As the spouse to a person with a dual diagnosis, I know it is so incredibly important for me to have an outlet and something to call my own, a hobby, a passion a release. But, when my spouse is so sick, it can be next to impossible to achieve that.
I have a passion for photography, though I am not able often to nourish that passion. As of late I have been cleaning up so many messes that MDH has created. For alcoholics, this would be enabling, for dual diagnosis, I don't know what it is. I often think that if we didn't have children living in this chaos, then I would leave us both to drown in his messes. But as a mother, I have to make their lives as close to normal and peaceful as possible, so I clean up the mess.
His drinking is increasing and I am scared. The ISP officer does not strike me as a stupid woman, and I know at some point she is going to double check him. For now he waits to drink until she comes and leaves, then he is off to his happy place, in the garage with the stereo cranked. Though he is not drinking everyday as he once did, he is drinking weekly and on Probabtion and ISP that is too much!
But I have gotten off the subject of this post, which is to nurture yourself and find an outlet for yourself. Whatever the outlet, make sure you give yourself something to deflect from the chaos you live in everyday. Read, Write, Journal, Knit, Sing, Sew, Walk, Run, Photograph, Paint, it really doesn't matter, just do something for yourself. Give yourself your own happy place so that you can destress and reenergize to deal with the messes you are sure to have dumped on your lap.
Pathway's of Life
There is always more than one and neither is ever clear.
Wednesday, October 29, 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.