Theprince

So, I suspect that I'm bipolar. what to do about that? do i walk into my doctor and say he doc i think I'm bipolor, where do we go from here...

are they not supposed to see these things? or someone?

I heard someone say that if you suspect you have a mental illness then you probably don't because otherwise you wouldn't have to foresight to analyze yourself. I don't agree. What do you think?

My mother said to me one time when I was a teen.....(rather cruely when I think about it now) are you fvcking szitcophrenic or what? I went to the library and read up on that condition (as I wasn't sure if i was or not) and I concluded that in fact I wasn't. however, after reading up on bipolor I've concluded that it reads like my biography (maybe my mother wasn't so cruel, just unskilled in her diagnosis) Wrong illness baby.

Anyone experience with this? i believe I'm in addiction when I'm on a low.

August252015

Dual diagnosis, as it is called, is very common a,ing alcoholics and addicts. IMO and IME, seeing a psychiatrist is the best route because a good one can be the one to diagnosis. Self diagnosis is often natural but scary and quite likely wrong.

For me, getting the alcohol completely out meant elimination of all the classic symptoms I had of Borderline Personality Disorder. I do continue to take a maintenance med, so to speak, that works in conjunction with my sober diagnosis of anxiety. Meds are one tool, and I have learned others from my psych, AA, general study on recovery, a lot of places.

I find that reaching out for help about any aspect or concern is always a good idea.

Theprince

thanks. I like the last sentence. It's what I'm learning. Staying silent is going to kill me.

I don't know...I read up on a lot of things but it was the bipolar that said to me bingo that's you.

I have come to the conclusion thanks to the couple of months of the last programe that therapy is essential for me. There was a few things it dug up.....pride being one.....(I had to read into that, but one of the things was not admitting your own mistakes......)

August252015

You are doing some good thinking and questioning on it and you but hit in the biggie- acting in those inns by getting help is a great and sometimes life saving decision.

Hawking22

As August mentioned, a lot of times addiction and some form of mental illness (dual diagnosis) is common. A lot of treatment facilities offer dual diagnosis, so if you are able to seek treatment at one, you can ask them to perform a psychiatric evaluation if they don't automatically perform one upon intake. That's how I was diagnosed with my own bipolar disorder...and lemme tell ya, drinking/using with this disorder, whether medicated or not, is like throwing gin on a grease fire. Not recommended.

Feel free to continue to do your own research until you seek help; a lot of symptoms mirror others in the mental health world, but knowledge, education and self-awareness is power.

entropy1964

I think self diagnosis is a bit sketchy. And if you are still drinking then its very hard for anyone, even a professional, to diagnose. Its hard to say where the addiction ends and the mental illness begins. I'm of a belief that it take a few months of abstinence to really see what is organically going 'wrong' with a persons neuro-chemistry. I am always a bit amazed at how many people start powerful meds in the first week of abstinence...of course I'm not a dr. Just basing this on my anecdotal experience.

Get yourself a good addictions counselor. Start there. That person can refer you out to a specialist if need be. But total abstinence is key to starting that process.

Fearlessat50

I agree with you that simply suspecting a mental illness does not mean that you don’t have one. With the wealth of information out there including on the internet, it does make it easier to be self aware and identify red flags. Having said that, self diagnosis is risky. However, since you have valid reasons to be concerned and you are also experiencing addiction, definitely make an appointment with your doctor to evaluate it and your options. Like others have said here, dual diagnosis if very common in alcoholism since lots of folks drink to self medicate for anxiety, depression, etc. Keep searching to find answers and hope you will keep coming here for support.

b0glerd69

Hi Theprince,

My father was bipolar so I've seen it before. I also had a friend who was bipolar. It is a very dangerous condition. It took my father's life and I lost touch with my friend due to his alcoholism.

I have always worried that maybe it had been passed to me, genetically, but it seems not, at least so far. I have never been assessed. After my father died we didn't talk about it much, I was just a kid.

You are doing the right thing talking about it a and seeking professional help. As others have said addiction and bipolar disorder are associated.

I hope you get to the answers you seek and manage to stay sober as this will be a major factor in your recovery.

Delizadee

Don't self diagnose.

Remove all substances first (safely).

Then seek a psychiatrist.

My mental health issues, some which have been there most of my life and some which I thought were deeply ingrained with my alcoholism became much clearer when I had some decent sobriety under me.

I am diagnosed bipolar, borderline, depressed anxious blahblah.
Trying to medicate with booze (referring to me) or just to drink is like pouring gas on a fire thinking the gas is water trying to douse the flames.
Oops.
Best to be informed about what's in our respective tanks.

Mango212

How are you doing?