Bipolar Disorder and Addiction
Bipolar Disorder, or Manic Depression as it is also known, is a serious mental disorder that sudden and intense shifts in mood, energy level and general behavior. Those afflicted with bipolar disorder also have a much higher suicide rate than that of the general population.
For many individuals, Bipolar Disorder and Addiction go hand in hand. The primary reason for this phenomenon is that a large percentage of individuals attempt to self-medicate themselves with drugs and alcohol in an effort to numb the symptoms of their bipolar disorder. Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder such as anxiety, pain, depression and sleeplessness are so alarming, that many individuals will turn to drugs and alcohol as a means for offsetting the discomfort, if only for a little while.
There are four major types of mood episodes which characterize Bipolar Disorder - mania, hypomania, depression and mixed episode -- each of which has a set of unique symptoms:
Mania
Symptoms include:
- Moments of tremendous optimism and significant pessimism
- Grandiose feelings
- Rapid talking
- Little sleep
- Impaired judgment, irrational behavior
- Delusional behavior
- Hallucinations
Hypomania
Symptoms are similar to those found in manic behavior, but are less intense. During hypomania, individuals are capable of managing their day-to-day lives.
Depression
Symptoms include:
- Hopeless feelings
- Loss of interest in things that used to make the individual happy
- Fatigue
- Changes in appetite
- Self-loathing
- Suicidal thoughts
Mixed episode
Symptoms include a combination of mania and depression.
This creates a series of problems when it comes to treat bipolar patients with addiction issues. For one thing, many of the symptoms of bipolar disorder are similar to those of drug and alcohol abuse. Therefore, if a person does seek out professional help, it is difficult to see where the mental disorder "stops" and the addiction "begins".
Also, even the most well-meaning drug rehab programs are likely to be unable to identify the concurrent bipolar disorder that a patient is experiencing. Many do not get the help they need and are asked to leave the rehab program because they are not responding to the traditional forms of treatment.
For this reason it is essential that the individual who suffers from a Dual Diagnosis - in this case, both bipolar disorder and addiction -seek out help from a facility that specializes in that type of care.
Dual Diagnosis-friendly facilities understand the overlapping nature of the problems and can provide the appropriate treatment - at a pace better suited for the person with bipolar disorder.
The Dual Diagnosis Treatment Centers in California (The Canyon and Michael's House) and Tennessee (LaPaloma Treatment Center) are staffed by experts who understand what it takes to make an individual with Dual Diagnosis well again. The well-regarded institutions change lives. They help treat both the bipolar disorder and the addiction with equal care and thoroughness. Contact them immediately if you or someone you love suffers from addiction and mental illness. Remember, only those who work with dual diagnosis patients on a regular basis are equipped to handle the special nature of the illness.
