[sauciershadetree]

I have a problem with using alcohol and marijuana when i am hypomanic. I have not been honest with my therapist, because I haven't told her about it. I really want to tell her, but I am scared she will send me to the state hospital. I really do need help with this though, and I am thinking about telling her during my appointment in a week or so. Can anyone give my some advice. I feel really bad about lying to her. She can't help me if I don't tell her the truth. Oh, also, I never use anything when I'm depressed. When I get depressed I usually feel bad about things I did when hypomanic.

[~Christina]

Just because you use alcohol and pot when Hypo doesn't mean they will send you to the hospital. Hospital is only used if your a danger to yourself or others in a Crisis.

Therapists are use to hearing about alcohol and drug use , Its very common..

I would advise you to just be honest...

Welcome to PC

Welcome to PC, sauciershadetree!
I'll second what Christina said. Also, keep in mind that therapists have heard it all. Won't even bat an eye at this. Do anything drastic? No way! This is super common and straightforward stuff. She'll simply work with you on it, just like anything that causes you concern and that you want help with. Truly, you can set your mind at ease.

[Crazy Hitch]

We all have our own vices when we are manic / hypomanic saucier, I just wanted to say that to remind you you are not alone - no matter the vice.

I like to remind myself when I'm wondering whether or not to tell my therapist something - "She's pretty much heard this before"? Well, that's what I think.

Not that it makes things that I tell her any easier either and I feel the same angst as you do.

But you're so right when you say She can't help me if I don't tell her the truth.

I wish for you that no matter what you decide to do in terms of disclosing or not disclosing, that it works out to be the best possible solution for you and your needs.

Let us know how you go.

[Wander]

Don't worry. I use alcohol and marijuana to high degrees when hypomanic and have never been hospitalised for that reason. My pdoc and therapist know all about it and they don't judge me at all. As others have said, it is very common. The only concern is if that use puts you or anyone else in danger. What makes you think they will hospitalise you?

It's a big jump from substance abuse to the state hospital. Try to be honest with your therapist. Otherwise you are just spinning your wheels.

[RisuNeko]

I'm dishonest with my psychiatrist about my alcohol use. I drink 1 or 2 beers most nights, but I told him I drink 1-3 beers a week. And he was super concerned about even THAT level of drinking and now assumes I am the drug abuser type and is super leery about prescribing me controlled substances. I don't feel that my drinking is out of control. I don't drink to get drunk, I've just always liked the taste. If your therapist isn't an idiot like mine they probably won't overreact and everyone is right that you won't get sent to the hospital for drinking and pot.

[Espurr1989]

Maybe you really don't want to tell her because you don't want to give them up and your mind is jumping to state hospital avoidance as denial. If that's the case, you should be able to tell her that too and she should respect it. In any case, you are lucky to have a therapist to be able to talk to in the first place. Might as well take advantage of having a good thing.

[sauciershadetree]

Originally Posted by Espurr1989

Maybe you really don't want to tell her because you don't want to give them up and your mind is jumping to state hospital avoidance as denial. If that's the case, you should be able to tell her that too and she should respect it. In any case, you are lucky to have a therapist to be able to talk to in the first place. Might as well take advantage of having a good thing.

Hi Espurr, thanks for posting. I want to give up the alcohol and pot, It is causing me alot of problems. I think it may be making the hypomania worse. I think i may be using it to feel more at ease in social situations, as I have avoidant personality disorder. Like I said, I never use when i am depressed. Maybe I am afraid it will make the depression worse. I have decided to tell my therapist, and she will have to make a decision on what to do. I have been to the state hospital before, but It really stresses me alot when Im there because of all the people there. I will have to deal with it though, if she decides to send me there.

[sauciershadetree]

Originally Posted by Wander

Don't worry. I use alcohol and marijuana to high degrees when hypomanic and have never been hospitalised for that reason. My pdoc and therapist know all about it and they don't judge me at all. As others have said, it is very common. The only concern is if that use puts you or anyone else in danger. What makes you think they will hospitalise you?

I drink and drive when I'm hypomanic, and this puts me and others in danger. I dont have the right to put others lives in danger, so I need to stop using for this reason, as well as many others. When I am hypomanic, I have done some pretty stupid things, and the substances makes it worse. I have got to find a way to not use when I'm hypomanic. When I get depressed, I have to deal with all the stupid things i have done. Also I have been reading alot about substance use and bi-polar. From what I have read, It makes bi-polar worse. I am starting to believe this.

[Wander]

Well drink driving is a concern. I can totally related to the hypomanic state of mind that leads you to do it though so don't be too hard on yourself. It is best you are honest with your therapist so you can find ways to avoid getting in trouble. I still doubt hospitalisation is called for though.
Substance abuse goes hand in hand with bipolar. I have been there. It is tough to get out of. Hopefully your therapist can help you with this. is there anything you can think of that will help you not to get behind the wheel while drunk? Maybe you can put some barriers in the way, like giving your keys to someone else or catching cabs. Take care.

[RisuNeko]

Yeah good suggestions. Drunk driving is definitely a concern. I know I forget that im not supposed to drive drunk when I'm hypomanic though so it can be harder than it sounds unless you have a designated driver with you.

[Chickenkicker]

I'm sure my opinion may ruffle some feathers, but this is what I experienced: Being hypomanic for 45+yrs I drank enough alcohol to float the Queen Mary...and snorted enough white powder to sink it. When I first started getting successful treatment in the late 90's I found that honesty wasn't necessarily the best policy in therapy. Once you talk about substance abuse with professionals, the course of action takes a hard left and gets off track, as energy and focus is expended on the substance abuse issue...and the possible underlying cause of hypomania/mania goes undiscovered...with disastrous results in my case.

When I was finally correctly diagnosed (after 'professionals' missed my diagnosis for 30yrs), had proper therapy and the right med combo...my substance abuse issues just kind of dissolved along with my terrible spending symptom. Of course this may not happen with you.

I will never know how many jobs I could have saved...marriages that might have been successful...idiotic decisions stopped...money spent...DUI's...or opportunities I could have capitalized on if I were diagnosed sooner, but that's in the past and I've learned to deal with it. I know for a fact there was a lot of energy, focus and precious time wasted looking at the outward issue of using instead of the inward issue of a mental disorder.

[wiretwister]

when I had a T, I played her like a fiddle,, pdoc too,,, I need a T to help me be honest with my pdoc....

how is that for f**ked up circular thinking..... .. kind of sad though.

[bunnifoo]

saucier I think you should be honest 1) because your therapist can't help all the way if they don't know everything and 2) you want to stop using and your therapist can help you or help build skills so you can stop.

I'd tell her that you have something to say to her and that you've wanted to but you've been really anxious about it. When I get hypomanic I use pot and alcohol and I don't always act responsibly. I want to stop doing this. I haven't told you because I'm really scared you'll want to admit me to the state hospital and that scares me. I'd like to explore what options there are to help quitting.

I'll add my own experience when I was manic I drank. A LOT I did it socially to depress the mania and also explain my weird behavior. It was scary to be honest and I was worried about being labelled an alcoholic but the fact that I stopped drinking once I wasn't manic means there isn't an issue.

I still stay away from it because it'sa depressant and it's not a good idea to mix alcohol with klonopin and ambien, both of which I take.

But if you want help quitting the best thing is to talk to your therapist. I've told my therapist things I'm sure i would have gotten chastised for and nothing happened. Well a few times I heard "did you think it was a good choice?" or "did doing that help" and the answer was usually, int he short term yes and in the long term no.

[Woolly Bugger]

Maybe it's time for AA. Couldn't hurt, and it might help a lot.