Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery

[Jaguar]

Welcome back, Roy

[roygrip]

Thank you everyone! It's nice to know I was missed. Be well and Blessings to all.

Life will slow down a bit now that the shows are up and running for another season. ;D

[chiver78]

welcome back

[Reckless Roselia]

Welcome back, Roy. Good luck with your shows.

I have something to ask your kind self re: addiction. How would you link addiction to mental illness?

[roygrip]

Sept 5, 2012 2:05:35 GMT -5 Reckless Roselia said:

Welcome back, Roy. Good luck with your shows.

I have something to ask your kind self re: addiction. How would you link addiction to mental illness?

Good question. It's called dual diagnosis in recovery circles. Many addicts, maybe 20% (off the top of my head) are manic deppressive, bi- polar or similar illnesses. Of course in manic deppressive people, your either manic or deppressive, most are never both, the disease does not happen that way. Well the person will self medicate with drugs, not following Drs orders, or never having been seen by a Dr at all. Typically a manic uses cocaine or speed, mixed with alcohol, it has the reverse affect, and calms them! I've seen this alot. In revovery, their harder to treat, first they must get off all drugs/alcohol, level out some, then both be seen by a Dr (for evaluation and treatment of the manic/deppressive state) then work on the hows and whys of the addiction to drugs. Remember addiction is but a symptom of the problem within ourselves that puts us into this "escape" mode. Hope that helps

[roygrip]

Here's an article:



How Mental Illness and Addiction Influence Each Other

There is a complex relationship between addiction, such as alcoholism, and mental illness. Treatment needs to focus on both conditions at the same time, once the right diagnoses have been made.


By Linda Foster, MA

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH



The complexities of mental illness are often compounded by drug and alcohol abuse, making it a challenge to get the right diagnoses and treatment for both.

Drug Abuse and Mental Illness: A “Complex Dance”
“Mental illness and alcoholism or drug abuse interact in a complex dance, "says James Garbutt, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and research scientist at UNC's Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies. "Mental illnesses can increase the risk for alcoholism or drug abuse, sometimes because of self-medicating. On the other hand, alcoholism can lead to significant anxiety and depression that may appear indistinguishable from a mental illness. Finally, one disorder can be worse than the other."

According to Stephen Gilman, MD, an addiction psychiatrist at New York University in New York City, “Alcoholism and drug abuse addictions and other psychiatric disorders often occur at the same time. However, they are distinct disorders that must be treated as such in order to get a good outcome for the patient.”
Drug Abuse and Mental Illness: Likely Conditions
Certain mental conditions are frequently associated with alcohol and drug dependency. They include: Depression. In some cases, individuals may start to abuse a substance to mask the symptoms of depression. Female substance abusers are particularly likely to have depression, but it also occurs in male substance abusers.
Bipolar disorder. Those with bipolar disorder — a condition that causes alternating cycles of depression and an abnormally elevated mood — may attempt to smooth out mood swings with alcohol.
Anxiety. Alcohol abuse is more common in both men and women with anxiety disorders.
Schizophrenia. Psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, may lead to substance abuse as a way to ease the distress that these symptoms can cause.

Those with a mental disorder may also be less inhibited and more likely to show risk-taking behavior — like buying and using illegal drugs or drinking to excess — that could quickly lead to alcohol or drug abuse. “Individuals with a mental disorder could have impaired judgment and consume higher amounts of a drug or alcohol, says Dr. Garbutt.”
Drug Abuse and Mental Illness: Underlying Causes
There are also other factors that could explain the frequent simultaneous occurrence of addiction and mental illness, including: Genetics. Genetic factors seem to account for some of the co-morbidity (having both disorders at the same time) of substance abuse and mental disorders. Studies comparing identical and fraternal twins found more instances of having two disorders among the identical twins, indicating that genetics likely play some role.
Chemical deficiency. Neuro-chemical factors were also found to be a common thread when mental disorders and addiction occur together. A reduction in the amount of serotonin, a chemical critical to brain functioning, may be the reason that alcoholism and anxiety disorders coincide so often. There is also evidence that addiction and mental disorders are associated with the dysfunction of a group of brain chemicals called monoamine oxidases.
Shared environment. Studies surrounding twins also showed that environment plays a major role in having both a substance abuse problem and another mental disorder.

Drug Abuse and Mental Illness: What Is the Exact Relationship?
The answer is not entirely clear, but the connection works both ways. People with alcohol and drug addictions tend to develop mental illnesses. People with certain mental illnesses tend to develop substance abuse problems.

“Fifty percent of those with an addictive disorder will have a psychiatric disorder. And for those who have a psychiatric disorder, about 20 percent have an addiction problem,” says Dr. Gilman.

That number is even higher in those with certain mental conditions. “A variety of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorder, antisocial personality disorder [characterized by a lack of empathy toward other people], anxiety, sleep disorders, or depression, increase the risk of addiction. Those with the highest risk of addiction have bipolar disorder or schizophrenia — up to 50 percent [of people with these conditions] can have an addiction,” says Garbutt.
Researchers don’t yet know exactly why people with these particular disorders are at an increased risk for addiction, says Garbutt, but it has been noted that: Abruptly stopping alcohol intake can lead to withdrawal symptoms — including hallucinations — that may look just like schizophrenic symptoms.
Alcoholism and drug abuse can cause changes in the brain, sometimes leading to changes in personality and mental disorders.
Alcoholics of both genders frequently suffer depression and anxiety disorders, while men are more likely to exhibit antisocial personality disorder than non-abusers of alcohol.

Drug Abuse and Mental Illness: Treating Two Sets of Symptoms
According to Gilman, “It is very important, but often difficult, to distinguish which symptoms are psychiatric and which are addictive. A person must be substance-free for a period of at least two weeks in order to tease apart the various symptoms.”

“Clinically speaking, you have to treat the addiction and the psychological symptoms at the same time. Misdiagnosis, and therefore under-treatment, is common, such as when an alcohol addiction is masking bipolar disorder,” says Garbutt.

Garbutt and Gilman both believe that treating an addiction and a mental illness at the same time is possible, and when you treat them together you can begin the process of unraveling the underlying causes of each.

[Reckless Roselia]

You're a star, Roy. Cheers for that information.

[roygrip]

Sept 5, 2012 9:52:45 GMT -5 Reckless Roselia said:

You're a star, Roy. Cheers for that information.

Anytime! I try to stay informed, an try to pass on information.

Addiction sucks!

[Reckless Roselia]

Sept 5, 2012 11:23:05 GMT -5 roygrip said:

Sept 5, 2012 9:52:45 GMT -5 Reckless Roselia said:

You're a star, Roy. Cheers for that information.

Anytime! I try to stay informed, an try to pass on information.

Addiction sucks!

I wondered where you'd been Roy as I started a discussion on 'addiction' on the 'depression support' thread to find some posters finding the topic welcoming yet some not so. I did think addiction and depression where heavily linked.

I've been a sugar addict and I'm trying to overcome it. As I am, I'm finding myself to be a lighter person on my toes. Spiritually and mentally, I am a new person altogether. It feels like I'm 'free'.

[roygrip]

Sept 5, 2012 12:05:47 GMT -5 Reckless Roselia said:

Sept 5, 2012 11:23:05 GMT -5 roygrip said:

Anytime! I try to stay informed, an try to pass on information.

Addiction sucks!

I wondered where you'd been Roy as I started a discussion on 'addiction' on the 'depression support' thread to find some posters finding the topic welcoming yet some not so. I did think addiction and depression where heavily linked.

I've been a sugar addict and I'm trying to overcome it. As I am, I'm finding myself to be a lighter person on my toes. Spiritually and mentally, I am a new person altogether. It feels like I'm 'free'.

Interesting, sugar is! All those years I drank, did coke, etc. I was skinny! 11 plus years ago upon getting sober, I had never really eaten, candy, etc. Well Alcohol is PURE sugar!!!! So as soon as I quit, BANG! I'm eating every cake, cookie, and candy bar in sight!!! Type 2 Diabetes, gained 100 lbs. I'm not eating sugar now or flour products, I've lost 30 pds and still loosing (the right way) for 4 months now.

[kimber45]

So as soon as I quit, BANG! I'm eating every cake, cookie, and candy bar in sight!!!

Roy, my DH is dealing with the same issue since he quit drinking. He has always been a big man and is frustrated that he can't lose weight since he quit drinking so much. Umm, you think those cookies might have something do with that

[mmhmm]

*chuckle* When my daughter quit drinking she just ballooned! Poor thing ate everything in sight. She's never been much of a sweets-eater, but she loves food and was eating huge meals. She's lost a lot of the excess on and off over the years, but always puts some back on when she's facing something difficult. Being the only one in the family who has a tendency to gain weight has been tough on her anyway.

[Reckless Roselia]

Well Alcohol is PURE sugar!!!! So as soon as I quit, BANG! I'm eating every cake, cookie, and candy bar in sight!!! Type 2 Diabetes, gained 100 lbs. I'm not eating sugar now or flour products, I've lost 30 pds and still loosing (the right way) for 4 months now.

Congrats on the weight loss, Roy.

I still have sugar cravings but I'm mastering the art of staying awake and alive without taking in a huge amount of sugar into my system. Heavens, I would drink about a litre of Pepsi a day.

Besides, being mentally ill due to addiction? It's not worth it. I've comes across many addicts of different kinds and from far away it screams ''zombies''.

[roygrip]

Sept 6, 2012 8:38:25 GMT -5 kimber45 said:

So as soon as I quit, BANG! I'm eating every cake, cookie, and candy bar in sight!!!

Roy, my DH is dealing with the same issue since he quit drinking. He has always been a big man and is frustrated that he can't lose weight since he quit drinking so much. Umm, you think those cookies might have something do with that

maybe

[roygrip]

Sept 6, 2012 9:12:39 GMT -5 mmhmm said:

*chuckle* When my daughter quit drinking she just ballooned! Poor thing ate everything in sight. She's never been much of a sweets-eater, but she loves food and was eating huge meals. She's lost a lot of the excess on and off over the years, but always puts some back on when she's facing something difficult. Being the only one in the family who has a tendency to gain weight has been tough on her anyway.

Sadly even in recovery mode, we're still addictive personalities!

I eat when I'm mad, glad, happy or sad! (same way I got high) LOL

But I do eat out of frustration..... BAD!

[roygrip]

Sept 7, 2012 8:00:52 GMT -5 Reckless Roselia said:

Well Alcohol is PURE sugar!!!! So as soon as I quit, BANG! I'm eating every cake, cookie, and candy bar in sight!!! Type 2 Diabetes, gained 100 lbs. I'm not eating sugar now or flour products, I've lost 30 pds and still loosing (the right way) for 4 months now.

Congrats on the weight loss, Roy.

I still have sugar cravings but I'm mastering the art of staying awake and alive without taking in a huge amount of sugar into my system. Heavens, I would drink about a litre of Pepsi a day.

Besides, being mentally ill due to addiction? It's not worth it. I've comes across many addicts of different kinds and from far away it screams ''zombies''.

I just think of "us" (the human race) as a glutonous lot! We ALL have some crazy azz addiction of some kind or another, whether it be drugs, food, anger or whatever......

[femmefatale]

I just think of "us" (the human race) as a glutonous lot! We ALL have some crazy azz addiction of some kind or another, whether it be drugs, food, anger or whatever......

Agreed, Roy. Everyone has their "demons'...as I call them. Nobody's perfect and we all struggle, daily with something.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Thanks for the PM's Roy. Feel free to contact me anytime - and keep me posted on your progress.

[Jaguar]

Sept 8, 2012 18:25:13 GMT -5 roygrip said:

Sept 7, 2012 8:00:52 GMT -5 Reckless Roselia said:

Congrats on the weight loss, Roy.

I still have sugar cravings but I'm mastering the art of staying awake and alive without taking in a huge amount of sugar into my system. Heavens, I would drink about a litre of Pepsi a day.

Besides, being mentally ill due to addiction? It's not worth it. I've comes across many addicts of different kinds and from far away it screams ''zombies''.

I just think of "us" (the human race) as a glutonous lot! We ALL have some crazy azz addiction of some kind or another, whether it be drugs, food, anger or whatever......

Yeah I whole heartily agree with that. Addictions run the complete gambit .

[roygrip]

Good morning all! ;D

[Reckless Roselia]

Good morning, Roygrip.

How are you today, my good sir?

[Deleted]

Salutations!

[chiver78]

good morning!

[Deleted]

Hi chiver. I got my ramekins the other day for my upcoming souffle!

[chiver78]

nice! I forget, or you didn't say, what size did you get? are you doing individual souffles, or one family-sized one? I've heard it's easier in smaller sizes, but then you have multiples to watch. probably a toss-up there.

[Deleted]

I got 4 oz and 8 oz. Today dd and i are going to make an orange supreme cake with some bits of orange peel and flavor the icing a bit with some OJ instead of our usual choc, vanilla, yellow cake.

[herman]

Hi Roy. Saw you weren't posting much anymore on funnybonze's thread. (I think he is the only one posting over there anymore on a rare occasion lately). Good to see you back. Sounds like another busy season at work for you. Congrats on the weight loss and kudos to you and your wife for helping that young man with his addiction(s). Have a great weekend Roy.

[Nazgul Girl]

Congrats, Roy, and I wish you and all those recovering the best.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Good to see roy smiling ;D lately. Glad you're doing well, roy - the weight-loss will come - you already got rid of one big weight.

[Deleted]