety Bipolar Disorder Depression
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    Annette Wright

    Psychologist

    I have considerable experience in counselling people experiencing difficulties in the areas of anxiety, work stress, depression, anger management, substance abuse and relationships. My areas … View Profile

    Yes they are. Sometimes that is problematic in itself. People may have sought help for say six to eight sessions of CBT for depression or anxiety, and then at some stage they start to find themselves with similar symptoms two or three years later.

    It is always good to reconnect with your therapist and not leave it go too long. But sometimes people can think, ‘Oh no, I’m never going to get rid of this'.
    That is something that I would always say to people. Not to be afraid if symptoms recur, and to come in for maintenance checks basically.

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  • Alysha Coleman

    Clinical Psychologist, Counsellor, Psychologist

    Alysha is the Primary Clinical Psychologist and Director of The Institute for Healthy Living, a clinical psychology practice in Bondi Junction. Alysha has worked with … View Profile

    Having one episode of a signifianct mental health issue increases the risk of having another. For example, some research has suggested that the chance of having a second Major Depressive Episode is increased by 60% following an initial Major Depressive Episode.As Annette suggested, it is important to keep refreshing strategies and be aware of warning signs for subsequent difficulties.

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  • Dr Simon Easterbrook-Smith

    Health Professional

    My research interests include immunology and the mechanisms of amyloid formation. The latter has implications for people who are dealing with Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease … View Profile

    I agree with Annette and Alysha.

    I am in remission from Major Depressive Disorder and am on a “care and maintenance” basis with my psychiatrist and clinical psychologist.

    I see them both every 3-4 months or so, essentially for a brief “how is it going?” chat and (in the case of my psychiatrist) to pick up scrip for my anti-depressant. I think that it is important to keep those back-ups in place, just in case they are needed. 

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  • Michael Guy

    Clinical Psychologist, Psychologist

    I am a clinical and coaching psychologist (www.lifeaftertrauma.com.au) with over 15 years of professional experience. Recognized qualifications and lots of experience to give me skills … View Profile

    Long term issues will have immediate emotional effects.  People learn to cope with those and short term therapy can address those immediate emotional effects.  However the long term patterns can repeat.  

    As an example if you have a long term belief (also known as core belief or schema) that you are a failure you may develop ways to deal with some immediate effects but then self sabotage in some way that re-triggers the emotions that caused the original problem.  The good news is that some of the strategies you have applied to the immediate emotional reactions will be useful in dealing with the long term pattern. 

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  • Beverley Aronstan

    Psychologist

    I am a registered psychologist with many years of counselling experience in the field of relationships and fertility issues. In particular my focus is on … View Profile

    Yes research shows that one episode of a depressive episode would put you at risk of having a reocurrence at some stage. However this is far from a rule. There are individuals who never have a re occurence With intervention and periodic checkups with a psychotherapist one manges the condition.

    However there are situational triggers that might escalate the syptoms and it is important to have a health professional that you can check back in with if you have a return of syptoms.

    a mental health issue is the same as any physical issue. For example you might experience an injury at sports that then causes a risk of the injury re-ocurring at another time say a running injury with a hip problem might reocurr if one overexerts the hip flexor

    A diagnosis of a medical condition might be manged with medication and would have a risk of reocurring under certain conditions such as acid indigestion with spicy foods or eating while stressed.

    i hope this makes sense
    Take care
    Beverley

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