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At FHE, we know how difficult substance addiction recovery can be when you have a dual diagnosis like bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a psychological disorder of moods. There’s a big social stigma around the disease, and if the mood disorder itself didn’t feed addiction, the stigma would do it on its own. There’s good news, though: more and more people in the spotlight are sharing their stories about struggling with the disorder, and as they do, we are slowly seeing the public stigma die down. The following are some people who have suffered from the disease and how they have struggled.
Carrie Fisher
She is known for her iconic role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. She was no stranger to what the spotlight looked like. Carrie’s mother, Debby Reynolds, was also a very famous actress. Fisher was raised in the hollywood glitz and then became a star in her own right at a very young age. She spoke openly about her bipolar disorder and addiction to cocaine and prescription medications before her death in several books and one-woman shows.
DMX
This famous rapper admits that after a very public and lengthy battle with bipolar disorder and drug addiction, he still to this day struggles. What keeps DMX going? Knowing that in spite of the fact that he has a public persona, he still has people like his children whom he knows know him, not just a contrived version of his personality. He starts every day with a prayer to God for guidance in each step and for safety as he continues recovering from substance abuse and chemical dependency.
Dale Chihuly
The famous glass blower suffers from bipolar disorder but has learned to make it less of a struggle and more of a rhythm. Chihuly finally gave up drinking 15 years ago to try and manage his mood swings more effectively. He says he’s dealt best with the disorder when he’s learned to roll with the ups and downs. He suggests that you take advantage of when you feel “up” and focus on productivity then so that when you’re down, you can just hibernate. Remind yourself when you’re down that it will change, it’s the nature of the disorder. Most importantly, though, Chihuly says to “get a good shrink!”.
Jennifer Lewis
Star of Black-ish, admits that it is hard to accept that you have a disorder, but that denial is part of the bipolar disease. Her advice for those dealing with the same disorder? “You have to look in the mirror…and say, before you can go or grown into anything, you have to say you love yourself.”
How to Get Help for Drug or Alcohol Addiction and Bipolar Disorder?
FHE Health is lauded as the best drug rehab in South Florida. Psychiatric services are offered to our patients for mental health rehab, as well as a qualified medical staff on hand to help patients who suffer from dual diagnosis. At FHE, we emphasize a quantifiable approach to mental health in order to be able to most effectively treat a dual diagnosis of Bipolar disorder and drug or alcohol addiction.
