The link between alcoholism and bipolar disorder is undeniable. As many as 50% of people struggling with a mental disorder are also affected by alcohol or substance abuse, and 61% of people with bipolar disorder also have a substance abuse disorder.
Many medications prescribed for mood disorders warn users about mixing the meds with alcohol. The warning not only prevents severe side effects caused by mixing the two, it also addresses the tendency for many people suffering from a mood disorder to self medicate with alcohol.
Alcohol Is A Depressant
Because alcohol is a depressant, those who suffer from mood swings, anxiety, and depression often find themselves turning to drinking to alleviate their pain and experience a different state of being, if only for a short amount of time.
People with bipolar disorder tend to drink during their low moods, when alcohol can actually increase feelings of hopelessness and despair. The result is a deeper state of depression which often leads to heavier drinking, or worse yet, harm to oneself or others.
The Right Kind Of Treatment
A person struggling with both bipolar disorder and alcoholism needs a different approach to treatment. Because an individual can be struggling with two or more disorders at once, they need to be treated as a whole person.
Combined treatment that addresses a mental health disorder as well as the effects that substance abuse has on the disorder is the necessary approach. This is called dual diagnosis or co-occurring disorders treatment.
Some steps a clinician will take with this type of treatment includes:
-Building awareness of how alcohol or substance abuse affects the patient’s life.
-Educating the patient about drugs and alcohol, and how they affect mental health.
-Assist the patient with making goals for recovery and the steps to getting there.
-Get a patient involved in activities that support their recovery.
-Make sure the patient receives therapy and other treatment for co-occurring disorders.
It’s important to get the right treatment for co-occurring disorder because it’s especially difficult to treat. People with mental illness who abuse drugs or alcohol having a higher chance of relapse, as well as a tendency toward violence, harm, and failure to respond to medication or treatment. Those with co-occurring disorder are more likely to end up in jail or homeless.
Confusion About Dual Disorders
Because there is still much confusion about how to treat both mental health and substance abuse disorders, many patients end up with a fragmented treatment approach that does very little to nothing at all for their recovery. A dual diagnosis program needs to take all aspects of the patient’s life into consideration. From social networks to jobs and housing, all the patient’s life stresses must be addressed.
The more specific a treatment plan is, the more likely that it will help the patient. This means that patients from specific ethnicities, cultures, backgrounds, and genders can especially benefit from treatment that addresses their unique needs. This is the key to a successful recovery for an individual with bipolar disorder or any other mental disorder.
John Lloyd is a treatment specialist who is committed to helping people in addiction recovery, learn more about his work at Seasons In Malibu.
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