Dual Diagnosis
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 711
Dual Diagnosis
I am looking for some feedback from those that suffer from those of these. No medical advice requested.
I just think that my bi-polar is totally related to my alcoholism. I am going to AA, although I have not been in over a week, (need to isolate- which is bad I know)
My life is so effed up that I don't even feel like posting it here. I am just taking it one day at a time and staying contact with my sponsor.
I am making an appointment with an addiction psychologist (new one since I just lied to the other ones) and I hope to make a clean start in the honesty division. That is one of my biggest problems as well as selfishness and I know that I am not unique.
I don't know......I haven't posted in a long while and just wanted to put that out there and get feedback. I have been hitting my knees every morning and night. My anxiety and depression just kicks in to overtime when I focus on the negative. I am facing jail time and I cannot stop thinking about it. (2nd DUI) I know I deserve the jail time and hope I can bring my literature and journal and use it as a time to focus on the wreckage of my past and create a plan for a positive plan to help others and follow the will of God.
Thanks for reading all of this.
Banana
I just think that my bi-polar is totally related to my alcoholism. I am going to AA, although I have not been in over a week, (need to isolate- which is bad I know)
My life is so effed up that I don't even feel like posting it here. I am just taking it one day at a time and staying contact with my sponsor.
I am making an appointment with an addiction psychologist (new one since I just lied to the other ones) and I hope to make a clean start in the honesty division. That is one of my biggest problems as well as selfishness and I know that I am not unique.
I don't know......I haven't posted in a long while and just wanted to put that out there and get feedback. I have been hitting my knees every morning and night. My anxiety and depression just kicks in to overtime when I focus on the negative. I am facing jail time and I cannot stop thinking about it. (2nd DUI) I know I deserve the jail time and hope I can bring my literature and journal and use it as a time to focus on the wreckage of my past and create a plan for a positive plan to help others and follow the will of God.
Thanks for reading all of this.
Banana
Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: BC
Posts: 161
When I was in jail, we learned a lot about co-existing disorders.
IE) you have an addiction + a mental health problem
The most common one is alcoholism + anxiety and/or depression
They fuel off each other. You drink more, because you feel anxious. You feel even more anxious, because you drink. It's a disturbing cycle, that goes back and forth and just gets worse and worse the more you drink. From my personal experience with mental health issues and drinking, I can definitely say that my drinking exponentially made my anxiety worse, and my anxiety in return fueled even more drinking. Only you can be the judge of yourself, and I think you know the answer. Alcohol is a depressant. It messes with your mind, in a bad bad way
IE) you have an addiction + a mental health problem
The most common one is alcoholism + anxiety and/or depression
They fuel off each other. You drink more, because you feel anxious. You feel even more anxious, because you drink. It's a disturbing cycle, that goes back and forth and just gets worse and worse the more you drink. From my personal experience with mental health issues and drinking, I can definitely say that my drinking exponentially made my anxiety worse, and my anxiety in return fueled even more drinking. Only you can be the judge of yourself, and I think you know the answer. Alcohol is a depressant. It messes with your mind, in a bad bad way
Administrator
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Dancing in the Light
Posts: 61,510
Hi Banana,
Welcome back!
I think many of us here have issues with our mental health that have paved the way to addiction. It's true for me, and I know my depression has to be managed in order for me to stay sober. Are you on medication for bipolar? If so, I hope it will help you. And, I think that being honest will really help you to get well.
Welcome back!
I think many of us here have issues with our mental health that have paved the way to addiction. It's true for me, and I know my depression has to be managed in order for me to stay sober. Are you on medication for bipolar? If so, I hope it will help you. And, I think that being honest will really help you to get well.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Germany
Posts: 2,058
BG, I am so glad you posted. I know what it feels like to not really want to share but like you I did and it was huge to get it off my chest.
For me.....just quitting wasn't enough. I had depression and anxiety issues myself. Drinking well that was a beast in itself that created the anxiety and far worse....panic attacks.
I found counseling to be tremendous in my recovery as I had to change my life. I could go out and smile everyday but I had to accept me and learn to love me again. I had to get a positive outlook and learn to relive again. Like Anna shared....you should be honest. Blowing smoke and mirrors to a counselor will do nothing for you except fulfill this notion that they don't work. I had to lay my heart out on the table and it was then I was able to get the help I needed to being healing.
My counselor works with me on the underlying issues and how I handle things in my life. We have had quite a journey and I still see him as my life is blessed in every way now....I still have to keep moving forward and not fall back into dwelling and isolating.
Glad you shared and we are reading. Let us know how the counselor goes. Being proactive is so important as well as working our recovery. I would get back to a meeting as isolating is can lead to darker places. Been there myself.
For me.....just quitting wasn't enough. I had depression and anxiety issues myself. Drinking well that was a beast in itself that created the anxiety and far worse....panic attacks.
I found counseling to be tremendous in my recovery as I had to change my life. I could go out and smile everyday but I had to accept me and learn to love me again. I had to get a positive outlook and learn to relive again. Like Anna shared....you should be honest. Blowing smoke and mirrors to a counselor will do nothing for you except fulfill this notion that they don't work. I had to lay my heart out on the table and it was then I was able to get the help I needed to being healing.
My counselor works with me on the underlying issues and how I handle things in my life. We have had quite a journey and I still see him as my life is blessed in every way now....I still have to keep moving forward and not fall back into dwelling and isolating.
Glad you shared and we are reading. Let us know how the counselor goes. Being proactive is so important as well as working our recovery. I would get back to a meeting as isolating is can lead to darker places. Been there myself.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 711
Thanks everyone! I am on medication for bi-polar but I fear it is not correct. I am very vain and refuse to be on anything that has a weight gain side effect. I need to jump of my high horse and deal with it through strength and cardio training. I tend to sit on my duff when I am depressed or when I am anxious I am 90 to nothing.
Ozone Ranger
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dazed and confused
Posts: 138
A "chicken or the egg" question. The one condition you have that you can address is your alcoholism. Stabilize that disorder, and see if the other doesn't become more manageable.
Or keep drinking and hope things will change. I predict they will. The direction would be my concern.
Or keep drinking and hope things will change. I predict they will. The direction would be my concern.
Living on a prayer
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: NC
Posts: 234
I was diagnosed with alcoholism, mild case of bi-polar (wow, I said it... I haven't told anyone that but my husband so far), depression, and EDNOS.
My doctor did feel the mild bi-polar plays into my addiction problems.
My doctor did feel the mild bi-polar plays into my addiction problems.
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,781
The one condition you have that you can address is your alcoholism.
Dismember
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The Mitten, USA
Posts: 1,641
I am a dual-diagnosis case. I say I am a quadruple-diagnosis disaster but no one will recognize that.
Anyway, alcoholism and bipolar play off of each other. Getting help for one will likely make the other easier. But I like the way I did it and took both on at once.
Anyway, alcoholism and bipolar play off of each other. Getting help for one will likely make the other easier. But I like the way I did it and took both on at once.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Seattle
Posts: 3
Panic and anxiety
I have been drinking all my adult life "30 years" and never felt any serious health issues untill last year when I just started having panic attacks out of the blue almost on a daily basis, (went to the ER on the first one thinking heart attack). I have quit drinking for about a week three times in the last six months and each time I noticed that after about 4 or 5 days dry I would not get the anxiety. So, I am convinced their is a link between alcohol and anxiety. I am looking forward to a very relaxing year being sober.
LT
LT
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
I like what someone said..which came first the chicken or the egg...doesn't really matter..they are both here now.
I struggle with alchoholism and "mental issues" which is real? which should i focus on...it's hard stuff....
What I know is i will NEVER stop doing everything I can to be sober and sane. Funny thing is..sometimes working on the psych stuff is harder.
I'm an AAer at heart although i use ANY help I can get with the alcholism...but even AA says...to paraphraze...alchohol is but a symptom we have to get down to causes and conditions.
currently, I do my best (far from perfect) at taking the medications and doing the therapy for those things that preceded the first drink..both in terms of my life...i drank at 16 but was totally fked up pior to that...and in terms of my hetch sketch sobriety. Every drink was preceded by an insanity...
We all have alchoholism. I believe there is a common root...but some of us have problems that complicated it. It isn't that we are "special" or "different" or "terminally unique" .... but if we don't get honest about what and who we are...after you take the alchohol and UNPRESCIBED drugs....away...then we will miss the trip and continue down hill.
Honestly..after 26 years of batteling alchoholism and drug addiction and a variety of phsyc problems...i wouldn't turn down ANY help.
Utilize every resource and commit to being well. I know I can't drink and be well. I can't be off willy nilly self medicating...I have to not drink...take meds as prescribe and re-evaluate as necessary with a physician.
After relapsing once more last July...I realized that I want to be sober and sane more than i want to breath. But I need both...to be sober and crazy won't work long term.
Its a hard decision, cause when we first come off alchohol we display alot of symptoms that are really just withdrawl from alchohol and the results of alchoholism (sub drug addiction..for me they are the same). But sometimes we just have both...if we have both...one answer won't work...it takes both. Ive seen people die from a refusal to accept their mental disorders...they drank themselves to death. I won't be one of those. Nor will I fall victum to the belief that if i get the meds right i can drink like a normal person.
Its hard...
Sorry..went on and on...
I struggle with alchoholism and "mental issues" which is real? which should i focus on...it's hard stuff....
What I know is i will NEVER stop doing everything I can to be sober and sane. Funny thing is..sometimes working on the psych stuff is harder.
I'm an AAer at heart although i use ANY help I can get with the alcholism...but even AA says...to paraphraze...alchohol is but a symptom we have to get down to causes and conditions.
currently, I do my best (far from perfect) at taking the medications and doing the therapy for those things that preceded the first drink..both in terms of my life...i drank at 16 but was totally fked up pior to that...and in terms of my hetch sketch sobriety. Every drink was preceded by an insanity...
We all have alchoholism. I believe there is a common root...but some of us have problems that complicated it. It isn't that we are "special" or "different" or "terminally unique" .... but if we don't get honest about what and who we are...after you take the alchohol and UNPRESCIBED drugs....away...then we will miss the trip and continue down hill.
Honestly..after 26 years of batteling alchoholism and drug addiction and a variety of phsyc problems...i wouldn't turn down ANY help.
Utilize every resource and commit to being well. I know I can't drink and be well. I can't be off willy nilly self medicating...I have to not drink...take meds as prescribe and re-evaluate as necessary with a physician.
After relapsing once more last July...I realized that I want to be sober and sane more than i want to breath. But I need both...to be sober and crazy won't work long term.
Its a hard decision, cause when we first come off alchohol we display alot of symptoms that are really just withdrawl from alchohol and the results of alchoholism (sub drug addiction..for me they are the same). But sometimes we just have both...if we have both...one answer won't work...it takes both. Ive seen people die from a refusal to accept their mental disorders...they drank themselves to death. I won't be one of those. Nor will I fall victum to the belief that if i get the meds right i can drink like a normal person.
Its hard...
Sorry..went on and on...
i've done my almost
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 1,934
Good to see you on here!
Honesty is sooo important in recovery. I'm not sure one can truly recover without it.
I should be getting my license back soon and I'd love to help you get to meetings.
Jail for me, well, parts of it sucked, but actually, other parts weren't that bad and it's an experience I'll never, ever forget. It changed me a bit and I think that's a good thing.
Honesty is sooo important in recovery. I'm not sure one can truly recover without it.
I should be getting my license back soon and I'd love to help you get to meetings.
Jail for me, well, parts of it sucked, but actually, other parts weren't that bad and it's an experience I'll never, ever forget. It changed me a bit and I think that's a good thing.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Ohio, USA
Posts: 316
Hey banana, I'm dually diagnosed as well (alcohol dependence and bipolar II). I believe that my bipolar disorder really fueled my addiction, and my addiction makes my bipolar disorder worse. It's a terrible combination, isn't it? I'm sorry you're facing jail time. I hope that if it does come down to that, you'll be able to put those positive plans into action. I really hope things get better for you! Message me for support if you ever want to.
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