What it means
Going back to being sick after getting better. In diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or depression, a relapse is the return of the illness after remissionrih-MISH-unA period when the signs and symptoms of a disease lessen or disappear.Full entry . In addiction, relapse is using alcohol or drugs again after a time of not using. It is common in recovery and is treated as a reason to adjust the plan, not as a failure.
For the nurse
Help the client name early warning signs and triggers and make a plan for them. Teach that stopping medicines on one's own is a common cause of relapse in mental illness.
At a glance
| Spanish | recaída |
|---|---|
| Also written | relapses, relapsed, relapsing |
Easy to confuse with
remission
A period when the signs and symptoms of a disease lessen or disappear.
Related terms
withdrawal
The physical and mental symptoms that occur when a person stops or cuts down a substance the body has come to depend on.
adherence
How closely a client follows a treatment plan they have agreed to, such as taking medicines as prescribed.
substance use
The use of alcohol, tobacco, drugs or medicines not as prescribed; when it causes harm, it is called substance use disorder.
remission
A period when the signs and symptoms of a disease lessen or disappear.