Originally Posted by
bsfish 
My understanding is dual diagnosis means addiction plus a disorder of some kind ie bi-polar. My AW is bipolar. The docs we have dealt with in the past just kept piling on the meds, until we found one she could really abuse (adderal) on top of everything she was already abusing. Now that she is in rehab, and dealing with docs that really know, they say you can't make an accurate dignosis while the addiction is active. It really takes 12-24r months clean to level our and see what is really underthere. The addiction and the bipolar are so intertwined. Addiction can cause bipolar like behavior, and bipolar people can turn to using to self medicate. It seems either one can cause the other.
The prevailing thing I'm hearing from the pros we are dealing with now seems to be that you have to deal with the addiction mainly, and try to treat the bipolar to help the recovery. There are lots of rehabs that deal with dual diagnosis. But from your other post it sounds like he probably isn't interested.
Lots of wisdom coming your way on your other post. Good luck.
Well said, this has been my personal experience although i am only at 9 months and med free. I still have to fight depression but i have learned that i have the tools to do so. But it wasn't easy coming off meds and being clean, some of the worst lows i ever had. Thankfully it was done while in a 60 day treatment by a Doctor who was a recovered addict. He is so valuable, needs to be cloned.