Most recently MDH was sentenced to 18 months probation and 6 months ISP (intensive supervised probation) for an infraction that happened between the two of us after he had been drinking for well over 14 hours.
The long and short is that he came home so bombed he knew not where he was, who I was or what was happening around him. This resulted in a very bad night that is still continuing on.
Most often when MDH drinks he likes to argue and generally I am his 1st or only choice for that argument. On the night of the incident, I didn't want to argue, so I snuck out the back door as he entered the front door and waited for him to pass out. I personally thought this was a very smart move and was secretly quite proud of myself for devising such a clever plan that would prevent a long night, how naive was I?
Though MDH was passed out when I entered my home, he wasn't down for the count, once he came too he was completely lost, irrated and scared, which resulted in a violent display of temper and aggression on his end. He did not know where he was, who I was or what was happening, he was completely blacked out. He was breathing heavy, sweating profusely, pale and his pulse was racing, I ended up calling the cops for fear not of my safety but his own. He was completely out of control. He punched a light and sliced his hand up quite good. I was truly lucky he didn't find it fit to go after me and become violent with me, instead he took it out on the furniture and surroundings.
This unfortunately for him resulted in a charge of Domestic Violence. In our state, he does not have to physically assault me, but rather act agressively in front of me to be charged with Domestic Violence.
His charge has been a blessing and curse. MDH has begun to realize that he can not drink, though I know his battle with the brown bottle is long from over, he has been sentenced by the Courts to Probabtion and ISP that doesn't just control him, but rather our entire family. The upside is that while on ISP he can not drink or he risks going back to jail and serving his jail time of 60 days with possiblity of repeating ISP after.
I am hoping in the end all of this will have been for something and not nothing and the long term affects of the charges and hardship will have a positive effect on our family.
Pathway's of Life
There is always more than one and neither is ever clear.
Monday, June 9, 2008
What is dual diagnosis?
Dual Diagnosis is a medical term used to categorize a person that suffers from both a mental disorder or illness and a dependency such as alcohol or drug abuse.
It is common to find that a person who suffers from a mental disorder such as bipolar, also has a problem with drinking or drugs or vice-versa. Both disorders can lead to emotional, financial and relationship problems on their own, combing the two can be twice as difficult.
Most people who suffer from a dual diagnosis are often diagnosed with either the mental illness or a substance abuse problem first and the other is discovered later.
For example, alcohol abuse can make if very difficult to medically treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The alcohol is a self-medication that allows the individual to feel temporary relief from effects of bipolar disorder. This fix is only temporary and because of that, the individual needs the constant medication that alcohol offers, which leads to abuse. It is in this way that someone diagnosed with bipolar disorder, who has no prior history of a drinking problem can develop one.