Can Drug Addiction Cause Bipolar Disorder?

Can drug addiction and substance abuse cause bipolar disorder? The short answer is – Yes, it certainly can. First, let’s understand what may drive a person to frequent substance abuse.

Stress can eventually lead to chronic drug addiction, which is seen as a way to escape trauma temporarily.

But in some cases, the occasional consumption of drugs for recreational purposes under the influence of peer pressure or certain social situations is also quite common. It is also very likely to see people developing a pattern of regular prescription drug abuse.

With constant drug usage and the quick dopamine rush that follows, it is easy to get hooked on them despite the negative effects.

The Connection Between Drugs and Bipolar Disorder

There is enough evidence suggesting that drug addiction can cause several mood disorders. These are also known as substance-induced mental illnesses.

And not so surprisingly, statistics by the Addiction Center of Recovery Worldwide state that a staggering 60% of bipolar patients have historically been drug addicts or have known to actively engage in substance abuse at least once in their life.

Conversely, it is also observed that individuals suffering from bipolar disorder are more prone to abusing substances which can further worsen the symptoms. So, drug and alcohol addiction could either be a sign or a major causative factor of bipolar disorder.

This is probably why bipolar disorder is a complex mental condition to diagnose and treat as the patient could exhibit many other co-existing mental health problems, including substance abuse disorder.

Drug addiction is dangerous in general but an even bigger risk factor in the case of bipolar patients. They are more susceptible to extremely severe manic or depressive episodes exacerbated by drug/alcohol intake either during the withdrawal phase or when in an intoxicated state.

How Does Drug Addiction or Substance Abuse Make Bipolar Disorder Worse?

The key symptom of Bipolar disorder is a sudden shift in moods that are so uncontrollable and intense, that it becomes a huge stumbling block in the daily functioning of the affected person.

Unfortunately, drugs come to the rescue as they are known to stabilize moods for short periods of time. So, the progression of bipolar disorder is accelerated in patients who simultaneously abuse drugs or alcohol.

As bipolar disorder is majorly punctuated by two phases – manic and depressive, patients may try and prolong their euphoric or manic period by resorting to regular usage of stimulants like Adderall, cocaine, etc. Whereas, they may seek relief by turning to sedatives.

What is concerning is the chronic alternating nature of these episodes that can make the patients perpetually dependent on drugs or alcohol, causing severe addiction.

Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder and Why You Should Know Them?

Here is an important note for you!

There are mixed pieces of evidence pointing to what comes first, bipolar disorder or substance abuse. But untreated bipolar disorder can also unknowingly trigger individuals, who then resort to drugs to alleviate the “distress” caused by their undiagnosed/untreated condition. Therefore, you should know the major symptoms of bipolar disorder.

It is advisable to reach out to your doctor/psychiatrist if you observe the below symptoms:

Symptoms During Mania:

• Extreme restlessness or fidgetiness 
• Risky or reckless behavior
• Obsession with performing well at work or achievement of specific goals
• Constant urge to hyperventilate
• Abrupt changes in sleep schedule
• Hyperactivity and irregularly fluctuating concentration levels

Symptoms During the Depressive Phase:

• Insomnia
• Fluctuations in weight
• Appetite loss
• Negative self-image
• Loss of interest and excitement in life in general
• Feeling hopeless at all times
• Extreme exhaustion
• Inability to focus for long periods of time
• Suicidal thoughts due to depression

Even though manic and depressive episodes in bipolar patients may not have direct roots in drug or alcohol abuse, severe addiction can make both diagnosis and treatment more challenging.

Drugs Causing or Worsening Bipolar Disorder

Anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and mood stabilizers can be counterproductive and have the potential for some unintended consequences on the already unstable mental health of a bipolar patient.

These can severely increase manic symptoms and make mood swings more frequent and dangerous.

Apart from the above category of drugs, the abuse of the following substances should also be avoided if you really care about your mental health:

• High blood pressure medication
• Alcohol
• Opioid-based painkillers
• Benzodiazepines
• Drugs inducing hallucinations such as cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, etc
• Anti-epileptics and more

The above drugs can produce undesirable effects by interfering with the neurotransmitters in the brain in the long run.

What Happens Due to Consistent Drug Abuse?

Too much alcohol and drugs can negatively impact the brain structure and function. The constant supply of drugs, depressants, or alcohol in manic or depressive episodes makes the brain habitual to it and gradually develops a lethal craving for more of these.

Therefore, substance abuse may be considered one of the major causes of bipolar disorder.

With drug-induced bipolar illness, patients are more prone to frequent episodes of depression, violent behavior, suicidal tendencies, and extreme irritability.

Even worse, some people may even exhibit more resistance to treatment rendering all the tried and tested psychiatric approaches highly ineffective.

Such patients may require intensive care or hospitalization with strict monitoring under the supervision of specially trained staff. Primarily because severely bipolar individuals-cum-drug addicts are more likely to show intense psychotic symptoms and even inflict violence on others in their surroundings.

How to Treat Bipolar Disorder Along With Drug Addiction?

If correctly diagnosed, a balanced combination of psychological, psychiatric, and medicinal interventions is the best way to tackle drug-induced bipolar disorder.

There are many programs that offer dual diagnosis, so personalized treatment and recovery treatment plans can be decided for the patient. These are not only designed to treat bipolar disorder alone but also follow a deeply integrated approach to identify and attack the root cause, while simultaneously helping patients fight off drug addiction the right way.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Solution Focused Therapy (SFT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), etc, have been proven to be effective techniques to approach both conditions at the same time, instead of treating them in isolation.

These Therapies Focus on:

• Correcting bad habits and the tendency to engage in harmful behavior through CBT
• Treating traumatic memories from the past and making peace with them via Trauma therapy
• Help the patient work towards a set of meaningful objectives to overcome resistance to treatment
• MAT can help with restoring emotional balance in patients, promote maintaining sobriety and alleviate symptoms or lessen the effects of withdrawal
• SFT emphasizes a collaborative problem-solving approach that focuses on consistent improvement with time and measurable outcomes

Conclusion

Due to overlapping symptoms of bipolar disorder and substance abuse disorder, it is recommended to approach holistic psychiatric treatment for a better quality of life.

Multiple research studies link drug abuse with bipolar disorder, but until we find a concrete explanation, this is still a work in progress.

More reliable data and extensive research on the therapeutic challenges faced by bipolar patients is the need of the hour.

Remember, the brain can be tricked into doing better things that can help you take control of your life for effective management of drug addiction and bipolar disorder. 

Appropriate therapy, key lifestyle changes, your commitment to faster healing, and the right medication are the first steps to complete recovery without relapse.