Addiction Is an Energy Disease- Getting the Facts Straight

Addiction is a horrible disease that even those who claim to be recovering from it say they are recovering for the rest of their lives. Much energy is spent trying to cover for the impact of the disease; the DTs are explained away as an outcome of the flu, hangovers are explained away as migraines or exhaustion, and bouts of vomiting are usually food poisoning or some other stomach ailment. However, it’s been shown that addiction is more than a disease that sucks an addict’s energy with the effort that goes into cover stories; it’s an energy disease that impacts even the cellular level of the addict’s being.

Thanks to the work of Dr. Dalal Akoury at the Health and Wellness Resource Center, a greater understanding of the relationship between addiction, energy and bipolar disorder. In fact, it has been noticed by Dr. Akoury and others that there is a distinct similarity between the symptoms of bipolar disorder and the symptoms of addiction.

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In a recently conducted study, 56 percent of those surveyed said that, in addition to having bipolar disorder, they had struggled with drugs or had been addicted to alcohol. They were likely to have relationship problems and had a higher rate of economic instability, accidental injury or incidents of self-harm that included suicide. This is quite similar to those who struggle with an alcohol addiction, as they are also prone to bouts of economic instability, due to their inability to maintain steady employment, and they may also experience a number of accidents that may result in being injured to the point of potentially dying.

While there is no solid explanation for the connection between alcoholism and bipolar disorder, it is likely that those with bipolar disorder are more prone to self-medicate as a way of coping with the painful symptoms of their condition. Depression and anxiety alone can become so debilitating that those with bipolar disorder will be eager to numb the symptoms, and using and abusing alcohol is among one of the most economically friendly ways of dealing with the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

At the low energy level end of addiction is depression, which is usually characterized by:

Hopeless feelings
Loss of interest in things that used to make you happy
Fatigue
Changes in appetite
Self-loathing
Suicidal thoughts

Certainly, if any of these feelings exist in you, you are likely experience a low energy shift and this will leave you seriously open to feelings of apathy, lack of interest in doing things and, in general, a disinterest in pastimes you used to find interesting. This would indicate a lack of energy that would allow you to continue to drive towards your maximum level of function; this means that addiction is truly an energy disease as it really robs you of your energy. On the other side of the coin, when the person with bipolar disorder experiences a manic period, energy is therefore ramped up and the person will experience racing thoughts, high spirits, and a general excess of energy. They may find themselves unable to sleep, and may turn to drugs or alcohol as a way of trying to numb the mind from racing and as a way of lulling themselves to sleep.

Unfortunately, drinking alcohol is actually one way in which you could potentially prevent sleep, as between the diuretic properties of ethanol and the dehydrating effect of the liquid you could find yourself going to the bathroom a lot and consuming a lot of water. In addition, this can also send the person with bipolar disorder who is looking for a way to feel better from the pain of their symptoms into a low period, leaving them feeling depressed and fatigued. Alcohol is also a depressant; while it should be avoided as a method of numbing the pain of bipolar disorder, as it often is used, its depressive qualities can definitely leave the person with bipolar disorder struggling in a depressive episode once again.

Expert Help from Dr. Dalal Akoury of AwareMed Health and Wellness Resource Center

The person who is struggling with addiction as an energy disease and bipolar disorder will benefit from an integrated treatment approach. This means that one on one work with a psychotherapist or a psychologist would be recommended in addition to a holistic approach where the person would also be working with an addictions specialist, a family counselor, and family and dual diagnosis support groups. By using this sort of approach to treat the addiction and the underlying causes that could include bipolar disorder, those who struggle with addiction will definitely benefit and ultimately overcome the energy disease known as addiction. For further information about addiction as an energy disease, please see Dr. Akoury’s website at www.awaremednetwork.com.