Just days ago I wrote the introductory article to a series in the works based on addiction and co-occurring psychological disorders. Within the articles are related personal stories from my life and others I have met in recovery. In the last article I wrote about a friend who is struggling with addiction and borderline personality disorder. Here is an update:
I have a close friend that suffers with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and polydrug addiction. Recently she asked me to check in with her regularly because her most recent relapse nearly ended her life. She had decided to try Bath Salts because as she puts it, “I had to show them how its done!” She had heard the stories of how people were losing total control of themselves from taking the drug and because she is a seasoned veteran, she would school the novices.
Three days later the police were called by the person that had used the drug with her because she refused to stop doing it and was so out of control. Later that night she ended up in an emergency room for a blood clot that formed in her leg and spent almost a week in intensive care. The bath salts caused severe neurological and psychological damage. From years of drug abuse, my friend's brain is permanently damaged and unrepairable. Doctors told her years ago that if she did not stop abusing drugs, she would become legally insane or die. This latest relapse may have sealed her fate.
Upon being released from the hospital, her psychiatrist ordered her to have intensive outpatient drug treatment sessions with him one on one. Because of the BPD, group treatment settings are counterproductive. Many people with BPD find it difficult to refrain from verbal outbursts in group therapy, a problem that leads to the lack of treatment options for BPD sufferers.
Last week on Monday I called her to see if she was alright, straight to voicemail. Tuesday, right to voicemail. “She wouldn't!”, I thought. Wednesday, still no answer. I called her, left messages, and begged her to call me so that I knew she was doing alright. Still nothing. Allot could have happened: relapse, death, anxiety attack, institution. This is about the time in our friendship where my white flag gets waved because the insanity takes over and I am so tired of dealing with it.
Two days ago I received a text from my friend, “Call when you have a chance.” Immediately I dial her number and tell her I have been leaving her messages. “Yeah well I fucked up.”, she says. “What? What did you do?”, I replied. My friend reveals that she relapsed on the Bath Salts again. How could anyone be so self destructive? As you can see, not even a near death experience will stop an addict from getting high. Throw a co-occurring disorder into the mix and you have created the perfect storm of self destruction.
Many people don't understand why some addicts keep repeating the same self destructive behaviors. Dr Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse?, has completed a number of studies using advanced brain scanning to show the differences in people addicted to drugs and alcohol. The consensus is that individuals more susceptible to addiction have fewer dopamine receptors than the average person. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain's reward center that has a significant role in how we respond to pleasurable activities. Addicts do not find normal activities as pleasurable as they did prior to drug use because the drug of abuse caused an override in how the brain functions. Unless the drug of choice is used, the addicted person is depressed, irritable, and withdrawn.
The good news is that addiction research is discovering more about the addicted brain than ever before which will ultimately lead to improved treatment strategies. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and a psychological disorder, contact a local treatment facility or get information though one of the links provided below. If you suspect someone you love is abusing drugs or alcohol, consider a strategy to help them determine if they have a problem. The following links are helpful to anyone seeking information on addiction.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration
http://www.samhsa.gov/
The National Institute on Drug Abuse
http://www.nida.nih.gov/nidahome.html
Substance Abuse Treatment Locator
http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/
