Dual diagnosis

MuddyBoots · Sep 25, 2020 at 06:46 PM

This one's for all my dual diagnosis buddies out there.
How do you get yourself out of the endless cycle of having worse symptoms and self medicating?
I just got out of a two week program last week and I was completely sober for like two days after they discharged me then drank, and used my drug of choice today and in between along with other unhealthy coping mechanisms I've had all sorts of mood swings (but not any "real" manic or depressive episodes, but like rage to the point of blacking out and despair to the point of S thoughts only lasting a few hours).

...when I used today it felt like the first time I was calm and happy in my entire life. That's what I want: calm. I never get that.

Moose72 · Sep 25, 2020 at 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sapien

...when I used today it felt like the first time I was calm and happy in my entire life. That's what I want: calm. I never get that.

I get what you're saying. I was prescribed a few oxycontins once and it made me completely at peace with no worries. But addiction is no joke. After that first pill I hid the bottle so nobody else could find the pills- just like Lord of the Rings: "My PREcious....!" But I will never use that again. Its too easy to become mentally addicted to these drugs.

That said, addiction is no joke. Nothing I say will help you quit using again. And my dad is an alcoholic so I probably am biased but you should tell your sponsor or whomever that you fell off the wagon again

Nammu · Sep 25, 2020 at 07:24 PM

Unless you were sober for over a year no other diagnosis is valid. They can’t tell what you have beyond addiction. No one and nothing except you can decide to stop.

The Black Dog · Sep 25, 2020 at 08:34 PM

Attack both the substance abuse and the mood/anxiety disorder at the same time. You need to be sober long enough for the meds to work/help. Also I suggest life changes that reduce anxiety. The best skill you can have is to identify that which makes you uncomfortable and anxious so you can change your behavior towards it.

bpcyclist · Sep 25, 2020 at 08:38 PM

so sorry you are struggling, Sapien. I struggled with addiction. In my experience, addicts only quit when they are done. Do you think you are done?

Hugs and love. Don 't give up. God loves you.

HALLIEBETH87 · Sep 25, 2020 at 10:58 PM

Have you tried a support group like aa/na? My boyfriend says it saved his life

MuddyBoots · Sep 26, 2020 at 03:09 AM

I'll call up my sponsor on Monday (he doesn't like me bugging him on the weekends). Are you saying my diagnosis is invalid? because I started using AFTER I was diagnosed (though it was a slightly different diagnosis, if you count antidepressants as a substance, then the last "valid" diagnosis I had was psychotic depression). My anxiety is more "hidden" so I might need to think about what I can do to reduce it a bit more since I really don't know what causes it. And no, I'm not done, I thought I was, but I don't know if I ever will be. My sponsor will probably suggest doing a 90 in 90 again, so I'll make another attempt at that.

bpcyclist · Sep 26, 2020 at 03:46 AM

Don't throw your diagnoses away. We are just saying that you cannot nail it down firmly and finally until all substances are out of the picture for awhile, typically, around 6 months or so.

sarahsweets · Sep 26, 2020 at 03:46 AM

Sobriety is essential when it comes to mental health. If you aren't sober for a good while its like you might as well forget treating the mental healyh piece. How long have you had an addiction?

fern46 · Sep 26, 2020 at 06:35 AM

I do not have a lot of advice to offer toward addiction, but I wanted to offer my support. Sometimes discussing our actions with others before we do them can keep us from making choices we know we shouldn't. I'm glad to see you posting here and reaching out. It shows what your heart wants even if your mind and body want the opposite. Support can be a powerful force, so keep doing what you're doing and let us help if we can.

And I agree with bpcyclist. When you're ready to stop, you will. Set your intent to find that place and know it when you arrive.

Fuzzybear · Sep 26, 2020 at 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fern46

I do not have a lot of advice to offer toward addiction, but I wanted to offer my support. Sometimes discussing our actions with others before we do them can keep us from making choices we know we shouldn't. I'm glad to see you posting here and reaching out. It shows what your heart wants even if your mind and body want the opposite. Support can be a powerful force, so keep doing what you're doing and let us help if we can.

And I agree with bpcyclist. When you're ready to stop, you will. Set your intent to find that place and know it when you arrive.

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bpcyclist Legendary Member Since Sep 2019 Location: Portland Posts: 12,681 (SuperPoster!) 4 40.2k hugs given	Sep 25, 2020 at 08:38 PM #5 so sorry you are struggling, Sapien. I struggled with addiction. In my experience, addicts only quit when they are done. Do you think you are done? Hugs and love. Don 't give up. God loves you. __________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield
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HALLIEBETH87 Legendary Member Since Oct 2004 Location: usa Posts: 11,197 19 2,742 hugs given	Sep 25, 2020 at 10:58 PM #6 Have you tried a support group like aa/na? My boyfriend says it saved his life __________________ Bipolar 1 w/psychotic features or schizoaffective bipolar type PTSD generalized anxiety OCD celexa, prazosin, Lybalvi and prn zyprexa and klonopin
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bpcyclist Legendary Member Since Sep 2019 Location: Portland Posts: 12,681 (SuperPoster!) 4 40.2k hugs given	Sep 26, 2020 at 03:46 AM #8 Don't throw your diagnoses away. We are just saying that you cannot nail it down firmly and finally until all substances are out of the picture for awhile, typically, around 6 months or so. __________________ When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield
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sarahsweets Threadtastic Postaholic Member Since Dec 2018 Location: New Jersey Posts: 6,006 (SuperPoster!) 5 192 hugs given	Sep 26, 2020 at 03:46 AM #9 Sobriety is essential when it comes to mental health. If you aren't sober for a good while its like you might as well forget treating the mental healyh piece. How long have you had an addiction? __________________ "I carried a watermelon?" President of the no F's given society.
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