outtolunch

The diagnosis was made 4 years ago, when she was 20.

It likely was psychosis induced by substance abuse and a seriously codependent mom who manipulated her into a remote dual diagnosis facility 3000 miles from home with no practical way to leave.

Freedom1990

Exactly. The rehab I went through was not there to diagnose mental illness. It was meant to address the addictions/alcoholism.

I was diagnosed with major depressive disorder and GAD when I was around 20 months clean/sober.

I treat my addictions/alcoholism by remaining proactive in my recovery. I treat my mental illness by remaining proactive in the mental health community, which includes medication, and seeing a psychiatrist and therapist.

lesliej

my ex has bi polar and attention deficit...however it is pretty hard to believe that the physiological make up of these issues aren't hugely exacerbated by the lifestyle of erratic addiction to crack.

I know the kind of trauma induced mental issues I started having just by being connected to him!! I needed my therapist, my sponsor, my community and SR just to start to TRY to regain my sanity...I began becoming split myself!! re: love the man hate the addiction...just wasn't working for me, it was crazy making navigating all the manipulation and deceit and grief and lost hope!!

now imagine an addict...who has to navigate ALL of that as well...AND add in the intense chemical reactions of hard core drugs...what kind of sick mad roller coaster is that brain on? sure...there have been lots of studies about which drugs are the DOC of people already suffering from a mental disorder and trying to self medicate...but I agree with interrupted...the diagnosis needs to be made from a flat baseline, and hard core drugs not only are used to "self medicate" but they also EXACERBATE and mimic these disorders.

I started to realize that the drugs were almost a smokescreen...if he was to get clean I would still be trying to have a relationship with someone who had a HUGE mess to clean up...their life. the loss, the moodiness, the guilt, the self hate...there is just SO SO SO much for an addict, IF IF IF they embrace recovery...to move through and heal...

and WE cannot do it for them

the real question is going to be...who do you want to live your life with? how do you want to live? and remember that it is HE who has to learn/deal/heal (or not) his own life.

chances are great that you are already experiencing the contagion of the insanity...you have been exposing yourself to an addiction that is systematic, and those deeply connected/rooted in/attached to it get sick as well.

crazybabie

We also have been told since he is now using that issue has to be addressed first.

SeekingGrowth

While I understand that co-occurring mental disorders are common in addicts, and that addicts often use as a means of self-medication, I join the chorus of those skeptical of mental health diagnoses made for the first time in the rehab facility. It is amazing to me how many addicts in treatment are told for the first time that they are bipolar. SO many!! How can anyone make a competent diagnosis when a person's brain, endorphin levels, etc., are completely haywire due to recent drug use? Or diagnoses of severe anxiety or depression. No kidding! Hard to feel "normal" when your body is not producing any of those "feel good" chemicals naturally because it's shut down production in response to regular flooding with the DOC.

Seems to me that there is a real chicken-or-the-egg conundrum with mental health diagnoses in rehab. Are they REALLY bipolar, or is this a reaction to years of substance abuse?