Bipolar disorder is a mental illness characterized by psychological instability. Patients will experience mood swings and dramatic changes in behavior, judgment, emotional state, and cognitive functioning. It takes these patients a few days to a few weeks to move from a depressed state to a manic state. This period depends on how the bipolar episodes are and the type of disorder you have.
Bipolar disorder and substance abuse statistics from the National Alliance on Mental Illness show that 44 percent of people with bipolar cases have a record of past and present alcohol abuse. The other 56 percent have a background of abuse of illicit drugs. Bipolar effects have multiple effects on the patient and are worse with drug and substance abuse. Examples include suicide risks, strained relationships, academic 0r occupational struggles, and lower life quality.
Bipolar patients can undertake in various treatment programs to help them achieve psychological stability. The treatment programs will include thorough substance abuse treatment, individual therapy, group therapy, and psychiatric medication.
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
The term bipolar is derived from the nature of the condition. A bipolar disorder patient switches typically from depression to emotional elevation which is two opposites. The state of emotional elevation is known as mania and bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. How long you stay in either of these states depends on the type of bipolar disorder you have.
Further bipolar disorder and substance abuse statistics show that for any given 12 months, 2.6 percent of adults in America have had a case of bipolar disorder. Eighty-three percent of these adults have had severe cases.
Bipolar Disorder and Addiction
Can drug abuse cause bipolar disorder? Yes, drug abuse and addiction can lead to bipolar disorder. Statistics show that 70% of people with bipolar disorder have a substance abuse background. Substance abuse and addiction will impact bipolar disorder negatively. Patients will experience:
- Lower quality of life
- More suicide attempts
- Intense bipolar symptoms.
- Emotional instability for longer
When you have both substance addiction and bipolar disorder, the treatment you receive will be a little complex. This is because you will receive both substance detox and treatment and bipolar treatment. Treatment approaches to both conditions could involve further treatment programs such as medication and therapy. A case of bipolar disorder and addiction co-occurring should be handled by a medical professional in inpatient treatment centers.
Types of Bipolar Disorder
Types of bipolar vary with the frequency and intensity of depressive and manic episodes. These episodes can occur simultaneously or separately. Simultaneous incidents are commonly known as mixed episodes. As for separate episodes, the depressive or manic episodes will occur during separate times, and one will be more frequent than the other. The types of Bipolar Disorder are:
1. Bipolar I
This type of bipolar disorder is characterized by a dramatic change from a manic state to a state of depression. You could also experience sudden and severe mood swings. Research shows that depression in Bipolar I could take at least two weeks. You will need hospitalization for this bipolar. This is because there is a high functional impairment level, which could jeopardize your safety.
2. Bipolar II
Emotional changes of individuals with Bipolar II are less severe. You will experience the depressive state longer than the manic state. Hypomania will be mild, and it alternates between periods of depression. Bipolar II may be less severe but there still remains a risk of functional impairment.
3. Cyclothymia
Cyclothymia is a milder type of bipolar disorder. Individuals experience hypomania and mild depression. Furthermore, the episodes in this bipolar last shorter than those in Bipolar I or Bipolar II.
4. Mixed feelings of Bipolar
Individuals with this type of bipolar disorder will experience hypomania and depression simultaneously. An example of a mixed feelings bipolar condition is where one has high energy levels but and sadness of feelings of low self-worth at the same time.
5. Rapid-Cycling Bipolar
Rapid cycling bipolar is a case where depression and mania states alternate rapidly. The rapid alternations could last up to 12 months. Depression tends to be more severe, which could lead to self-destructive behavior, such as suicide attempts. Furthermore, individuals with Bipolar I and II will experience the symptoms of rapid cycling bipolar.
6. Substance-Induced Bipolar Disorder
Substance-induced bipolar is a bipolar condition that arises from the abuse of drugs and alcohol. Depression is more dominant during withdrawal. Furthermore, depression could lead to self-destructive drug abuse, which could lead to an overdose.
Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar symptoms can be categorized into manic symptoms and depressive symptoms. The signs will also depend on the type of bipolar disorder present.
Manic symptoms of bipolar disorder include:
- Intense happiness
- Easily distracted
- Delusions of grandeur
- Little sleep or insomnia
- Impulsive decision making in high-risk decisions such as your career
- Fast speech due to the fast change of thought patterns
Depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder include:
- Depression, sadness or hopelessness
- Restlessness
- Poor concentration
- Constant fatigue
- Suicide attempts
- Thoughts of death and suicide
- Loss of interest in hobbies.
- Excessive guilt feelings
- Weight gain or loss
It is hard to know when someone has bipolar disorder, especially when they abuse drugs.
Treatment for Bipolar and Addiction
Bipolar and addiction treatment needs to take a wide and thorough approach to treatment to ensure a safe recovery.
1. Motivational Interviewing
The therapist and patient will work collaboratively to help define goals and establish his or her sources of motivation. Motivational interviewing helps patients to gain a positive attitude towards psychiatric medication.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps a patient to identify thought patterns that lead to abuse, addiction, anxiety, and depression. You will learn how to replace these thoughts with positive and constructive thoughts.
3. Solution-Focused Therapy (SFT)
Solution-focused therapy aims at helping a patient to set specific and measurable goals. There is little focus on how substance abuse started.
4. Trauma Therapies
Trauma therapies address anxiety and depression by helping patients to process internal fears and unprocessed memories. It helps because addiction and bipolar disorder may arise due to traumatic experiences such as violence or child abuse.
5. Medication Treatment
Medication is usually part of bipolar treatment. The remedies available include:
- Antipsychotic medication: these help patients to minimize erratic moods and delusional thoughts they experience in manic episodes. Common examples include Quetiapine, olanzapine, aripiprazole, and risperidone.
- Mood stabilizers: mood stabilizers reduce or prevent severe manic symptoms. A typical example is lithium.
- Anticonvulsant drugs: these drugs prevent seizures and reduce the severity and frequency of depressive states.
- Other medication: Another medication is used to treat other symptoms that are related to bipolar. For example, you will calm down the activity in your central nervous system if you take blood pressure medications. Patients with bipolar disorder also undergo hormonal imbalance, and medications are needed to correct it.
Alternative Ways to Heal
Alternative ways to heal could take the addiction treatment approach for drug-induced bipolar disorder. Furthermore, these treatment programs can be integrated with bipolar treatment programs to make the treatment more effective. These alternative ways to heal include:
1. Medical detox
2. Inpatient treatment
3. Partial hospitalization
4. Outpatient treatment
Bipolar Disorder Treatment At The Detox Center of Los Angeles
Bipolar treatment facilities are highly available, and you can even lookup free bipolar treatment centers near me. The Detox center of Los Angeles offers treatment for bipolar disorder and all types of drug abuse.
We offer treatment programs for both bipolar disorder and substance addiction. Examples of bipolar treatment programs include medications, motivational interviewing, Solution-focused therapy, Cognitive-behavioral therapies, and trauma therapies. We also have experience in how to deal with bipolar drug addicts. You can enroll in any of our addiction treatment programs depending on your level of addiction and the substance you are addicted to.
The addiction treatment programs we offer include:
- Medical detox
- Inpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization
- Outpatient treatment
The treatment you receive at The Detox Center of Los Angeles is personalized as every patient has a different case of drug-induced bipolar disorder. We also offer modern facilities in case you look up inpatient treatment centers for bipolar disorder near me. Seek help today from us, and our medical and rehab team are ready to help!
After Care Treatment Program
Our aftercare program at The Detox Center of Los Angeles, is usually part of our outpatient treatment program. The main focus of aftercare is to ensure you achieve psychological stability in the case of bipolar disorder and prevent relapse in the case of substance addiction. Aftercare will mainly rely on therapy and support treatment to accomplish this. Some of the therapy programs you will take part in include family therapy and individual counseling. Support programs are meant to help you cope with daily life situations. We have support groups presided by a professional to improve their effectiveness. You can also be a mentor or companion to others as they seek to regain their wellness.
Conclusion
Bipolar disorder earned the name bipolar due to the shift in opposite emotional states. These states are manic and depressive states. There are various types of bipolar disorders and Bipolar I and Bipolar II are the most severe. The substance-induced bipolar disorder could also portray symptoms of the two severe types of bipolar.
The symptoms of bipolar disorder are either manic or depressive. Intense happiness is an example of a manic symptom. Suicide thoughts are a sign of depressive symptoms. You can get help for bipolar disorder and substance abuse at our facility. Our licensed medical personnel are on standby 24/7 to answer any questions you have and help you understand bipolar disorder.
