Discovering Dual Diagnosis in Addiction Treatment

I had been to treatment twice and both times after leaving rehab I was able to stay sober between six and eight months before I relapsed. I would go to meetings, work with a sponsor, and stay away from places where drugs and alcohol were prevalent. But for some reason I would relapse. Every time before I would relapse it was like I would lose control of my inhibitions and start acting erratically. When I relapsed after my second stint in drug rehab I decided to give addiction treatment one more chance. The first week in treatment I worked closely with therapists and other medical professionals and some questions were answered about why my behavior would become erratic and unpredictable. The doctors figured out that I was bipolar. I learned that in order for me to recover from addiction to drugs and alcohol both need to be treated. If one is not treated the other will be extremely difficult to overcome. Fortunately for me I was in a treatment center that specialized in individuals who were dual diagnosed. It is important to know that many individuals who struggle with the disease of addiction are dually diagnosed. Being one of them and now being sober for a few years I encourage everyone who struggles with addiction along with a mental disorder to seek the necessary help. It is possible to live a life that is not ruled by addiction. The professional help in treatment makes it possible to treat both addiction and a co-occurring mental disorder to go on to live a happy and productive life.