The throes of bipolar disorder’s intense mood swings can range from intense highs that leave you constantly on edge to deep lows that make it difficult to get out of bed. If you’re trying to do anything you can to cope, you may turn to various substances to find relief, even drugs. Yet over time, this can lead many who choose drugs to cope over and over again into a complete drug addiction.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one and four people who have a serious mental illness like bipolar disorder will also have a substance abuse disorder like drug addiction. Unfortunately, that means bipolar disorder and drug abuse can often go hand in hand.
This only further compounds the struggles that led someone to this unhealthy combination in the first place. But what makes the connection between bipolar and drug use so strong? And what can you do about it if you’re struggling with both as you read this?
Unpacking Bipolar Disorder
As we explore the connection between being bipolar and drug addiction, we need to first understand each disorder separately. Characterized by extreme mood swings for no specific reason, bipolar disorder is a brain disorder that can negatively impact you mentally and emotionally, as well as hinder your ability to live a normal life.
When you cycle through your mood swings, you may shift from the highs of feeling energized (and even irritable) during manic episodes to struggling to handle everyday tasks in the deep, sad lows of depressive episodes. The severity and length of each episode will vary, depending on the type of bipolar disorder you have, which can include:
- Bipolar I
- Bipolar II
- Cyclothymic Disorder
Some episodes can last a few hours, while others may last days—even weeks. Nearly 6 million Americans have bipolar disorder, according to the University of Michigan Medicine. And if they don’t manage their disorder properly, they can struggle in their work, relationships, and daily life.
What It Means to be Addicted to Drugs
A substance use disorder (SUD) is defined as the uncontrolled use of a substance despite any harmful consequences, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Substances like meth, heroin, or cocaine are addictive by nature, so even just a few uses can lead to ongoing abuse. Once you’re abusing drugs, you’ll show telltale signs of addiction, such as:
- Poor hygiene
- Weight loss
- Spending an inordinate amount of time using that you neglect your responsibilities
- Using drugs even in risky or dangerous situations.
At the point of a drug addiction, like in the case of a meth addict, your drug use is actually affecting your brain—which has become chemically dependent on your addiction. This makes quitting all the more difficult. And if you’re already struggling with bipolar disorder, not only is your brain more negatively impacted, but quitting your drug use also becomes an even greater challenge.
At the Intersection of Bipolar Disorder and Drug Abuse
It’s common for people with bipolar to also struggle with co-occurring disorders like drug or alcohol abuse. The reason for this intersection of bipolar disorder and drug abuse often lies in the mood swings experienced with bipolar disorder. Because these manic and depressive episodes can be so intense, someone may choose to seek out ways to self-medicate, consequently choosing drugs as a way to cope.
While drugs may provide a momentary escape from your symptoms, over time they can lead to a serious substance use disorder. When this happens, the temporary relief you sought eventually ends, and you have bigger problems on your hands. Not only can drugs reduce the effects of your bipolar medications, they can also make your mood swings worse.
Consequently you seek out more drugs to self-medicate, further entrenching your addiction. And your drug abuse can even make you more prone to suicide attempts and violence, shares Medicina. Ultimately, with bipolar and drug addiction combined, your struggles are compounded, which means specialized dual diagnosis treatment is an absolute must.
The Importance of Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Bipolar Disorder and Drug Abuse
If you’re struggling with bipolar disorder alone, professional treatment and medication can help you learn to manage your condition in a healthy way and live a normal life. But with both bipolar and drug abuse in the picture, you can’t just treat one condition at a time. You need to address your bipolar disorder and drug abuse simultaneously. Otherwise one condition is left untreated, often exacerbating the other disorder eventually as well.
Yet with a dual diagnosis treatment program, you can address bipolar and drug addiction all in one place. Offering a holistic, comprehensive approach to your care, dual diagnosis treatment incorporates experiential and evidence-based therapies, as well as medical intervention. That means you have access to a variety of care options to manage your bipolar disorder well AND overcome your drug addiction at the same time in a holistic drug rehab. Armed with the care you need to stay healthy long-term, you’re also less likely to relapse.
Struggling with Bipolar Disorder and Drug Abuse? Sana at Stowe Can Help
If you’re navigating co-occurring disorders like bipolar and drug addiction, our Vermont-based dual diagnosis treatment program at Sana at Stowe may be just what you need to recover well.
Personalizing our treatment to directly address the root causes of your struggles, our caring team is capable of handling your unique, complex needs in a way that empowers you to maintain a healthy quality of life long after your treatment ends. If you’re ready to achieve lasting healing at one of the best dual diagnosis treatment centers in Vermont, contact our team today to get started.
