Negative interpretations of ambiguous 'psychosis-like' and 'anxiety-like' experiences in recovery from psychosis or anxiety

CONCLUSIONS: People in self-defined recovery from psychosis or anxiety are more likely to negatively interpret ambiguous experiences relating to their previous mental health difficulties. Clinical and future research implications are outlined.PRACTITIONER POINTS: People in recovery from psychosis or anxiety appraise possible symptoms of their previous difficulties negatively/catastrophically (as indicating relapse) relative to those without prior MH problems. Clinicians should consider attending to how people in recovery appraise possible symptoms when encouraging early signs monitoring as part of relapse prevention. This may be important to ensure that self-monitoring leads to helpful responses rather than being counterproductive, with catastrophic interpretations leading to anxiety and thus increasing the risk of relapse. Interventions drawing on CBT principles to address catastrophic interpretations of possible symptoms may potentially be a useful addition to relapse prevention work; in psychosis this may also include symptoms of anxiety.PMID:33982800 | DOI:10.1111/bjc.12299

Source: The British Journal of Clinical Psychology - May 13, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Rebecca Sired Emma Griffith Taruna Jamalamadaka Paul Salkovskis Source Type: research