Concurrent Disorders Treatment Services
Bipolar Disorder and Addiction Treatment
York Addiction is one of Canada's most innovative recovery homes, known for evidence-based, holistic treatment that guides clients toward lasting healing and sobriety.
Our team of healthcare professionals and addiction specialists has real expertise in treating bipolar disorder and addiction as a connected condition, since the two are far more closely linked than many people realize.
How Bipolar Disorder and Addiction Are Connected
Bipolar disorder, once called manic depression, causes drastic shifts in mood, energy, and behaviour, cycling between manic episodes of intense energy or irritability and depressive episodes of profound sadness and hopelessness. It's common for people with bipolar disorder to use alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medication to self-medicate and soften these swings, which explains the strong link between the two conditions. Up to 70% of people who meet the diagnostic criteria for bipolar disorder also have a long history of substance use, and individuals with bipolar disorder are, on average, four times more likely to have a co-occurring substance use disorder than the general population. Under the influence of drugs or alcohol, any bipolar treatment becomes far less effective, since substances can worsen symptoms and undermine a person's willingness to seek help in the first place.
Types of Bipolar Disorder
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder generally falls into three categories:
- Bipolar I disorder, a mix of manic episodes lasting at least seven days, often severe enough to require hospitalization, alongside depressive episodes that can last for weeks
- Bipolar II disorder, a pattern of depressive episodes alongside hypomanic episodes, a milder form of mania
- Cyclothymic disorder, a combination of hypomanic and depressive symptoms that don't meet the full diagnostic threshold, persisting for at least one to two years
Because symptoms can resemble other mental health conditions, it can take an average of six years before someone with bipolar disorder receives a proper diagnosis, time during which substance use often deepens.
Why Treating Bipolar Disorder Alongside Addiction Matters
Given how delayed a bipolar diagnosis often is, and how much it can complicate substance use in the meantime, treating the two together, rather than sequentially, tends to produce far better results. A holistic dual-diagnosis approach that addresses both conditions at once, combining careful use of low-abuse-potential medication with therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, has shown real success in stabilizing mood while also treating the addiction underneath it. At York Addiction, we build a customized plan around each client's specific history rather than relying on drug detox as a standalone solution, since the two conditions rarely respond to a one-size-fits-all approach.
Our Concurrent Treatment Programs for Bipolar Disorder and Addiction
Our co-occurring treatment plan for bipolar disorder and addiction includes:
Medical Detox
Detox is an essential first step that clears harmful substances from the body and increases the effectiveness of everything that follows. Our medically guided detox helps clients manage withdrawal symptoms as comfortably as possible.
Drug Addiction Treatment
We offer residential treatment, in-house or hospitalization care, outpatient programs, and behavioural counselling for dependence on substances including cocaine, heroin, marijuana, DMT, opiates, ecstasy, prescription medications, GHB, and methamphetamine.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Alcohol is the most commonly misused substance among people with bipolar disorder, and our alcohol addiction treatment can be tailored to a dual diagnosis, including detoxification, psychosocial support, help staging interventions, and family support through our Lifelong Family Program.
Mental Health Treatment
Our mental health treatment identifies the risk factors and triggers behind a client's bipolar disorder and addiction, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, individual counselling, group counselling, and ongoing continued care.
Talk to Our Team and Find Recovery Today
Every client’s experience of Bipolar Disorder and Addiction Treatment looks a little different depending on their history. Call York Addiction at 1-888-241-3391 or reach out through our contact page, and our team can walk you through what this looks like for you specifically.