Faces of Bipolar Disorder (PART 8) "DRUG & ALCOHOL Addiction - Dual Diagnosis"
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2018
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If you have Bipolar Disorder and are abusing drugs or alcohol, this can add rocket fuel to the symptoms. Unfortunately, it's estimated that around 50-60% of people who have Bipolar Disorder will experience drug or alcohol addiction in their lifetime. Alcohol being the most commonly abused substance among Bipolar individuals. This makes video #8 in our series “Faces of Bipolar Disorder.” We've covered everything from diagnosis, to the different types of Bipolar, major symptoms, and much more. If you want to know a LOT about Bipolar Disorder, check out the other videos in this series.
So, why does substance abuse happen so often and what can be done about it? Hopefully by the end of this video, you'll have a much better understanding of what's called “Dual Diagnosis” or “Co-occurring Disorders” and why they happen. Those are the technical names given to those of us who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder and who abuse substances at the same time.
Substance abuse is extremely common among those who have learned to “self-medicate” in order to “escape” the suffering associated with Bipolar symptoms. If we can learn to treat the Bipolar symptoms FIRST, the desire to escape becomes less and less.
If this is your first time visiting our channel, welcome to "the Polar Warrior club!" We are completely dedicated to helping individuals, families, and friends who struggle with, or know someone living with Bipolar Disorder. Our goal is to provide actual tools, tips, and discuss topics that can potentially help “Polar Warriors” grow to live a more balanced, peaceful, and fulfilling life. We truly hope these videos inspire & educate those interested in knowing more about this serious mental illness. PLEASE remember to subscribe so you don't miss a video that could impact your life in a profound way!
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-Rob Whittaker, Polar Warriors: Bipolar Support
The anxiety of being around people was excruciating but after a few beers look out I was the life of the party. I drank and did drugs like a mad man and everyone thought I was just a party animal. I was hurting and had to soothe it
I relate with this hard
When I struggled with active addiction while struggling with bipolar disorder I ruined my whole life and relationships with everybody around me. Getting sober and managing my bipolar helped me so much. I’m still trying to repair relationships I messed up.
Same here. But only try to be with nice peoples not going to continue toxic relations
My ex girlfriend as of 2 days ago is BPD and a severe alcoholic. She drinks 1 bottle of champagne per day, 7 bottles a week. Before i met her, she cheated on her husband years ago, i still dont understand the story. Then she told me she as BP and i thought nothing of it because i can handle peoples tempers very well. Then recently she started exploding in impulsively and going on in middle of night. She ruined her entire family, her kids love her and when i see her so emotionally unavailable for them and myself, i told myzelf i had to leave. Enough is enough, i cant help her, and i have tried. I pray for her and people like yourself.
Hope you are doing well. I’m in the same boat. 1 day sober
Same thing here.
@@MidwestBoxin alcohol addiction can get out of control so quickly I ended up with alcohol poisoning.
I really feel less lonely thank you
tara gorby i’m so glad! A very warm welcome to my channel :-)
Polar Warriors omg! You actually replied! You have no idea how much i relate to your vids! Im actually cyclothymic and struggle with mania a lot. This means a lot to me!
tara gorby it’s my pleasure! I have actually managed to respond to every comment on my channel so far. I think there are only a few that I haven’t. Literally thousands LOL. It takes quite a bit of time, but I enjoy developing relationships with people and helping others. As the channel grows, I’m going to try and find a way to do this full-time so I can continue to respond to everyone. Right now it is just a very time-consuming hobby LOL. If you ever have any questions, I will always do my best to help😊😊
:)
I'd like to mention gambling addiction. After I stopped drinking, I started gambling hardcore. It took me down so hard and fast it was unbelievable! Talk about chasing a feeling... the money aspect and constant adrenaline, coupled with the anxiety of the chase, kept me in a perpetual mixed state. A very uncomfortable existence! I just passed eight years without placing a bet. Yay! Thank you so much for being here.
Thank you so much for your comment Melissa!!!!
"It's not like I went on a mission to fuck up my life, I just didn't want to hurt anymore"
That's almost my thought exactly every time I take the Valium or drink, I hate this. I want to quit Valium so badly but every time I try, I always relapse within 14 days. My whole mind and body feels like I'm actually dying now that I'm physically addicted. My dr is helping me though. Thank you so much for your videos and allowing comments so we can just get it out and talk with each other
How are you doing now? It must be extremely hard to get off benzos. I know what GABA withdrawal feels like, and other withdrawals. How are you keeping up? You got this.
You are helping me so much through one of the toughest points of my life I can't thank you enough
Poncho i’m so glad I can help, and I’m sorry you are struggling right now. A very warm welcome to my channel. It makes me feel so good when people let me know that what I’m doing is helping. Definitely motivates me to keep making videos 😊😊😊
Because the feelings are so scary and intense u just want to dull it down
PLEASE DON’T STOP MAKING VIDEOS ROB!!
Why?
Im a caregiver andI really appreciate that you take the time to help others understand this illness .... you are saving lives and families,. God bless you and your family,.💓
Jacqueline well said!🌹
Thank you so much for your kind words🤗
Well, after 10 years of dealing with this with my son and after dollars and time for therapist, you explained it all in 1 video. You rock. Thanks.
You may do well to consider writing a book. You are needed. I would buy it. 🌸💖
I would too...
This video absolutely saved my life today- Thanks Rob. Saturday I ran to the hood and got some Heroin and it lasted thru the next day and now today I really needed to hear every word on that video. Excellent. I got off a really severe hellacious drug binge 10months ago and I'm way stabilized. My psychiatrist has not come close to explaining my bipolar in such clear, concise, down to earth ways. I was a hyped out, drugged out street animal on my last big binge and of course I had no real understanding about any of it. I did that 3 days ago almost so I could stop obsessing and prove to myself that I could do it and sure, it wasn't that good but I knew from hard experience I will never go down that long road to hell again BUT I still had some kind of bipolar withdrawals today and this video helped me calm down- thanks sincerely
I would buy it and read it!!!
I used to drink a fair bit. I've been on Lithium for around three years now and haven't drank for around the same time... Use to use some other drugs as well especially when manic.. Gave up smoking 6 months ago 😀...
yehyeh Does the Lithium help with the depression episodes? I can't seem to get a grip on the depression and the episodes are getting longer and stronger.
Stephanie Russell Hi. I still have episodes of depression. Perhaps not as frequent or long. From what i understand Lithium has a very mild anti depression in it.. I still get a little manic at times too. I think i have a bit of both at times (depression and mania like anxiety really).. This is getting a little long winded lol.... Are you on Lithium? Maybe go see your psychiatrist as i know it's not uncommon to have Lithium as well an an anti depressant to help with the depression if you suffer it. 😊
yehyeh Im not on lithium but if it will help, I'll take it. I'm going to ask my doctor as you suggest. My depression is debilitating. It can last a week at a time and it's ugly. I can hardly hold onto my job. I lost my last job because of this illness. Of course I made excuses with my employer but the truth was the bipolar disease.
yehyeh thank you for your reply. I appreciate it very much 😇
Not a worry😊. Yes best to see your Doc and let them know. Good luck.
You give me hope for my 25 year-old son out on the street. I hope he gets a moment of clarity to accept the help we are waiting to give him....
I hope your son has accepted the help you've offered him
Theres not alot out there for the alcoholic/bipolar problem. Thank you for your own personal knowledge and struggles. I believe that God is working thru you to reach me. Your videos may save my life. I barely realized that i am the manic deppressive type from the Big Book itself. Its eye opening and a relief.
I am so glad you talked about caffeine.
dianna totally! In the past, I could drink a pot of coffee and sleep just fine. I was self-medicating like crazy. Now that I am sober, I have to be so careful with the timing and amount of caffeine I consume. If I don’t sleep, everything falls apart. So glad you enjoyed the video!
Oh God this was a huge part of my bipolar story. I was severely addicted to heroin and meth when I was untreated/undiagnosed bipolar 1. Meth ripped me out of depression and heroin calmed me down when I was manic. I lost so much weight that you could see my ribs, I was experiencing severe withdrawals when I couldn't get heroin, I was smoking meth everyday, and worst of all, meth threw me into severe manic psychosis. I was only addicted for 10.5 months and it completely destroyed my life and my psyche. I'm proud to say that I have 5 months sober now. The bipolar symptoms have calmed down a lot now since I'm on the right meds and I'm completely sober! I feel so much better and stable every day, it's remarkable. I send all of my love to those who are still suffering. Keep doing your best
This is 100% my reality ❤
Thank you for letting me know that this is infact the harsh reality of where I've gotten myself. It's such a relief hearing someone else say this because I now know that this isn't just me, or a dark spiral where I'm feeling disconnected from myself and the people around. Hearing the cycle from beginning to end and back again helps so I can see a timeline of where I am when trying to pull out and where I just need to stop and try again. It's hard to brainstorm what to do when researching can lead down some ridiculous rabbit holes, like that one time I went online to get directions and ended up "volunteering hours of "research" that had me initially believing that I pinpointed the origin of COVID-19🤦🏾
This was extremely helpful, thank you again!😂
I found out about bipolar disorder when I quit smoking. It destabilized my mood and I had a hypomanic episode. I didn't even know it was happening until I became so depressed I couldn't stop crying. Thanks for the video
do you still smoke? if you do, do you take medication too? what kind of bipolar do you have? I'm trying to get information, thanks for your help
Me too i consume tobacco which i soon resist to let go 😭😭😭
That’s exactly how mine happened 😐. I was also an alcoholic. I abused cbd priducts as well 😐
I stopped smoking weed and drinking then went into mania and a psychotic episode smh
It almost like you were put on this earth to help millions.
Thank you for these videos. I was diagnosed at a late age, I'm only 9 months into it, you have helped me so much. I was sober for 7 years, then went into my first manic episode. I thought quitting drinking and using would solve all my problems. It only revealed them.
You are so welcome! In case you are interested Rob offers one on one support on Patreon and he has a support group for patrons only on discord. Would love to have you there!
Dianna Polar Warriors Team Member
www.patreon.com/PolarWarriors
Most of us who have Bi polar are on strong meds.Drugs and Alcohol only makes things worse in the long term.
David Jones absolutely! It took me years to learn that lesson the hard way.
What about tobacco I'm finding it hard to let go
I've found myself juggling an addiction to stimulants and depressants. Like you described, stims during the day and downers at night. I quit drinking a little over a year ago, but now I need cannabis even more than before. And now I deal with the consequences of a cocaine addiction to boot.
How u doing now ?
@@thezeropoint7645 admittedly, not much better still no drinking, I've dramatically cut down the cocaine use, but still using it habitualy, and I've been dosing either LSD or mushrooms several times a week.
I've had bipolar disorder for 30 years now and you make more sense than anyone I have ever listened too.
Robert, This is my first introduction to your Polar Warrior videos. Thank you so much. You are a gift , not only to people with bi polar disorder, but to the family and friends that love them. Keep sending the message. You are making a difference!
Glen Ferrier wow - thank you so very much for the kind words Glen! A very warm welcome to my channel and I hope you will continue to stop back by :-)
Tx Rob. As a person with a late diagnosis of BP and a lifelong addiction to risk, drugs and alcohol this is resonating really with me. I am medicated, not smoking, trying to give up my long term relationship with substances and have started to be kind to myself and my body. I am now studying mental health to better understand my diagnosis and hopefully help others. I am so happy people can talk more openly about these issues today. It is still a daily challenge, but thank you for sharing as I don't feel so alone, ashamed or mad.
knocked it out the park mate. a lot of gold within this for anyone else mining for info.
What a great channel. I am the mom to a 28 year old daughter who struggles with bipolar. She is adopted and my husband and I did not get a health history. So when she became hyper sexual at puberty I thought it was hormones on steroids, so to speak. She was diagnosed bipolar at age 14. That’s a whole ‘nother topic! We are very close and she manages her meds herself and does pretty well. The smartest thing I did was to get her on birth control at age 13. I knew she would have unprotected sex due to hypersexualiity and impulsivity. She never got pregnant and now at age 28 is taking college classes and is optimistic about a career in psychology.
Hi, Rob offers one on one support on Patreon if you are interested. He also posts more personal information about his day to day struggles like his recent hospital stay. For the month of July he is offering free phone calls to patrons. Another Patreon exclusive is Rob hosting and moderating weekly support groups on discord! Take gentle care! 🙏
Sometimes we all need someone to talk to:
www.crisistextline.org/
teenlineonline.org/talk-now/
Dianna Polar Warriors Team Member
(H)old (O)n (P)ain (E)nds
www.patreon.com/PolarWarriors
thank you so much for this. its been so hard to find proper treatment for bipolar because either the doctors or my family think i'm just a drug addict, or that substance abuse comes before bipolar disorder (for me, it didn't) but this video gives me hope and reassurance that one day everyone will understand. thank you again x100000000 :)
Madison Franks Sad how even Drs don't know what's up..lots for them to learn. I know as a psych nurse this disease is Still misunderstood.
I can imagine hearing that was discouraging/frustrating. I hope things have improved for you now compared to when you posted.
Thank you soooo much for describing my adult son Perfectly.
Oh, how he is suffering but afraid to admit there's a disorder going on. I sent this to his grandmother who suffers his antics daily.
Thank you for describing this so wonderfully easy to get.
de marullo i’m so glad the video helped! I know it can be so painful and frustrating for our loved ones to watch us go through these self-destructive cycles and behavior. I will have a video coming out soon talks about what to do if people are in denial or not willing to get help. I hope my videos help and that you will continue to stop back by and learn more with me :-)
thank you brother. i am from saudi diagnose with Bipolar 1 and whatever you are saying is just me. in here very little knows about bipolar cus its a shame to go to a psychiatric and i have hard time dealing with that. you are my family who talks about my problems and yet im 40 and never married nor have any life. depression is killing me and i am always alone at my apartment. i only wish find a better with medication of aripirazole and fluoxtine.
i cant find better life than living my dreams of being a hero or the saver to the world yet i know its not real. i lost most of my friends because of my aggressive words and attitude. everyone is running from me ....me driving is the worst that could happen to guys driving next to me
i took other medicines and it was terrible those i have now hope make a change in my life. thank you for making the video. i wait for any video you guys post. take care,
Awww. I'm very moved by your story. I'm sorry your in a rough spot. I hope there is a doctor or therapist you can reach out too. Please don't suffer in silence. Take gentle care friend. 🙏🙏
- Rob
For additional content consider joining us on Patreon!
www.patreon.com/PolarWarriors
Polar Warriors thank you so much. I am doing my best and i am not afraid to go to doctors anymore. I am much much better and i feel good
Medications working?
Thanks a lot for your videos! I just found your channel, please keep doing what you are doing!!
SantiProjects thank you so much for the kind words! It feels amazing to help other people not struggle quite so much. I hope you will continue to stop back by and learn more with me :-)
You explain everything very truthful and percise. I suffer from bipolar with manic episodes and depression. On a shot now but feeling the depression side of things right now thank you for your advice I'm seeking more help threw my support group and just striving to get better to get back to enjoying what I love doing.
Ghetto Cowboy i’m so glad you enjoyed the videos and you are most welcome. Stop back by my channel anytime :-)
Thank you so much for this. Loving someone with bipolar disorder is not easy. But if they see themselves in you I think they can trust that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been praying for an answer 💝 a lot of people quit and abandon them. It’s important that they have people show compassion and unconditional love. So hard when you really get nothing out of it or you have no ties. But they need me (you). I ask that God gives me the strength to be a good friend as God has commanded us to. Faith really helps him I hope it helps some of you too! God bless!
Recently my psychiatrist told me that old school phrase "I can't help you If you keep drinking" and today watching this video again made me realize that although my doctor phrase is correct, alcohol (even in little amounts) is part of how I (wrongly) cope with things. Making it short : I am looking for another psychiatrist who might give me more help from a different perspective.
I don't just like drugs and alcohol, I love them. This is why I'm clean and sober now.
Or trying to be.
Keep on keepin on! Nobody is perfect...2 steps forward, 1 step back is still progress!!
@@rid1cul0us I'm not clean and sober any more. I love the dopamine too much. But I'm not doing it much these days, especially with Covid.
@@AutomaticDuck300 thinking of writing a book to help me with depression and addiction. First thought , I should get a gram to concentrate 🤔
@@solidasconcrete I'm the same with stimulants. Clean now though.
Me too i consume tobacco
You don't understand (or maybe you do actually) how helpful you have been to me. You need to be a counselor, hands down.
Wow - thanks so much Nick! I guess I consider myself more of a Coach. I might go back to school and take some psychology classes when I get more time. This is the most rewarding thing I've ever done. Maybe think about starting a channel to document your journey. We need more people talking about this. Hope you are doing well this week Nick =)
-Rob
Something I have heard from doctors (and patients experience) is “stabilizing a patient isnt good enough, they need to be fully off all substance (alcohol, illicit drugs, or psych meds) before an accurate diagnosis can be made”. I had a doctor tell me he could not agree with my psychologists diagnosis of Bipolar because I was on medication for anxiety.
Drugs can cause the disorder to rapid cycle, which may not be the case when sober.
Good video, as a person studying to be a clinical mental health counselor, you are well spoken and the video was right on the money. It was structured very well, good for you, congrats on trying to help others. We need more of this.
Thanks so much for the kind words!!!!
-Rob
as a teen who was recently just put in the ward and diagnosed bipolar after a manic episode plus psychosis from days w/o sleep trying to get work done using caffeine and weed to self medicate bc i was only on adhd meds at the time thank you for making this definitely the most informational and helpful video i have found on my recently found mental illnesses
I'm so glad you found Rob's channel! In case you are interested Rob offers one on one support on Patreon and he has a weekly support group for patrons only on discord. Would love to have you there!
Dianna Polar Warriors Team Member
www.patreon.com/PolarWarriors
“It’s not like I set out on a mission to fuck up my life”
No truer words were ever spoken. I just wish people would understand that.
Thanks for this channel.
Thank you for saying tell the doctor the truth I feel so embarrassed when they ask addiction comes from pain
“Slam coffee during the day and get stoned on top of my medications just to sleep” those first couple lines hit home. I was literally chugging a coffee trying to find energy for the day.
I'm glad you're getting the information out to the public. Thank you
You are phenomenal and hit everything head on! I went off of my meds a little over two years ago. I had been sober for almost eleven years while on meds. After I decided to take myself off of my meds, within 9 months I was a heavy drinker again and I was spiraling out of control and making horrible decisions. Due to my behavior, I decided it was time to put myself back on meds. I started up about three weeks ago and haven't had any urges to drink for the past ten days. Meds if prescribed correctly certainly do help one refrain from alcohol and/or drugs. They take the edge off and help us feel level again.
Thank you for your openness and candor in this video.
You are helping more than you may know.
Bravo.......you are better than most doktors. Thanks for your input. Im a mom and has a son with addiction. I now can relate why he started drugs as early as grade 6. He is now 27 yrs old and in his 7th rehab. Only now they discovered his mental disorder. We all pray that this break through can now gide us to help him better. You are a star. God bless.
I hope your son is doing well.
I appreciate your efforts.As a fellow bipolar sufferer your videos have helped me understand and thus manage my symptoms a lot better than I had before.
Your videos are helping me more than I could ever express. Thank you, it has helped pull me out of the drowning isolation engulfing me
OH MY GOD!! You have just pretty much summed up my life! Thank you so so so much for sharing! I feel like I can understand myself so much better now and I can go and get some help. I can't tell you how much this means to me, I'll be an avid follower and sharer. Thank you Rob!
Keep doing the videos, you are helping a lot and are Appreciated
GOD BLESS YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME ON MAKING THESE VIDEOS! They mean a lot!
I so appreciate your honesty and openness
And sharing your difficult journey and giving us the tools to understand and help the ones in our lives that struggle with bipolar..
I can't begin to thank you for what your channel has done for me and my partner..
I have shared with friends and family..
Please continue to educate and share..
It has even helped me to know and to not think upon myself as the person who was not doing enough..
I have begun to feel better about myself and understand my partner struggle..
Again thank you so much 😇
This is my 2nd video ive watched of yours in less than a hour at 25 i was diagnosed as bipolar in the almost 25 years since i have never been able to articulate how to even begin to make people understand or even imagine what I was going thru and under a hour you have summed it up perfectly thankyou
Thank you again for your support helping me and others to work on themselves to have a better life... that’s a really good job!
Thank you for your informational videos! My boyfriend went thru a manic episode this past month and he does have an alcohol and cannabis problem. Ive been educating myself on this and your videos are the BEST because you give really good perspectives as someone who's BEEN there and knows exactly what it's like. It helps me feel that I can understand him a bit better. I always just thought well he's using alcohol and weed to cope with some other traumas but now I see it's even more related to his mental health.
I think you are one of the most courageous individuals I ever seen on you tube. Be blessed . . .
I have just been diagnosed with “unspecified bipolar” as of right now and I’ve been feel this way for years. But I think it’s so important. I just found your videos and this has already made me feel so much better. I’ve been feeling so lost since. It’s nice to feel like I’m not in this alone because no one understands. Thank you so much!
You are so good at speaking and conveying your experiences. I'm sure you're helping masses. I truly hope it is helping you as well. Much love and respect my friend.
Love your videos, helps me understand myself more and more every time I watch, also has opened my eyes to others around me and how I can talk and help them. Thank You!!!
Hi there, I wanted to say thank you for what you do. Although not diagnosed bipolar, I am diagnosed with major depressive disorder and over the years, due to some substance abuse problems in trying to self-medicate, have experienced many of the same issues. Your videos are helpful and comforting in the fact that I am not alone in these issues. Thanks again and keep doing what you're doing bud!
Robert, I'm so happy that you have these videos. I've been fortunate with the doctors that have. Of course it only took 20 years to get the right doctors that were able to diagnose me correctly. Your videos definitely help in many ways and I appreciate it. I've been sharing with family and friends to try and help them understand.
You are such a natural communicator Rob! Fantastic.
Thank you for sharing your truth with others, helping them to find their power again over their lives. Slapping a bandage on something is not a cure, going deep into your family history, generational abuse stored in your DNA. Digging deep, doing the work, healing yourself with self love. Thank you for helping so many by sharing your experiences. Keep going.. 🙏💕❤
I've re-watched this one so many times. I can even say that this is the best UA-cam channel I have ever discovered. (When I'm not in a different state playing games or trying to enjoy comedy)! Thank you once again xxxx
I am so grateful for your channel. This channel and the information you give has helped me more than you’ll ever know. Your channel on this subject is the best. 🌸🌹💖❤️
Everything is this video was top notch! Thank you again! I had a hard time admitting to my battle with alcoholism as a way of self medicating. Even when I was on meds and in therapy. I never truly admitted to it. It took a long time. I have now been sober for two years. It isn't easy and sometimes feels very isolating. But I know it's best for me and my health.
I have to say you hit the nail on the head. I didn’t realize that I was doing these things but now that I have seen this it makes sense. I showed this to my wife and she understands now. I just need to get my dr and everything else in place so I can move forward. Thank you, you don’t know how much this helped me.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Please don’t stop making these kinds of educational videos. It’s hard to think of what to say when your family or partner doesn’t understand your illness. It helps to have these to reference and link. Because we’re all just struggling to survive. I appreciate these so much and feel much less frustrated and alone after watching them.
Your vids are still helping people all over the world , thank you 🙏 It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with my diagnosis.
Thanks from Madrid! Amazingly didactic and encouraging video! Nowdays I only drink beer or wine but I must reduce consumption anyway and your video is gonna give me a push in that direction. Congratulations on all you are doing!
This is exactly what happened to me. It led to two attempts on my life, several hospitalizations and caused a lot of ill will. I was so far down the rabbit hole, it destroyed me. These videos are really a huge help as I do my own research on my illness. Thank you, Rob.
You have me so much more about bi polar than I learned in any therapy session. Thank you again!!!
You have given me answers no health professional can give me. I have searched and searched and asked and asked and only until I found your channel do I finally have a grip on this. I can’t thank you enough.🌸💖🌹❤️🌷💞🌺🌞
Your honesty is so helpful. 🌸🌹💖❤️
Thank you , I would love to see a video on the types of boundaries a loved one can set when a person has a dual diagnosis. Thank you for all the videos you’ve put up , it has helped me understand this illness better .
Thank you for being brave enough to talk about this
Thank you! You literally pulled thoughts out of my mind and spoke them. It is a brutal existence to have to live this way. I know there’s hope and healing I just haven’t found the open door for me yet! Thank you for speaking out!
I hope you find that hope and healing in time. Living with bipolar disorder is not an easy road to travel, but there's hope that things can improve for each of us. Hang in there best you can and don't give up! You never know when things could take a turn for the better. All the best to you.-Rachel (Polar Warriors Team Member)
Thanks again Rob for this vid on substances. For years starting at 13 I was self medicating with alcohol to escape a dysfunctional family and to deal with anxiety and depression that I couldn’t understand until one day in my early 20’s everything came crashing down. Anxiety and depression wasn’t being calmed with alcohol and I had a huge panic attack while driving and had to pull over and lay down for an hour before getting it together. I made an appointment with my Dr the next day and he told me to stop drinking, while also finding I had a sugar issue and put me on a Benzo which greatly helped. I’m so much better today on minimal meds and never want to be in that place I was in again! Thanks for the refresher course!
I have to comment because I have seen a couple of your videos and seen a bunch of titles that lure you into a channel about Bi-Polar, but this video hits home. I've been diagnosed for some years now and just like many had to figure it out the hard way when it comes to any substances. I thought alcohol was awesome very young because I saw other family and friends who were masking their problems. So I thought it would help with my fears and what I didn't know at the time was episodes of manic or depression, but it took a long time and many people thought that if my drug of choice wasn't no longer a issue that I should be able to drink without incident and so did I at first. I watched as my mood would change soo fast that I couldn't control any feelings at all except that I have a right to feel angry or sad and that everyone should know it. This video about craving the mania it spot on, I love my manic feelings of energy or not feeling like crap and everyone likes me better this way so why shouldn't I chase this instead of the other. That's my addictive behavior coming through and unless I catch myself I could go on for days without sleep or food and then I have to be taken in. Thank you for this one and I have let my doc and my close ones know that this channel is genuine.
God bless you! You are encouraging, thorough and very well organized in your approach to videos. The length of each is short enough to make it easy for anyone to watch and not take hours of time like some you- tube videos do. As a nurse, a person that has suffered from depression and lived with my husband that discovered and struggled with bipolar during our 26 years together, I can relate to all of this and am so grateful for all those this will help! It may even help some doctors understand better because only those who have experienced an illness this complex and life altering and distressing could really explain this in a relatable way like you do! I have enjoyed working as a case manager in the community with people dealing with behavioral health issues and this info would have given me better insight for sure! I also hope it inspires those others with different mental health issues to consider an educational approach to doing videos about their illness, because this is like you said almost up there with meds in helping treat an illness. The right information can save you years of floundering and also for loved ones decrease the confusion and even save the relationship. It may be hard to do these at times but Thank You!❤️
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 2 months ago and have suffered with drug addiction for at least 10 years. Thank you for insight its much appreciated.
Man. I'm glad I found this video. I only now found out that I have bipolar disorder, and likely have had it since I was 16 (I'm 40 now). Alcohol was my go to cure all because it helped me feel better fast. It was quick, cheap, and easy. So I've been dealing with that AND a recent bipolar and general anxiety diagnosis. This "perfect storm" almost cost me my marriage. Researching, getting help, going through treatment, etc has helped both my wife and I identify the monster, so to speak, and knowing it makes it easier to defeat.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us! 🙏
Oh thank you so so much for this!! You have made everything make sense. I now understand someone I love very very much, and what he is going through.
Thank you so much for your courage, your honesty and taking the time to really explain this!
Glad it was helpful!
Wow. I’m 42 years old and was just diagnosed with bipolar. Spent the last 9 years in a 12 step program with moderate success, and some setbacks. You just described my life. Really enjoying your videos. Thank you.
I am new to your channel and new to the diagnosis. I am currently battling addiction as well. I stopped drinking over a year ago but it was going to kill me or destroy my marriage. I use to make me feel normal. Thanks for this channel. You are a true blessing! ❤
What you're doing is monumental. Thank you.
this to me is seeing you at your sweetness most. if that makes any sense.
it takes forever to shake it BUT when you get rid of the people triggers it gets easier.
you speak the truth and you are so real
It feels like you walked through my life, when you talk about your life.I just want to cry so much and not feel like this.Your amazing Robert and should feel so proud with what you’re doing👏🏻👏🏻 The amount of people you will help even if it’s pointing them in the right direction to get a diagnosis at least.I hate this world but people like you change my mind. I’ve watched all your videos in a row 😂👌🏻 I’m so hooked, yeh I might be out my face on coke but I’m taking every bit of what you say like a sponge.Many thanks again, Steven
Steven Drummond i’m so glad the channel is helping and thank you for all of these awesome comments! I just recorded more videos today, so you can look forward to some new content this week! I hope you are doing OK this weekend and stop back by anytime :-)
The person I love was diagnosed with this. She has gone to psychiatrist’s Who have told her, that they don’t believe in bipolar disorder or that they don’t treat bipolar disorder. This has happened more than once. This is a huge problem. And it’s more common than you might think. So you see your channel is essential. 💖
Good to watch thank you for everything you do. ,yes I had problems with alcohol , smoking , I haven’t had a drink now for over three years , and yes I try to do everything at once ,, diet , quitting smoking , caffeine,, I just love your channel a big thank you x
Ive just been diagnosed with type2 and your videos have been extremely helpful while trying to process this
I'm so glad you found Rob's channel!In case you are interested Rob offers one on one support on Patreon and he has a support group for patrons only on discord. Would love to have you there!
Dianna Polar Warriors Team Member
www.patreon.com/PolarWarriors
i really admire you for sharing your personal story. to make yourself vulnerable in front of the internet for the sake of helping others is amazing
Thank you so much!
Your awesome and your verbiage and communication is super 👌 I hate to say you having bipolar is a blessing for so many people the way you educate because of personal knowledge.
This is great!! It's always helpful to reach out and talk about uncomfortable topics. Understanding that a symptom or behavior is not specific to any one person is important. When someone is suffering, letting them know that they are not alone in that can be invaluable.
Meredith Halcomb yes!!! There is so much wisdom in what you just said and I’m so glad the video was helpful. A very warm welcome to the channel and stop back by anytime :-)
Thank you! I needed to hear this from a different perspective. My dad is a bipolar depressive and alcoholic. I've been really angry with him chosing alcohol over me and my brother.
Thank you so much for this video!! You described EXACTLY what I go through. I will be discussing this with my physician at my next appointment. Thank you, thank you, thank you
You are so welcome!!!
-Rob
Awesome in so many ways.
Huge thanks for these videos, they are extremely helpful.
Thank you so much for this video. It’s been hard to find proper information about bipolar disorder. This one helped me a lot.
I’m so grateful to find this channel. Lifesaving for me. For years I’ve suffered from so many symptoms that I had no idea what it was. I am a survivor of sexual and physical abuse from my stepfather. My mom is a full on narsissist, that believes mental illness is weakness and self controlled. I suppressed the abuse for years and was successful, but not scott free. I suffered depression and extreme outbursts to a small problem and I felt guilty and ashamed. I never related anything to the trauma I suppressed. I’ve experienced manic episodes and didn’t realize that they were. I just thought I’m hyper and a drama queen. Fast forward to the last two years of all those suppressed memories coming in layers. I’ve destroyed relationships by doing extreme things while manic and I had no explanation. I became so depressed that I attempted suicide for the third time, and was taken to psychiatric hospital for awhile. I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1. I was both afraid and relieved to have an actual name for all the fuckery that was my life. I’m still not regulated with meds, those side effects are hell. I have been reading articles and watching videos. Then I found this channel and Rob, I cannot express how thankful I am for you doing this. Thank you so much!! You are changing and saving lives.
Thank you, It really means a lot cause I struggle with MDD, Major Depressive disorder, and a couple of my friends want me to change; however they expect me to change over night. I feel like I been trying to push myself, and it’s literally stressing me out I can’t seem to keep a promise anymore as I use to. I tell them that both a combination of mental health and alcohol use can have a huge impact especially if you heavily drink per session, on top of that I also suffer from anxiety and depersonalization. This video really helped me, I feel like I can be more confident on what believe cause I’ve done my own unbiased research. Keeping everything into consideration. I hope who ever is going thru the same situation or worse can find this video helpful. Thank you very much, and keep uploading.
Thank you for sharing your story and for your kind words Oscar! 🙏