[onlymedid]

My psychiatrist threatened me with a substance abuse program if I don't stop drinking....even though I only have one drink every other day or so. I am on so many meds and he said that there is no reason to be on the meds if I am going to be drinking to try to counteract my feelings. He said that I need to let the meds do the work.
Well...the meds aren't doing the work so now I need to try to just let the meds do the work.
Anyways, what are the programs like? I mean, I know they aren't all the same, but typically, what do they entail? I'm thinking it might be good for me.

[madisgram]

onlymedid , i am so glad you are willing to follow your pdoc's suggestion. the substance abuse programs teach you about the disease of addiction. they also talk about a more constructive way of living without drugs or alcohol. i went to one and it helped change my life. your pdoc is right too when he states that using alcohol counteracts the meds he's prescribed for you. it's like one could just save their money if one is drinking and taking meds. i'm confidant that you can improve with the meds if one stops using alcohol. my pdoc told me i needed to treat both diseases at the same time and by doing so i got better cause i stopped the alcohol completely and took my meds. i found a wonderful way of life and it worked!!! been a long time now and my bipolar is stabalized for the most part since then. we tweaked my meds too and got good results. i owe him for his help and insight. i only wish you the very best and please keep us posted.

[splitimage]

onlymedid, your pdoc is right drinking and psych meds don't mix. Alcohol is a depressant so it's countering the effects of any anti-D's you're on, not to mention interacting with the meds pharmacologically.

Substance abuse treatments can vary a lot depending on the person's needs, level of addiction, and availability, and insurance if the program's not publicly funded.

I've done rehab 3 times - once residential, and twice outpatient.

Residential - you live there, and setting can vary from hospital to home like. Basically there'll be a lot of group therapy, and education around addiction. Plus a lot of resedential programs, at least in North America are very 12 step based, so you can expect a lot of AA information and meetings to be integrated into the treatment programs. This is less likely to be true of residential programs that are run by hospitals. The standard length of treatment in Canada is 21 - 28 days, although some private hospitals offer treatment of up to 44 days. And there are long term treatment facilities where you can stay for months, but they're only for really hard core alcoholics.

Outpatient is very similar except you continue to live in home. The one I went to twice ran 1/2 days, 4 days a week for 10 weeks. It was not 12 step based and I liked it a lot better. Much more education on addiction, cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal communications skills and recreation therapy. I liked it better because it was more realistic - sure you were in treatment part of the day but you were still in your home environment and had to learn to deal with triggers for drinking.

See what kind of a program your pdoc suggests.

--splitimage

[onlymedid]

Originally Posted by splitimage

onlymedid, your pdoc is right drinking and psych meds don't mix. Alcohol is a depressant so it's countering the effects of any anti-D's you're on, not to mention interacting with the meds pharmacologically.

Substance abuse treatments can vary a lot depending on the person's needs, level of addiction, and availability, and insurance if the program's not publicly funded.

I've done rehab 3 times - once residential, and twice outpatient.

Residential - you live there, and setting can vary from hospital to home like. Basically there'll be a lot of group therapy, and education around addiction. Plus a lot of resedential programs, at least in North America are very 12 step based, so you can expect a lot of AA information and meetings to be integrated into the treatment programs. This is less likely to be true of residential programs that are run by hospitals. The standard length of treatment in Canada is 21 - 28 days, although some private hospitals offer treatment of up to 44 days. And there are long term treatment facilities where you can stay for months, but they're only for really hard core alcoholics.

Outpatient is very similar except you continue to live in home. The one I went to twice ran 1/2 days, 4 days a week for 10 weeks. It was not 12 step based and I liked it a lot better. Much more education on addiction, cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal communications skills and recreation therapy. I liked it better because it was more realistic - sure you were in treatment part of the day but you were still in your home environment and had to learn to deal with triggers for drinking.

See what kind of a program your pdoc suggests.

--splitimage

Thanks for all of that helpful information. It makes me feel a bit better knowing what he was talking about. I think I am just going to try to stop drinking on my own because I only have one drink maybe once every other night or so. I don't drink heavily and I don't drink to get drunk, just to take a bit of the edge off.
I will talk to him again in two weeks and see if I can do it on my own.
Thanks again! I think I would want the second option.

[racee]

splitimage is right....i have been yhrough rehab 6 times to both as well.

Residential is good for if you need to leasrn how to live...my whole lifee was drugs and i didn't know how to live or do anything without them....i was there for 4 months, so yeah you have to put your life on hold or lack there of...but was very helpful and tons of information

outpatient was fun, only two weeks 8 hours a day...than there was long term outpatient after that...if anything rehab gives you tools to use that id hard to learn anywhere else.

you can always get some books about addictions and how to live if you think you need tools....but if you think your not addicted and wont go through withdrawls...than you just need to learn some coping techniques or occupying your time with something else

if the meds are not working than you need to change them to something that does....unfortunatley med changes happen quit frequently and it is frustrating...but the drinking will mess you up more and won't help the situation.

outpatient

[sugahorse1]

Wow - your pdoc is strict. I know we're not supposed to drink on meds, but I do. On average 2 drinks/ day. Or if I don't drink one day, I may have 3 or 4 the next

Let us know what you decide on and how it goes please

[onlymedid]

Originally Posted by sugahorse

Wow - your pdoc is strict. I know we're not supposed to drink on meds, but I do. On average 2 drinks/ day. Or if I don't drink one day, I may have 3 or 4 the next

Let us know what you decide on and how it goes please

Yeah, he is kind of strict. He is also the Pdoc that works at the inpatient hospital here in town and he does substance abuse programs in town. He is well known and hard core. I don't want to get on his bad side, so I am thinking that I might just try to stop drinking. No drinks last night so I am one night down. YAY for me!

[Perna]

Yes, yeah for you! I have a good friend who lives alone, has no family or other support and lost his job and was waking up with panic attacks about money so decided to go back on antidepressants. He's doing really well with drinking soda, even on our weekly night going to the pub.

I would try to pick up a new interest to do in the evening; work on putting your photo albums together or watching movies/reading books you've put off, writing, learning to cook, taking an online class or something? I think it's much harder to merely "not" do something than to do something else.

[onlymedid]

Originally Posted by Perna

Yes, yeah for you! I have a good friend who lives alone, has no family or other support and lost his job and was waking up with panic attacks about money so decided to go back on antidepressants. He's doing really well with drinking soda, even on our weekly night going to the pub.

I would try to pick up a new interest to do in the evening; work on putting your photo albums together or watching movies/reading books you've put off, writing, learning to cook, taking an online class or something? I think it's much harder to merely "not" do something than to do something else.

Thanks Perna, good idea! I have stopped scrapbooking so I could pick that up again.

[2009Dutch]

Hi Onlymedid
You sound very motivated, and open for input from both your doc. as from PC. I agree with the things about a program, I've been in AA for 6 months and sober since. I really feel so much better. And I think it's good to learn about addictions, since you've had issues with med.s before.
Best wishes!