"THE SAILBOAT OF RECOVERY"
For the person who suffers from a psychiatric illness, the journy through life is hard. For one who also struggles with addiction, it is harder still. Envision the process of recovery as a boat with four sails. Each sail represents a different aspect of the process: biological, psychological, environmental, and spiritual. All of these sails must be hoisted and trimmed so that the boat can move swiftly over the rough seas ahead.
The biological sail respresents the need to restore the body to its normal level of functioning. Years of substance abuse turn the body into a toxic waste dump. Yet, given a chance, the body has remarkably sophisticated ways of removing these poisons. Abstinence, proper diet, and exercise can restore physical health in relatively short order.
The psychological sail represents treatment aimed at straightening out tangled thinking and correcting harmful behavior. There are many ways to achieve this; therapy with an individual counselor and group are but two examples.
The environmental sail means treating the dual disorders in a broader context. Whatever the circumstances, treatment must take into account the fact that we all live with, and among other people. Making adjustments to improve our environmental means improving our chances at getting better.
Finally, the spiritual sail offers the opportunity for healing that is rooted deep within the heart and soul. It is the sail that keeps the boat of recovery moving forward even if all the other sail are tattered and torn. - "Hope and Healing: A Comprehensive Approach to Dual Disorders" A.Scott Winter, M.D.
I believe that to do an episode such as the one that I viewed on August 1 does not do justice to the to the complexity of disorder as demontrated by the brief synopsis above. A large percentage of the suffering from Bipolar develope substance abuse problems from years of self-medicating. The DSM-IV recognizes this as Co-Occuring Disorders. Spending a full week of episodes would only touch the surface of the complexities of Bipolar.
I am not going into my story, but I will say that it has been 36 years of pure hell (As some of my memories return, I realized that I had issues at age 5). I have been medicated for almost years, I meet with my substance abuse counselor once a week, I meet with my psychopharmacutical specialist once a month, I attend a Dual Disorder support group twice a week, a marriage counselor every so often, and read as much as I can about my disorders. I find such an episode almost insulting to the point it only excacerbted my dispair.
Even with my understanding of what I am faced with, and all the time I put into managing my disorder, I find myself "Walking the Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (Greenday-American Idiot). I am a self-employed Certified Public Accountant who is homeless, bathing out of the sink at my office, sleeping on the concrete floor in a sleeping bag. I have done all I can to disconnect from my family to reduce the risk of creating any further reckage. I face the danger of suicide on an hour to hour basis. I am spiritually, finacially, and emotionally bankrupt. My story could not be solved in a single episode. The horrible thing about it is that I am high funtioning compared to most. While I feel as though "I walk alone, my shadow is the only one that walks with me" (Greenday), many others feel the same way. The August 1 episode discounted the deep despair of all of us torchered souls.
I have choosen to let the disease destroy me, by the simple fact that I cannot continue the fight. I began titrating my meds at the end of July and I have chosen not self medicate anymore. Furthermore, I have withdrawn from my support programs. At this point it is in God's hands, as he blessed me with this afflition. I know that as a result of my choices that my future is pretty grim, but compared to the past, I look foreward to what lies ahead of me.
(Original Air Date: 03/07/06) Dr. Phil explores the ups and downs of bipolar disorder. This illness takes its victims on an emotional rollercoaster ride -- from elation to extreme irritability, intense rage, or devastating depression. First, Cathy was diagnosed with Bipolar II, 10 years ago and claims she goes from zero to psycho in 15 seconds. Dr. Phil takes a look at the toll her disorder takes on her two boys, and brings the family together for a dramatic moment of emotional healing. Then, during various manic episodes, Fred has stolen a taxi, crashed into a Starbucks, and climbed to the top of a church. He hears voices and believes that movie stars like Denzel Washington and Robert De Niro are talking to him through their movies. Still, Fred thinks he’s ready to move out of his parents’ house and live on his own for good … but should his family let him? Talk about the show here.
