Understanding Bipolar Disorder and Treating Addiction

When someone struggles with a difficult mental health diagnosis, they are more susceptible to substance abuse. Oftentimes, this is because people who struggle with their mental health have higher levels of stress and may turn to substances to cope with the symptoms of their disorder. Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder that may affect someone's life in many different ways. People who have bipolar disorder may be at a higher risk of developing an addiction because of the ways that bipolar affects the brain. It is integral for people who struggle with bipolar and substance use to seek treatment as soon as possible. West Coast Recovery Centers offer mental health treatment that can help regulate the effects of bipolar disorder. Our providers work toward understanding bipolar disorder and its connection to addiction.

There are many different effective forms of treatment for people who struggle with bipolar disorder. One way to approach treatment is through medication management. A medical provider can give clients the medicine they need that will help with the symptoms of bipolar disorder. These providers can also help our clients with medications to manage addiction and the cravings that come with it. Therapeutic treatment can also make a difference in bipolar dual diagnosis. It's also important to receive treatment, as this can help to make a difference in our client's long-term recovery. 

Understanding Bipolar Disorder

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) defines bipolar disorder as “a mental illness that causes clear shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration.” There are two different main forms of bipolar: bipolar one and bipolar two. These forms of bipolar disorder share the same major symptoms, which can be classified by two major experiences. One of these is classified by extremely up and elated moods and frantic behavior (called manic episodes). The other is periods of very down, depressed, or hopeless feelings (called depressive episodes). 

Bipolar disorder can manifest in different ways to different people. Those who experience bipolar disorder type 1 experience longer episodes of at least 7 days of mania, which may or may not be followed by a depressive episode. The periods of mania in bipolar one are the most difficult to handle. People with bipolar type two experience periods of hypomania for at least 4 days, and also experience depressive episodes. For people with type 2, depressive episodes are the most difficult to handle.

How Bipolar Affects Addiction

Bipolar disorder may co-occur with substance abuse, which may progress into substance use disorder (SUD) and addiction. Indeed, people who struggle with bipolar may find themselves at higher risk of developing an addiction. Bipolar disorder is a serious and chronic mental health condition that affects mood, energy, and actions. At times, people who struggle with bipolar disorder may find themselves at a higher risk of using substances due to these changes in their mood and behavior. 

When someone with bipolar is struggling with a manic episode, they may engage in substance usage when they wouldn't regularly due to lower impulse control. People struggling with mania may find that they cannot control their usage, and it may spiral into addiction over time. Understanding bipolar disorder and how mania works will help you understand how these two things connect. 

Bipolar can be difficult to handle because of the emotional changes and struggles that come with it. Substances may be used to numb out difficult thoughts or feelings related to mental health. It is important to note that addiction and substances can exacerbate the symptoms of bipolar disorder. When someone struggles with bipolar and co-occurring SUD, getting treatment is integral to achieving recovery. 

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

It is important to get treatment when struggling with a dual diagnosis of addiction and bipolar disorder. When these things are left unchecked, it is very difficult to get healthy on your own. At West Coast Recovery Centers, we focus on providing adequate treatment options for all of our clients, whether with addiction or mental health.  Treatment starts with helping our clients get off of substances. For some people who this may be more difficult, we can offer support through detoxing off of substances and getting sober.

Once someone starts the journey to getting clean, the deeper work begins. After managing addiction and cravings, you can start to work through the underlying mental health issues of bipolar disorder. Therapists and providers can work with you to give you the necessary care to manage your disorder. At times, this may include medication management and group and individual therapy.

Therapy gives our clients the skills that they need to stay in charge of their health—working through the symptoms and worries associated with bipolar disorder in therapy. While difficult, this work is integral to living a healthy life and staying sober. The skills taught in treatment will allow clients to manage periods of mania and depression, and stay away from the struggles of addiction.

Many different mental health disorders can affect addiction. As someone struggles with their mental health, they may turn to substances to numb away these feelings. Bipolar disorder can cause someone to struggle with impulse control and lead to impulsive decision-making. Drug use can exacerbate the symptoms of bipolar and make the feelings worse. When struggling with both addiction and bipolar disorder, it is important to reach out for help and get dual diagnosis treatment. Treatment will help our clients work through their underlying issues and find healthier coping mechanisms to deal with stress. If you are interested in learning more about our dual diagnosis program, call West Coast Recovery Centers today at (760) 492-6509.