Bipolar and Addiction

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For me, the holidays usually bring not only traditions and gatherings but also stress and strong triggers. Difficult memories arise as the season changes and the holidays are upon us. In the years since my bipolar diagnosis and sobriety, I’ve learned how to navigate these months and maintain a stable mood. Holidays & Memories—for Better...

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When pleasurable pastimes like shopping, gaming, or online socializing cross the line from enjoyable to excessive, it may be time to tame your overindulgences. Going on a shopping spree. Binge-watching the latest fad series. Spending hours on a video game. Religiously checking Facebook. Truth is, most people can say they’ve been there, done that. Those...

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With exhibits at the GRAMMY Museum and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Derek Hess communicates his struggles with bipolar and alcohol through his drawings—and credits his dog for getting him through his darkest days. If ever there were a way to tap into the human psyche and lay it bare for all to...

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Binge eating, abusing drugs, smoking—there are many behaviors to deal with bipolar disorder symptoms that can lead to bad habits. But you can learn to break them.   From the time I was a young girl, I engaged in compulsive behaviors to balance out my undiagnosed, untreated bipolar disorder. I started with comfort food, then...

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While it may require difficult life adjustments, getting help for both bipolar disorder and substance abuse—dual diagnosis—could save your life.   Today, I will be speaking about my bipolar and substance abuse disorders, commonly referred to as dual diagnosis. But, I like to refer to myself as a “double winner.” According to the 2016 National...

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Substance addiction, such as to nicotine, may be common with bipolar disorder. If you’re trying to quit, here are some strategies to enhance your success. #1 Make the Commitment There’s an enormous difference between wanting to quit a smoking habit or addiction and actually making the decision to quit. Things open up when you make...

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Equine psychotherapy can be an important step in the addiction recovery process; here’s why: Learning valuable lessons According to The Ranch in Tennessee, which runs a unique equine-assisted therapy program where people are able to bond with the horse and learn valuable lessons about respect, empathy and communication that helps them in their recovery. “Equine-assisted therapy is effective...

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The standard advice about drinking when you have bipolar is to avoid alcohol altogether. Is moderate drinking ever a good idea? Some things to ponder. You walk into a social gathering and see that most of the guests have a drink in hand. So you grab a beer, too—maybe to calm your nerves before you...

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Substance abuse and bipolar disorder are more complicated combined than either condition alone—but treatment is available, and recovery is possible.   There are a few things to consider when it comes to substance abuse and bipolar disorder. I’m a person in long-term recovery from addiction. I’ve been clean for about 29 years. But before then...

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Living with bipolar can be very challenging but it is possible to develop the tools to maintain a high-functioning lifestyle. By Karl Shallowhorn   Hi, this is Karl Shallowhorn with BP magazine’s bphope Vlog. Today I’m going to be talking about maintaining a high functioning lifestyle and living with bipolar. So, you know for many...

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Panic attacks feel humiliating and devastating, and pervasive for those of us with bipolar disorder. I have written about panic attacks before. For me, panic attacks are humiliating, embarrassing, and devastating. They are pervasive for those of us with bipolar disorder. I think it is important to write about this topic again. For me the panic attack...

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Gracefully accepting criticism is difficult for anyone, let alone when you are battling bipolar disorder. Having written this bp Magazine column for more than a decade, I’ve received lots of feedback. While I’m touched by the positive comments, I’m also grateful for the criticisms. After speaking at a mental health conference a while back, I...

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Writer Marya Hornbacher shares some what she’s been working on recently, as well as her recovery progress   With her unflinching, groundbreaking memoir Wasted, 23-year-old Marya Hornbacher became a voice for young women with eating disorders. Ten years later, in 2008, she touched a whole new community with Madness: A Bipolar Life. Grappling with substance...

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The holiday season is the time for festivities, family, and friends––but NOT the time for alcohol over-consumption that leads to impaired driving. December is National Driving Impaired Prevention Month. With this in mind, this is the time of year where we should give thanks for all we have, spend quality time with friends and family,...

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Even though over-indulging in alcohol over the holiday season is tempting, it may not be the best for your mental wellbeing. Injuries and fatalities from accidents involving impaired drivers have steadily increased over the years and have become a serious issue in the United States. In 2013 alone 10,076 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving...

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One thing I know without a doubt is that we have much more potential than we realize. The key is knowing how to tap into it. I’ve been blogging for BP for years. And while my posts have always had a theme, this week is a little different. It’s more of a stream of consciousness....

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Alcohol dependence gets in the way of me being a good mother, a good wife, and a good bipolar symptom-manager. To paraphrase Frida Kahlo: “l tried to drown my isolation in alcohol but it learned to swim”… If you follow me, you are fully aware that I have been struggling these last few years in...

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Co-occurring substance abuse and mental illness is more complicated than either condition alone—but treatment is readily available, and recovery is absolutely possible. A “dual diagnosis” means having two disorders diagnosed at the same time. It could be any two diagnoses, but typically it refers to the co-occurrence of a mental illness along with a substance...

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Many people struggle not only with bipolar disorder, but with the secondary issue of substance abuse—alcohol, drugs or both. The Bipolar mask hides addiction well, doesn’t it? Drug, Alcohol, Gambling, even sex addiction are all that next quick high – next fix – next shot, score… Let take a second and reflect on some of...

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Maurice Benard sees his new movie project as another way to raise awareness and reach out to others with bipolar. By Elizabeth Forbes, bp Magazine editor   When it comes to bipolar on the screen, actor Maurice Benard is in a unique position. He plays a TV character with bipolar disorder—and was himself diagnosed with...