Substance abuse

Lithium – Lethal with Alcohol!

I'm going to die if I don't stop!

I’ve never had support system from my family or peers on my Bipolar and Alcohol problem.  They were in denial.  I had to crawl out of that hell

hole called “alcoholism” alone then find the strength to changed my entire life.  It’s not easy to not grab a bottle of wine and go back into my old ways.  When I start feeling this way I reach for Higher Power and listen to my intuition. I pray.

Today my doctor increased my medications on Lithium  and Lamical medications.  She asked me about drinking and I had to admit I went to the beach with some people and had one glass of red wine.  She got real upset!  “Don’t do that it will interfere with your meds, plus it’s dangerous. It’ll kill you!m she said. No one has every talked to me in detail about my illness usually they just throw drug prescriptions they find in a med book – no talk.

I hope if anyone takes lithium – don’t drink with it or any other drugs.  I don’t want to have to read the headlines “Another person found dead by mixing medications with alcohol.”

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Bipolar: Stress – What We Can Do To Help?

Meditate & Exercise

There are an estimated number of two million Americans with bipolar disorder.  Stress is the one of the conditions that triggers your mania.   Even mild stress can make manic symptoms worse by making you feel more easily distracted, impulsive, and unable to make practical decisions.  Myself, I get very confused.  When someone simply asks me what I would like to do – I can’t make a decision right then.  I can’t make an immediate – my mind doesn’t work that way.  I had to know what might make my life a little easier. I never know when stress or mania will strike so I want to find something that might prevent it.  

Taking up a hobby great stress-buster.  I was getting stress over Christmas with my money flow looking very low so I decided to pick up crocheting.   I had to learn all over again, but it was like riding a bike.  Crocheting is very calming and it helps to tunes out what’s going on around you. Even noise – I’m very sensitive nose.  Luckily, I was able to make several Christmas presents.

The number one cause of stress is sleep problems.  Having insomnia keeps you tossing and turning, which stresses you out even more. People with bipolar disorder with their changes in sleep patterns can trigger episodes or make them worse. My favorite stress-buster is creating a spa like setting with bubbling warm bath water, soothing music and putting on your nicest pajamas and sink into your bed.  I like to pick up one of my favorite books and read until I get drowsy.

Research shows bipolar disorder is more likely to lead to substance abuse than any other mental illness.  Researchers have found that drinking and taking drugs tends to make bipolar episodes more frequent and severe, and can increase stress, anxiety, and other problems even more.

How about a support group?  People with bipolar disorder find that sharing their illness with other people with bipolar is beneficial to them.  When I talk to someone else with the same illness I get excited.  I want to ask them how they cope and if they have some of the same symptoms as I do.  Sometimes I’m not even sure about myself, but I know I’m not really comfortable around people who don’t have bipolar.  I always try to watch how I act or say.  Check the web site  or yellow pages for your local support group and give it a try.  I’m working on that anti-social phobia and it’s getting better.

What about a vacation?  I love vacation – it’s a time to meditate and reflect on your life and your goals.  I’m always dreaming about what I want to do with my life. 

Exercise?  Yes exercise.  That’s all I’ve been hearing lately.  I’ve put on a lot of weight since I found out I have bipolar and take medications.  I’ve got to say when I started walking it’s made me feel so much better and proud of myself.  Not only that, but it helps you sleep better and boosts the release of endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that help fight stress.

Finally, writing has been the best therapy I’ve discovered.  In writing you find a subject and I’m a big subject so I’ve done a lot research on bipolar disorder.  I find out more about my illness and it helps me to understand myself.  I also hope that my writings will reach others with the same illness.   Hopefully, you will feel comfortable commenting and corresponding.

Once last thing.  I have ADHD with horrible grammar and punctuation so  please forgive me.

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Bipolar: Substance Abuse Linked To Suicide Risk In Vets

This subject bothers me.  Our men go to war and no one can understand what they see or how they feel unless that have been there.  It’s like bipolar – you don’t know what’s it like because you don’t have it.  But when it leads to suicide someone needs to take steps to stop it.  There have been too many suicides in our men and women.  Bipolar is an illness that is not to be forgotten about it needs to be dealt with.

Please read this article and see for yourself – via Bipolar, substance abuse linked to suicide risk in vets – The Chart – CNN.com Blogs.