Does A Dual Diagnosis Mean I’m Doomed?
Suffering from mental illness can make staying sober seem impossible. Many people with mood disorders use drug or alcohol to self-medicate, so when the substance is gone, it may be hard to cope with even everyday life, let alone stress or major life events. Fortunately, dual diagnosis is not the end of the world nor is it uncommon. In fact, roughly 50% of those with major mood disorders abuse drugs or alcohol and more than 50% of those with substance abuse disorder also suffer from underlying mental illness. If you have a dual diagnosis, you are not alone. Mood disorders and substance abuse disorders are both treatable and can be maintained so that a person can live a happy and productive life. What Exactly Is Dual Diagnosis? Dual Diagnosis is the term given when a person has a major mood disorder (like depression, bipolar, or schizophrenia) and also has a substance abuse disorder requiring abstinence. Unlike addiction alone, dual diagnosis requires a comprehensive treatment plan for both disorders.The mood disorder requires a totally separate treatment plan while addiction requires another. Rates of addiction are much higher among those who suffer from mental illness, which is why dual diagnosis is not uncommon. For instance, a person with depression tends to look for ways to make them feel better, which unfortunately usually leads to drugs or alcohol. This is called self-medication because instead of seeking professional help, the afflicted person will take it into their own hands. Self-medication is the leading cause of addiction. While addiction typically requires abstinence and some form of a support network, mood disorders often require medication and/or...Unmanaged Anger and Drug Relapse
I can attest that in early recovery, anger can get a little out of control. Being newly sober, little things can cause extreme agitation or even outbursts. Learning to have patience without drugs or alcohol can sometimes seem impossible. In fact, anger is one of the most common causes of drug relapse. This is why it is so important to learn healthy coping skills to avoid rash decisions in recovery. For addicts and alcoholics, many emotions have been avoided or buried with substance abuse. Instead of facing emotion, we turn to a quick fix to feel better. Once in recovery, that quick fix is gone and something else must take its place. This means facing unwanted and painful emotions and working through them, which I know sounds awful, but to live a healthy life, have meaningful relationships, and avoid drug relapse, it is necessary. Once drugs and alcohol are gone, all of the pent up emotions come bubbling up to the surface, and at some point might boil over. Anger is one of the most destructive emotions for an addict or alcoholic. Anger has the ability to blind a person and cause them to act out in ways that don’t seem rational. Like any emotion, anger can be bottled up and build pressure over time. Maybe even months into recovery, something finally causes the bottle to explode. Bottled up anger can cause you to take it out on somebody else or even yourself. When in a fit of rage or extreme anger, it can be easy to give up and turn to drugs or alcohol for relief. Emotions from the...
The Senate Healthcare Bill Will Devastate Addicts and Treatment
Right now, the most urgent and controversial topic on Capitol Hill is the Senate’s proposed healthcare bill intended to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as ObamaCare. This new bill, initially penned by the House of Representatives, received scrutiny from both sides of the aisle when it was revealed and passed on to the Senate. As a result, hardline conservatives in the Senate have been able to revise the bill with even harsher cuts on spending. Though these cuts should be alarming to everyone who gained coverage under the ACA, it will be particularly detrimental to the advances in addiction treatment. How Did The ACA Help Addicts? Under ObamaCare, insurance companies are required to cover mental health services including treatment for substance abuse. Addiction treatment was included in a part of the called “Essential Health Benefits,” which defined the types of coverage all Americans should be entitled to if they pay for health insurance. This meant that 30% of people who already had insurance now have expanded coverage as a result of the ACA. Essential Health Benefits lead to an increase in the number of people seeking not only addiction treatment but treatment for mental health conditions as a whole. The ACA also requires all individuals to have health insurance or else they could face tax penalties. This further expanded a number of people getting access to comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment. One of the most powerful sections of the ACA was a massive Medicaid expansion. ObamaCare provided more funding to state’s Medicaid programs, which in turn insured nearly 3 million people suffering from addiction...