SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information - View Single Post - 'Dual diagnosis': bipolar and alchol problems

Choirgirl · 06-11-2005, 04:21 AM

Hi all,

Three years ago I was diagnosed as being bipolar (not sure whether I or II or whatever, as doctors don't tend to be that specific in the UK). Anyway, my pattern was first depressive episode (undiagnosed) when I was 20, lasting about 6 months, then manic/psychotic leading to hospitalization when I was 25 (resulting in Dx), recovered and relapsed again a year later and again the following year (due to not taking meds, abusing cannabis and alcohol etc). There were brief periods of depression in between each manic episode, but basically I have now been stable for the past year and a bit. Two weeks ago I stopped drinking and entered into AA, as I feel this is the last area I need to clean up in my life - I quit the weed a while back and generally have got into a good mode of self-management, so the bipolar is not really so much of a problem these days.

Now I'm confused since starting in AA. All the character traits that are attributed to the 'alcoholic' mind, I had previously put down to my bipolar status. It took a while to accept the diagnosis, and to accept the label of being a manic-depressive, and it was hard, with all the stigma attached to that. It seems like now I'm comfortable as seeing myself in that role, as having a chemical imbalance in my brain which makes me different from 99% of the population, now AA's telling me something different. It's confusing. The AA program is something that is good for me, and I think will help me. But sometimes it is frustrating that there seem to be so many absolutes in life - you know, you ARE and alcoholic, or you ARE bipolar. I see myself as bipolar first and foremost and the alcoholism is secondary, although some people may disagree with that.

I'm not looking for answers to this dilemma, as I know nobody has the monopoly on truth, and I just have deal with myself and my experiences. It is difficult though because sometimes it seems like nobody else understands. I am a highly functioning manic-depressive and a highly functioning alcoholic. New people that I have met over the past year would never have guessed I had problems in either of these areas, until I told them. And I do tell people after a while of knowing them because I want to help remove the stigma of mental illhealth, to show that we're not all nutcases (unless we are at that point in an acute phase of illness

) In fact right now I am finding myself feeling more stigmatised (self-induced probably) because of the alcohol problem.

Has anybody else had any similar thoughts?

06-11-2005, 04:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
Choirgirl Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: London Posts: 7	'Dual diagnosis': bipolar and alchol problems Hi all, Three years ago I was diagnosed as being bipolar (not sure whether I or II or whatever, as doctors don't tend to be that specific in the UK). Anyway, my pattern was first depressive episode (undiagnosed) when I was 20, lasting about 6 months, then manic/psychotic leading to hospitalization when I was 25 (resulting in Dx), recovered and relapsed again a year later and again the following year (due to not taking meds, abusing cannabis and alcohol etc). There were brief periods of depression in between each manic episode, but basically I have now been stable for the past year and a bit. Two weeks ago I stopped drinking and entered into AA, as I feel this is the last area I need to clean up in my life - I quit the weed a while back and generally have got into a good mode of self-management, so the bipolar is not really so much of a problem these days. Now I'm confused since starting in AA. All the character traits that are attributed to the 'alcoholic' mind, I had previously put down to my bipolar status. It took a while to accept the diagnosis, and to accept the label of being a manic-depressive, and it was hard, with all the stigma attached to that. It seems like now I'm comfortable as seeing myself in that role, as having a chemical imbalance in my brain which makes me different from 99% of the population, now AA's telling me something different. It's confusing. The AA program is something that is good for me, and I think will help me. But sometimes it is frustrating that there seem to be so many absolutes in life - you know, you ARE and alcoholic, or you ARE bipolar. I see myself as bipolar first and foremost and the alcoholism is secondary, although some people may disagree with that. I'm not looking for answers to this dilemma, as I know nobody has the monopoly on truth, and I just have deal with myself and my experiences. It is difficult though because sometimes it seems like nobody else understands. I am a highly functioning manic-depressive and a highly functioning alcoholic. New people that I have met over the past year would never have guessed I had problems in either of these areas, until I told them. And I do tell people after a while of knowing them because I want to help remove the stigma of mental illhealth, to show that we're not all nutcases (unless we are at that point in an acute phase of illness ) In fact right now I am finding myself feeling more stigmatised (self-induced probably) because of the alcohol problem. Has anybody else had any similar thoughts?