What Makes People Relapse?

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it's not some singular upsetting
event that sends most people spiraling downward into a relapse of
depression. Rather, it's longstanding difficulties of a relatively severe
nature.

So conclude researchers at the University of Calgary in Canada, who
for six months followed 57 women who had recently recovered from a
depressive episode. Within that time 28 percent of the women experienced
a relapse of the disorder. The average time to relapse was 111
days.

The study was undertaken to shed more light on the process of
relapse, as depression is a highly recurrent disorder. Up to 60 percent
of those who recover from a single episode of unipolar depression can
expect to have at least one additional episode in their lifetime.

Life stressors that are ongoing, lasting for months or even years,
can wear down coping skills, the researchers found. However, the
existence of social support can prevent relapse, even in the face of
enduring difficulties.

It's not that severe life events don't have an impact, but their
effect depends on the way people cope with them. Those who call on
task-oriented coping skills do best.