Bipolar disorder and addiction often occur together, making addressing either condition a challenge. The presence of one can exacerbate the other, leading to a volatile combination. When a person has both bipolar disorder and addiction, the risk for adverse effects of either increases. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), addictions are more common in people who have a mental illness, like bipolar disorder. In SAMHSA’s 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 9.2 million U.S. adults have a mental illness along with an addiction, which is called a “co-occurring disorder” or a “dual-diagnosis.”
1 Although having bipolar disorder and an addiction presents more challenges than experiencing just one, recovery is possible with support and treatment.
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