A Closer Look at Substance-Induced Mood Disorders and Treatment Approaches
Are you trying to slow down, or even quit substances, but wild mood shifts have you trapped?
You may find yourself stuck in a drug-induced depression, with mood symptoms being so severe you feel like the only answer is to use again. But is this the symptom of a crash? Or are they something deeper?
Sometimes, the mood swings that happen following long-term drug or alcohol abuse are caused by drug-induced bipolar disorder. And whether you are experiencing these challenges, or watching a loved one go through them, it can be incredibly challenging to deal with these conditions without effective support.
Our dual diagnosis treatment programs at Ingrained Recovery are here to help. You’ll find treatment plans personalized to your specific needs and a calm space to heal on our secluded, beautiful campus.
Keep reading to learn more, and remember we are here for confidential help at any time, to help you untangle those highs and lows, so you can finally find balance again.
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What is Drug-Induced Bipolar Disorder?
Substance-induced bipolar might feel like “just mood swings”. But it can be a very real mood disorder, characterized by depressed mood and periods of mania. Stimulants are well-known for causing major depression. The way they boost your brain (using dopamine) then send you crashing back to reality makes it hard to feel hopeful when you aren’t under the influence.
Even alcohol and sedatives, which relax you, can lead to substance-induced bipolar disorder. This isn’t a lifelong condition like traditional bipolar disorder (including Bipolar I and Bipolar II).
Instead, as your brain heals, there’s a chance your mood swings fade completely. This is impossible unless you give your brain a chance to heal, though.
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Who is at Higher Risk for Substance-Induced Bipolar?
You aren’t guaranteed to develop substance-induced mood disorder after using alcohol or illicit drugs, even long-term. Still, long-term use puts you at greater risk. There’s also a greater risk if you have an existing mental health condition like anxiety, depression, unresolved trauma, or a mood disorder.
Using stimulant drugs or certain medication also puts you at greater risk. For example, meth, cocaine, and prescription amphetamines stimulate your brain, then send it crashing when you run out of dopamine stores.
Mixing drugs or using especially high doses after your tolerance has been built up also increases the chance of developing substance-induced mood disorder.
Mood Swings and Withdrawal
The withdrawal process can also cause irritable mood, insomnia, mood swings, and substance-induced depression. Your brain and body need time to adjust. They haven’t had to function without substance use for a long time.
Remember that this is a normal part of detox and early recovery. At Ingrained Recovery, we have supported many clients through substance-induced depression and mania.
Can Drugs and Alcohol Cause Depressive Episodes?
Yes. Often, people use drugs or alcohol to escape pain or boost their mood. Once you no longer feel “good” from the substances, you feel drained and sad afterward. It’s hard not to feel like you need to use again, just to feel a little bit better or escape your emotions.Substance-induced depressive disorders are often made worse by using stimulants.
You end up in a cycle of highs and lows that it’s hard to break out of. Severe symptoms, including suicidal thoughts and actions, can also happen in early recovery.
Can Drugs and Alcohol Cause Manic Episodes?
Drugs can cause deep lows, but they also cause dangerous highs. Stimulants might make you feel elated. You’re full of energy, talking fast, barely sleeping, and acting without thinking it through.
Even if you do something that isn’t energizing, it can trigger a manic state. Alcohol also makes impulsive behaviors worse.
It’s all too easy for these manic episodes to spiral into self-destruction. You might pick fights, spend money you don’t have, drive too fast, or engage in risky sexual behavior.
Why Are Hypomanic Episodes So Dangerous?
Hypomania is less noticeable than regular mania. You feel like you’re just in a good mood. But, too often, these hypomanic episodes are a sign of your body and brain being in overdrive.
It’s more likely you’ll engage in risky behavior or make decisions you normally wouldn’t when you’re in this state, but it won’t be as obvious as a hypomanic state.
What Common Substances Cause Substance-Induced Mood Disorders?
There’s no specific substance or medication guaranteed to make you experience mood swings. Stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, opioids, steroid medication, antidepressant medication, and even alcohol can have effects.
More important is the way that your brain interacts with these substances. Genetics and emotional health also play a role.
How Long Do Symptoms of Substance-Induced Bipolar Last?
In the average withdrawal timeline, once you get clean, physical symptoms fade within the first two weeks. Unfortunately, the physiological effects of substance use disorder take longer to heal. It can take weeks, months, or longer for mood swings to finally stop. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up hope of getting clean.
At Ingrained Recovery in Eastman, Georgia, we support your mood and other symptoms through detox and recovery. We also monitor ongoing mood symptoms closely. This gives us insight into whether mental health issues or the co-occurring substance use disorder came first, helping us provide the right kind of supportive care.
Can Substance-Induced Disorders Become Permanent?
Your brain is incredibly resilient and capable of healing. There is a risk of mood disorder becoming permanent with heavy, long-term drug use. This happens because your brain’s chemicals are constantly being thrown out of balance.
You lose your ability to regulate your mood naturally. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get help managing symptoms, though. Many of the same treatments used for substance-induced bipolar disorder can benefit even long-term damage following substance abuse.
How is Drug-Induced Bipolar and Related Disorder Treated?
Your path to healing might not look the same as someone else’s. The best treatments are rooted in evidence, and customized to meet your needs. That’s the approach we take at Ingrained Recovery.
This process usually starts with detox to manage withdrawal symptoms and mood swings. You’ll be monitored, and addiction medicine or mood stabilizers might be used to manage symptoms. This observation period is also important. It offers helpful insight into whether your mood swings are caused by a substance-induced mood disorder or something deeper.
From detox, many clients transition to residential rehab. Our program is set on a beautiful, 50-acre campus. You’re far from real-world problems and can heal in nature, just one part of our holistic approach. We also help you with many of the things that support brain health and help important neural circuits heal. For example, good sleep, nutritious meals, proper hydration, and physical activity.
What’s the Difference Between True Bipolar and Substance-Induced Episodes?
True bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition that can exist with or without substance use. If your symptoms appeared after intoxication or withdrawal, though, substances may be to blame. The easiest way to tell is by observation. Clinicians look for patterns.
If mood swings continue more than a month after stopping drugs and alcohol, there’s a chance that underlying bipolar disorder is at play. Getting an accurate diagnosis starts with a period of sobriety, then time to heal.
Why is Dual Diagnosis So Important?
When addiction and mental health collide, you can’t get better unless you treat both issues. Our dual diagnosis programs do just that. By addressing depressive symptoms, anxiety disorders, trauma, or even underlying mood disorders that contribute to your desire to use drugs or alcohol, you are taking on a root cause that drives your desire to drink or use drugs.
You get tools to fight back against depressive episodes and anxiety disorders, while supporting your long-term recovery.
What Therapies Help Manage Substance-Induced Bipolar Symptoms?
The best recovery plans include individual and group therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) are the most common therapeutic treatments. However, family therapy, trauma-informed therapy, and other techniques can be used. It’s really about what is going to work for you.
Holistic care is another important part of what we do at Ingrained Recovery. Through activities like equine therapy, yoga, outdoor time, and mindfulness, you start to reconnect your body and mind. You’ll start to rediscover balance, confidence, and peace after the chaos that substances brought into your life.
Find Support for Healing at Ingrained Recovery Today
The highs and lows of drug use can leave you feeling trapped and confused, but you don’t have to let them define you. With patience, care, and the right environment, you can heal. And you’ll find all these things, and more, at Ingrained Recovery in Eastman.
Our secluded campus offers space to rest, reflect, and rebuild, surrounded by people who believe in your ability to heal and overcome the challenges being faced currently.
Call us confidentially today, and we can answer questions and reserve a space at our facilities when you are ready for proven support for recovery.