Need some help/advice for family member

[Maine-ah]

An email from my Aunt:
(my cousin is now 28)

(name removed) has been diagnosed with "dual diagnosis". He has had an alcohol problem for many years and until about a year ago he has kept it somewhat under control. Through the years since about age 10, he has had depression. Although we have been to many doctors and therapists it is only recently that there have been 2 doctors that now have a name for what he suffers from and even they are not conclusive with a diagnosis. Dual diagnosis meaning that there is mental illness as well as substance abuse.

Last Memorial Day Weekend, (name removed) had an episode that landed him in the ER. It was then we met a doctor that referred us to a clinic that dealt with addiction. (name removed) did well with the program in an outpatient basis with only 2 relapses. However, in January he started using prescription medications and over the counter medications in place of the alcohol. It was then after 2 more episodes that the doctor felt that an inpatient rehab program was the next step. He spent February in the program and was released to a sober living house. After 3 weeks, he again self medicated to a point of overdose.

The content of the overdose left his body crippled to a point of collapsing in the street upon his arrival to our home for Easter Weekend. We then rushed him to the hospital and he was put through careful care and put on a heart monitor due to the cramping up of all the muscles in his body. As your heart is the most important muscle in your body they wanted to make sure he did not go into cardiac arrest.

It took about 3 days for him to start recovering from all this and then due to the possibility of a repeat episode the doctor felt he should be evaluated psychiatrically. He then spent 3 more days in that unit and then was released to the rehab again for another 2 weeks. He will also have 2 weeks at the hospital outpatient program.

As I have not been able to speak to him since last Thursday, I do not have any further updates.

The doctor thinks he suffers from substance abuse (addiction) and manic depression with compulsive
disorder. He may be border line bi-polar.

[NMDemDist2]

1. sorry for your troubles Maine-ah

sounds like he's getting the help he needs, he's fortunate

and sounds like his family is very supportive too, all good things.

I'm willing to bet that once they control the depression his addiction will be easier to deal with.

hang in there :hug:

[Maine-ah]

2. thanks, AZ

it does sound like he's getting the treatment that he needs, and I honestly had no idea how long this has been going on for. I was very surprised. Of course my Aunt had tried to keep the whole thing a secret for almost 20 years now. The cats out of the bag at this point, and I know she's having trouble dealing with it too. She's rather embarassed, which she really shouldn't be imo. Her son is ill and she shouldn't feel this way.

Thanks for responding! :hug:

I had to deal with my own depression and addiction almost 13 years ago, and I hope my experience can give her some insight to what may be going on with my cousin.

[NMDemDist2]

3. hopefully you can share your experience and give them support

and more importantly, some hope

:hug:

[Justpat]

4. Whatever his ultimate diagnosis is,

it is difficult to arrive at an accurate diagnosis with an addict until the
substances are removed their system.

When I first got sober, I arrived at AA with a nice grab bag of
mental and emotional diagnosis,
all of which greatly subsided and then went away with years of sobriety.

I hope he sticks with recovery. I'll say a prayer for him.

[KitchenWitch]

5. Sounds like your cousin is in the exact right place to get the help he needs

I hope for you and your aunt's sake that he is receptive.