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Bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder often occur together and can significantly influence each other’s severity and projection of the disease. In fact, both mental illnesses occur at higher than expected rates and also happen much more often than reported. Alcohol use disorder is a pattern of alcohol use that is characterized by the inability to control drinking behaviors that cause significant impairment to the brain and body.

Clonidine hydrochloride is a medication classified as an antihypertensive and centrally acting alpha agonist. It was FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure, ADHD in children, Tourette syndrome-related tics, cancer-related pain, and stress-related pain. It can also be used to help treat restless leg syndrome. In 2016, clonidine was the 79th most prescribed medication in the United States. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 0.2% of the population was misusing prescription sedatives such as clonidine. In 2020, US doctors wrote about 9 million prescriptions for clonidine.

Alcohol is one of the most dangerous and one of the most commonly abused drugs worldwide. The fact that it can be used for cultural, spiritual and religious purposes along with its legal status, makes alcohol abuse more likely compared to other mind-altering substances. It is a powerful drug and users are at high risk for developing an addiction to alcohol. Not only does alcohol addiction affect a person physically and mentally, but it can also cause financial burdens.

Is binge drinking a precursor for alcohol abuse? Is binge drinking a form of alcohol abuse? Binge drinking is defined as a pattern of excessive drinking described as short, but heavy bursts of alcohol use. When consuming such large amounts of alcohol within a short period of time, it can raise the blood alcohol content (BAC) level to the legal limit of intoxication or higher. According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), binge drinking is a destructive pattern of drinking alcoholic beverages that brings the BAC to 0.08% or higher.

Cannabis, marijuana or weed is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances. The three names are often used interchangeably to describe the psychoactive chemical compound that affects the mind and body when consumed. It refers to all products that are derived from the cannabis sativa plant, which contains an estimated 540 different types of cannabinoids or chemical compound structures.

Stimulant drugs such as cocaine are powerful substances that can negatively affect users when abused. If a mother decides to use drugs while she is pregnant, she is putting her child at risk for many health problems including having neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Almost every drug or medication taken by the mother can be passed from the mother’s bloodstream through the placenta to the unborn baby. Cocaine use during pregnancy can cause NAS and cocaine withdrawal symptoms in newborn babies.

Cocaine is a powerful central nervous system stimulant that prompts the brain to artificially elevate dopamine levels in the body. The Schedule II controlled substance is derived from the coca plant native to South America and holds a high risk for abuse and addiction. Cocaine produces brief but intense initial feelings of euphoria, pleasure and increased energy. Once these effects begin to wear off, the body reacts to the sharp decline in dopamine, which can result in the development of uncomfortable negative symptoms. This is often referred to as a cocaine comedown.

Codependency and alcohol addiction are intersecting occurrences. They occur simultaneously, they become a catalyst for each other and they occur quite often in situations of substance use disorder. Especially when it comes to alcohol use disorder. Psychology Today defines codependency as a relationship in which a caring, highly functional and helpful person, supports, enables or perpetuates a loved one’s irresponsibility and destructive behaviors. Codependency is not recognized as an official mental health disorder. It is a significant trigger to alcoholism and alcoholic codependency.

According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, addiction is a “treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and an individual’s life experiences.” Addiction is a difficult disease to overcome. Addiction is a disease in which people continue to engage in harmful behaviors despite the negative consequences. This is because addiction has changed the brain’s reward system and increases the desire for dangerous substances and chemicals.

Substance abuse addiction is a disease that can affect every part of the brain chemistry, physical health, mental health, behavior, mood, sleep and appetite. Overcoming an addiction is not easy. Behavioral health programs such as outpatient substance use disorder treatment can help people address their addiction and develop healthy coping mechanisms to overcome this disease. Two of the most popular outpatient treatments are partial hospitalization programs (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP). Both PHP and IOP are levels of care in the continuum of addiction treatment services recognized by the American Society of Addiction Medicine Criteria (ASAM).