Faces of Bipolar Disorder (PART 8) “DRUG & ALCOHOL Addiction – Dual Diagnosis”

If you have Bipolar Disorder and are abusing drugs or alcohol, this can add rocket fuel to the symptoms. Unfortunately, it’s estimated that around 50-60% of people who have Bipolar Disorder will experience drug or alcohol addiction in their lifetime. Alcohol being the most commonly abused substance among Bipolar individuals. This makes video #8 in our series “Faces of Bipolar Disorder.” We’ve covered everything from diagnosis, to the different types of Bipolar, major symptoms, and much more. If you want to know a LOT about Bipolar Disorder, check out the other videos in this series.

So, why does substance abuse happen so often and what can be done about it? Hopefully by the end of this video, you’ll have a much better understanding of what’s called “Dual Diagnosis” or “Co-occurring Disorders” and why they happen. Those are the technical names given to those of us who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder and who abuse substances at the same time.

Substance abuse is extremely common among those who have learned to “self-medicate” in order to “escape” the suffering associated with Bipolar symptoms. If we can learn to treat the Bipolar symptoms FIRST, the desire to escape becomes less and less.

If this is your first time visiting our channel, welcome to “the Polar Warrior club!” We are completely dedicated to helping individuals, families, and friends who struggle with, or know someone living with Bipolar Disorder. Our goal is to provide actual tools, tips, and discuss topics that can potentially help “Polar Warriors” grow to live a more balanced, peaceful, and fulfilling life. I truly hope you enjoy my videos and remember to subscribe on YouTube so you don’t miss a video that could help change your life!

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