Slip (treatment)
Encyclopedia
A slip is a psychological term that denotes a particular action during or after (most usually after) a psychological or medical treatment. It happens when a patient
, during or after a treatment to modify a maladaptive behaviour pattern or habit (such as a drug addiction), does an action characteristic of the problem for which he/she went to therapy. It is different from a relapse
in that a slip is something puntual, that happens once, and does not imply a regression to previous (maladaptive) behaviour patterns. Slips are somewhat expected after a treatment, depending on the problem the patient presents.
The psychologist
or mental health
professional should establish the difference between a slip and a relapse before the beginning of the treatment, so the patient is aware and prepared to face a slip with the knowledge that it is puntual and does not necessarily mean that the treatment has completely failed or that the patient lacks self-control: on the contrary, it should be perceived as a chance to put into practice the psychological techniques
learned in therapy and fight the possibility of having a (much more serious) relapse. Extra therapy sessions that focus on the causes and ways to avoid that particular slip are then recommended in order to eliminate or reduce the chances of it happening again.
Patient
A patient is any recipient of healthcare services. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, veterinarian, or other health care provider....
, during or after a treatment to modify a maladaptive behaviour pattern or habit (such as a drug addiction), does an action characteristic of the problem for which he/she went to therapy. It is different from a relapse
Relapse
Relapse, in relation to drug misuse, is resuming the use of a drug or a dependent substance after one or more periods of abstinence. The term is a landmark feature of both substance dependence and substance abuse, which are learned behaviors, and is maintained by neuronal adaptations that mediate...
in that a slip is something puntual, that happens once, and does not imply a regression to previous (maladaptive) behaviour patterns. Slips are somewhat expected after a treatment, depending on the problem the patient presents.
Warning the patient
It is very important to warn the patient of the possibility of slips during or after the treatment: not doing so could result in the patient thinking that because he/she has slipped, the treatment has failed and there is nothing to do now, thus completely reverting to previous maladaptive patterns (which could then be defined as a relapse). For example, when a bulimic patient has eaten a cookie outside the prescribed diet (slip), he/she might think that now everything is ruined because the treatment has failed, and proceed to eat everything that is in the fridge and later vomit it (relapse).The psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
or mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
professional should establish the difference between a slip and a relapse before the beginning of the treatment, so the patient is aware and prepared to face a slip with the knowledge that it is puntual and does not necessarily mean that the treatment has completely failed or that the patient lacks self-control: on the contrary, it should be perceived as a chance to put into practice the psychological techniques
Cognitive-shifting
Cognitive shifting is a method used in awareness management describing the mental process of re-directing one's focus of attention away from one fixation and toward a different focus of attention...
learned in therapy and fight the possibility of having a (much more serious) relapse. Extra therapy sessions that focus on the causes and ways to avoid that particular slip are then recommended in order to eliminate or reduce the chances of it happening again.