Bipolar Disorder and Addiction | Florida Center for Recovery

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Bipolar Disorder and Addiction

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depressive disorder. Symptoms of this disorder are characterized by periods of hurried or manic activity, followed by bouts of depression and sadness. Bipolar disorder sufferers will usually experience some form of substance abuse during their lifetime, and research is underway to better understand this "co-occurring" - the term used when a person experiences a combination of addiction and a mental disorder.

Individuals with bipolar disorder may turn to depressants - such as alcohol or pain pills - in an attempt to manage their mania, or turn to stimulants - such as cocaine or methamphetamines - to cope with depression. In both cases, the usual result is that substance abuse drives the bipolar disorder into the opposite state - depression or mania - rather than fixing anything. Although no cure exists for bipolar disorder, the disease can be managed through medication and psychotherapy. Left untreated, the disease can be devastating, and when bipolar is combined with alcoholism or drug addiction, this devastation is compounded.

Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

The most effective treatments for bipolar disorder often combine medication with some form of psychological therapy. Most people with bipolar disorder, even those with severe or intense forms, can use both (medication and therapy), to effectively control their mood swings and live full and satisfying lives.

Psychological Therapies for Bipolar Disorder Treatment

Studies have shown that medication in combination with psychosocial treatments can lead to much better outcomes for bipolar individuals, rather than just medication alone.

A combination of therapies is effective for bipolar disorder treatment, including:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Psycho-Education
Family Therapy
Interpersonal / Social Rhythm Therapy

With the insights that therapy can bring, individuals with bipolar disorder have a greater chance of:

Recognizing the Onset of Any New Episode
Dealing with it Appropriately and in Time
Keeping up their Regular Medication to Prevent Symptoms from Reoccurring
Developing a More Robust Self-Image to Generally Better Cope with the Impact of Living with Bipolar Disorder

Addiction and Bipolar Disorder at Florida Center for Recovery

Florida Center for Recovery's Addiction and Mental Health evaluations assist our professionals in diagnosing and planning individualized treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder.

We offer a combination of medical, psychological, social, and family interventions to help individuals find a healthy balance and prevent future crises. Our philosophy of treatment for bipolar disorder is different in three important respects:

We recognize that bipolar disorder often isn't the only issue. Often people with bipolar disorder are also battling co-occurring conditions such as alcohol addiction and drug dependency. Tackling each issue requires a wider strategy designed to treat bipolar as well as substance use disorder.
We treat the whole person, not just an isolated symptom. Because we are all complex products of our history, we need to dig deep to get to the roots of our problems. Florida Center for Recovery works to identify contributing factors - home life, work, relationships, personal medical history and past traumatic experiences - to establish the big picture that therapy needs to address.
Families have an important role to play. Our addiction treatment programs have a place for families to participate, educating them about both disorders — better equipping them for their role as supporters.

Any co-occurring mental health condition must be addressed at the same time as the substance abuse through integrated treatment. At Florida Center for Recovery (FCR), clients admitted for addiction treatment that are also diagnosed with a mental health condition such as bipolar disorder, attend specialized therapies to appropriately address both conditions. Clients in our inpatient addiction treatment program also participate in a wide range of holistic and specialty addiction treatment therapies. In addition, when necessary, the medical team may make the use of medications to help clients with the different aspects of their recovery process and related mental health conditions.

No single treatment is right for every individual. Therefore, each client’s addiction treatment plan is individualized and it is continually assessed to ensure that it meets the client’s changing and emerging needs.