How many people here have a history of substance abuse? Did it result from or result in any episodes?
I abused cannabis off and on from 13 to 20.
I abused LSD from 16 to 20.
I abused alcohol off and on from 21 to 37.
I abused morphine & oxycodone at 40.
Yikes! I also tried a few other things, but they never really took hold.
It's hard to say whether the first three were an attempt at self-medication, laid a bad foundation for future mental health, were just fun, or a combination of these.
I think cannabis and alcohol are commonly abused as self medication, and I'm pretty sure at least the later will complicate things. Although I've read of people who've had relief from their affective disorders by using cannabis.
On the surface I find that hard to believe, but then again it is a pretty complex plant, which unfortunately our (the US) government (likely at the behest of big pharma) won't allow proper research on.
My maternal side is full of affective disorders and alcoholism up the wazoo.
I do know that when mixed, hypo, or manic, I begin to drink more. Then again, at those times, I do everything a lot more. Of course it makes things worse. I begin to start more fights and engage in a more poor judgement, as if I weren't doing those enough already.
Also that episode with the opiate abuse was the result of an episode, and I'm sure didn't make things any better. I think I was trying to dull the symptoms. It didn't work and to this day the thought of opiates makes me sick to my stomach.