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jhvw2000 · 05-23-2009, 02:19 AM

I don't have any advice to offer but I think I understand. I'm a bipolar drug addict/alcoholic. I was diagnosed in my early teens, well before that it was ADD and all sorts of things, that's what got the pill thing going...anyway....

I just stick to lamictal now as a mood stabalizer. It has some rather funky and scary side effects but it works for me. They don't give me any typical (haldol, etc) or aytipical (zyprexa, seroquel, risperdal, etc) because I end up abusing them for sleep. Depakote and lithium were also knocked out after a few suicide attempts.

Bipolar is no fun ride. For me it goes hand in hand with my substance abuse issues and all together it's just been a giant ride through hell. I see a psychiatrist, psychologist, go to AA meetings, and a cognitive behavioral therapist. Thank god for medicaid.

All your points struck bells in me. I still try to keep my mental problems "in the closet" while admitting I'm a gay drug addict/alcoholic isn't an issue at all. The stigma, all the crap from family you get any time you behave any weird or different sort of way for me either means I'm on drugs or I'm not taking my medication (ie drugs). I stay up for 2 days to rebuild the engine of my vw, and suddenly my ex has the police at my house asking if I feel like I need to spend 72 hours in a psych hospital for evaluation. Those are worse than any detox clinic I've ever been to, especially while you're detoxing in there and nobody seems to care. I guess I need to stop, I'm rambling lol.

Hang in there, you know there are always ups and downs but hang on, eventually you find what works for you and your ride starts to smooth out.

05-23-2009, 02:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
jhvw2000 Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 98	I don't have any advice to offer but I think I understand. I'm a bipolar drug addict/alcoholic. I was diagnosed in my early teens, well before that it was ADD and all sorts of things, that's what got the pill thing going...anyway.... I just stick to lamictal now as a mood stabalizer. It has some rather funky and scary side effects but it works for me. They don't give me any typical (haldol, etc) or aytipical (zyprexa, seroquel, risperdal, etc) because I end up abusing them for sleep. Depakote and lithium were also knocked out after a few suicide attempts. Bipolar is no fun ride. For me it goes hand in hand with my substance abuse issues and all together it's just been a giant ride through hell. I see a psychiatrist, psychologist, go to AA meetings, and a cognitive behavioral therapist. Thank god for medicaid. All your points struck bells in me. I still try to keep my mental problems "in the closet" while admitting I'm a gay drug addict/alcoholic isn't an issue at all. The stigma, all the crap from family you get any time you behave any weird or different sort of way for me either means I'm on drugs or I'm not taking my medication (ie drugs). I stay up for 2 days to rebuild the engine of my vw, and suddenly my ex has the police at my house asking if I feel like I need to spend 72 hours in a psych hospital for evaluation. Those are worse than any detox clinic I've ever been to, especially while you're detoxing in there and nobody seems to care. I guess I need to stop, I'm rambling lol. Hang in there, you know there are always ups and downs but hang on, eventually you find what works for you and your ride starts to smooth out.