Staying in Active Addiction Is a Choice Even If Addiction Isn’t a Choice

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Mar 16, 2023

Staying in an active addiction is a choice. I know that’s a controversial statement, but I believe it to be true. This is not to suggest that addiction itself is a choice — it isn’t — addiction itself can be considered a mental illness, and an illness is never a choice. That said, when a person continues in their addiction, that is a choice. I wish people would acknowledge that. This becomes particularly salient for those with bipolar disorder as more than half of people with bipolar disorder abuse substances.

Why Don’t Doctors Listen to People with Bipolar Disorder?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Apr 14, 2021

Doctors often don’t listen to people with bipolar disorder or other mental illnesses. In fact, most people with bipolar disorder know, the instant a doctor sees “bipolar disorder” on your chart, you’re screwed. Now, don’t get me wrong, not every doctor is the same, and I have had some doctors treat me with the same care I suspect they would offer anyone else. That said, on the whole, doctors don’t listen to people with bipolar disorder. Here’s why, and here’s how to fight it.

Mental Illness Effects on Family — A Failed Addiction Intervention

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Dec 9, 2018

Mental illness affects the family in more ways than I can count and, certainly, a failed intervention of any type is part of that. I recently have had to view the effects of a failed addiction intervention on my own family members — and I have to deal with the effects of mental illness and a failed addiction intervention on me too. This has been wildly unpleasant.

Should Mental Illness Funding Be Used on Addiction Treatment?

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Sep 6, 2012

If you read the Breaking Bipolar blog over at HealthyPlace you might have seen a question earlier this week:

Is addiction just like any other mental illness?

People have come down on both sides of this question on HealthyPlace and on Facebook but I think the overarching sentiment is that addiction is not just another mental illness as personal choices lead to its existence. No one causes bipolar disorder or schizophrenia through action but no one puts a drink in an alcoholic’s hand and forces them to imbibe. Moreover, addiction recovery is considerably simpler in that addicts get better by choosing not to use substances while other mental illness treatment involves months of treatment before any turnaround is seen and typically involves lifelong treatment.

But whether you think that addiction (or, more specifically substance abuse and substance dependence) is simply another mental illness or not, there is this question:

Should funds intended to be used on serious mental illness be used for addiction treatment?

Disallowing Depression Misconceptions

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Oct 31, 2011

I despise bad reporting and I don’t care if you write for a newspaper with a circulation of 3 people or the New York Times – there is no excuse to report badly on mental illness, there is quality information available everywhere.

Point in case is Depression can be treated through lifestyle changes by Danielle Faipler in West Virginia University’s student paper, The Daily Athenaeum.

Comments on Depression can be treated through lifestyle changes

This article contains some of the most widely-spread mistruths about depression and mental illness and is inexcusable. It doesn’t even pass a sanity check (even by an insane person).

Antidepressants are good for short-term treatment, but they do not facilitate with the long-term changes needed to treat the illness, and they add to the growing prescription drug abuse problem in the U.S.

That is absolutely false and I would enjoy seeing any research that indicates otherwise. As I have shown, depressed people who take antidepressants do better long-term and antidepressants are not addictive. Stating otherwise is ignorant or untruthful.

A side effect of antidepressants is hallucinations, and most of the time, different medication is prescribed to the patient.

If the number of people who experienced hallucinations from taking antidepressants alone were to get together for a party, they could fit in my freaking apartment. Yes, it can happen with some antidepressants, but it’s far from common.

Are Psych Meds Addictive? – Antipsychotics (Part 2)

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 28, 2011

In the first of this series I discussed antidepressants and addiction. Some people contend antidepressants are addictive; however, not only is the term “addiction” not defined medically, the use of antidepressants does not generally match the symptoms of any defined substance use disorder either. (More information on substance abuse and substance dependence.)

This time antipsychotics are up to bat. Are antipsychotics addictive? Are people dependent on antipsychotics? Do antipsychotics cause withdrawal?

Are Psych Meds Addictive? – Antidepressants (Part 1)

Posted by Natasha Tracy | Jun 6, 2011

Before I started taking psych meds, one of the major concerns I had was addiction.

I didn’t want to be an addict of any sort as I’m quite familiar with the horrors of addiction, having addicts in the family.[push]Will I get addicted to antidepressants?[/push]

And I knew people often took antidepressants for long periods of time, sometimes forever.

So weren’t these people addicted to antidepressants?