About six weeks ago I met a twenty-nine-year-old woman named Rachael who is bipolar and who is also addicted to alcohol and drugs. I remember reading that in such situations, a person needs to get treatment for both medical problems and that mental health problems and chemical dependency many times take place in the same person. What is more, I remember hearing that a history of hazardous and excessive drinking, drug abuse, and/or mental health problems frequently take place in the same family.
Plainly, Rachael is so overwhelmed by both of her medical problems that she in essence has little or no reason to complete much of anything. What is particularly unfortunate about this is that earlier in her life, Rachael managed to finish one year of college. Rachael’s condition makes me question if she is an illustration of a person who has to hit the bottom of the barrel before he or she gets alcohol and drug addiction rehabilitation that results in long-term sobriety.
The Need For a Physician She Trusts and a Treatment Program She Can Believe In
If I were in contact with Rachael I could advise her about quite a lot of blogs and websites that could possibly help her find info about addiction and alcoholic behavior, important substance abuse information, facts about alcoholism and drugs, and more information about addiction symptoms and alcoholism warning signs. From where I stand, however, Rachael needs to find a doctor she trusts and a treatment protocol she can believe in and follow through over the long term. I could be mistaken but it seems to me that Rachael probably needs to recognize the fact that she cannot drink in moderation or use drugs if she wants to get sober, stay sober, and start on the route to long-term sobriety.
I am mindful that there are several recently created physician-prescribed meds that can help Rachael avoid a drug and an alcohol drug relapse, help her through the drug and alcohol detoxification process, and help her through her withdrawal symptoms. Obviously it would be in Rachael’s best interests if she learned about these meds.
It is clear that Rachael needs to concede the fact that there is absolutely nothing constructive about harmful drinking and substance abuse and that involving herself in one or both situations is the map to a premature death, poor work and school performance, financial difficulties, legal problems, deteriorating health, and shattered relationships.
The Relevance of Support Groups Such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous
There are more likely than not several persons such as other individuals, friends, and family members who would love to help Rachael but she probably would experience greater understanding from a recovery group such as Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous rather than listening to individuals who drink just a few times per year or who have never abused drugs.
When Individuals Do Things They Like and About Which They Are Zealous
There’s a school of thought in psychology that stresses that individuals who accomplish things they love and something about which they are fervent attain glorious place in life. Stated more accurately, when people do what they enjoy, they almost never go through an uneventful life or boredom. If they involve themselves in something that is rewarding, furthermore, they become more fulfilled and experience more pleasure and joy in life.
To me, this sounds diametrically opposed to a life that is rooted in alcohol and drug dependency because such a lifestyle removes the contentment and delight that life has to offer.
Because Rachael lacks the resolve to accomplish much of anything in her life, it is apparent that she desperately needs a little bit of hope for a better existence. And the unfortunate thing is that hope is almost everywhere around Rachael if she could only get to the point in life to get the treatment she requires for her manic depression and addiction and stick with her treatment routine.
Positive Change, Self Esteem, and a Wonderful Life Are a Reality
Rachael is clearly too young to be beaten in life. She doesn’t realize this at the moment but if she can learn how to refrain from drugs and alcohol through drug and alcohol rehab and get the treatment she needs for her manic depression issue, she can turn her life around and start living with direction, self-respect, and passion.
A wonderful life, self esteem, and productive change are certainly a reality for Rachael if only she could get motivated to get the professional rehab she requires, follow through with her therapy program, live her life in a dependency-free and healthy manner, and cultivate a more positive attitude about life.
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