1. Bipolar and Alcohol Abuse

3. Bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse commonly co–occur. Multiple explanations for the relationship between these conditions have been proposed, but this relationship remains poorly understood. Some evidence suggests a genetic link. This comorbidity also has implications for diagnosis and treatment. Alcohol use may worsen the clinical course of bipolar disorder, making it harder to treat.

8. Copycat Symptoms Alcohol intoxication and mania and hypermania display similar symptoms as do alcohol withdrawal and depression. Concurrent alcohol abuse complicates the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of bipolar individuals and often leads to heightened severity of bipolar symptoms, and poor treatment outcomes. Alcohol or drug use or the withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs can mimic or give the appearance of some psychiatric illness.

12. Bad Mixture Alcohol or illegal drug abuse may interfere with the treatment of depression or bipolar disorder. For example, alcohol reduces the effectiveness of some antidepressants. The combination of alcohol or drugs with your medication(s) may lead to serious or dangerous side effects even death. When a person with bipolar disorder drinks alcohol, it can cause him/her symptoms to become more severe. The NIAAA reports the findings of a research study conducted by Susan Sonne and colleagues in 1994 that compared the severity of symptoms between people with bipolar disorder who drank alcohol and those who did not; they found that those who drank were more likely to be hospitalized, experience an earlier onset of bipolar disorder, experience more rapid cycling and have more mixed forms of mania.

13. Just why individuals who are mentally ill are so prone to abuse alcohol and other drugs is a matter of controversy. Some researchers believe that substance abuse may precipitate mental illness in vulnerable individuals, while others believe that people with psychiatric disorders use alcohol and other drugs in a misguided attempt to alleviate symptoms of their illnesses or side effects from their medications. The evidence is most consistent with a more complex explanation in which well-known risk factors - such as poor cognitive function, anxiety, deficient interpersonal skills, social isolation, poverty, and lack of structured activities - combine to render people with mental illnesses particularly vulnerable to alcohol and drug abuse.

14. Difficulty with Treatment A problem with treating somebody with a dual diagnosis has been that this type of individual often finds it hard to accept the need for dual diagnosis drug rehabilitation. All addicts suffer fromdenialas this is a symptom of the condition, but a breakthrough can often occur when the addict can get past their denial and see the need for help. This moment of insight is often not as easy for the person with dual diagnosis to reach. Their other mental health issue can seriously detract from their ability for any type of insight into their own behavior; for instance those with bipolar and schizophrenia usually have poor judgment. If the individual is able to recognize the need for dual diagnosis drug treatment then there is far less hope of it being successful. When you can’t see a problem you are unlikely to put much effort into fixing this problem. In fact for many people with a dual diagnosis it is hard to let go of the belief that their addiction is helping them cope with their other problems; this may have in fact been the case in the beginning, but the only place that addiction leads is misery.

16. Almost a third of all individuals with a mental illness also have a substance abuse problem, and also suffer from alcohol or drug addiction.

17. Dual diagnosis patients are at a high risk for suicide. Studies have found that those with co-occurring disorders commit suicide at a rate much higher than those with just an addiction or mental illness alone.

18. The eight most common mental disorders found in dual diagnosis patients are: Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Panic Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, Eating Disorders and Schizophrenia

21. The best way to help someone is to accept what you can and cannot do. You cannot force someone to remain sober, nor can you make someone take their medication or keep appointments. What you can do is make positive choices for yourself, encourage your loved one to get help, and offer your support while making sure you don’t lose yourself in the process.