Bipolar Disorder and Alcohol The Shocking Truth
Published: Wed, 08/05/09
Hi ,
I hope you're doing ok.
I have had so many people ask
me about bipolar disorder and
alcohol that I felt that I should
write an email about it to address
the issues surrounding it.
For one thing, and this is very recent,
so you may have read about it in
my bipolar news, there was a report
that came out that said that impulsivity
(like the kind found in bipolar disorder)
runs a risk for alcoholism.
In other words, if your loved one already
has bipolar disorder, they are already
prone to alcoholism.
During a manic episode, there is a
tendency to be impulsive.
According to this report, that impulsivity
puts them at a greater risk for alcoholism.
Now, if there was already alcoholism
in their family, they are at an even
greater risk.
Here's another issue:
It's sort of like which came first, the
chicken or the egg?
Some people, before they were diagnosed,
self-medicated their symptoms with
alcohol.
Other people drank alcohol before they
were diagnosed.
Now they have two problems.
They have bipolar disorder AND they
have alcoholism.
But were they alcoholics who later
developed bipolar disorder?
Or did they have bipolar disorder and
later developed alcoholism?
Here's the point:
It doesn't really matter!
In medical terms, it's called "comorbidity,"
or "dual diagnosis."
What that means is that the person now
has two diagnoses, or two disorders at
the same time, and that BOTH disorders
need to be addressed in order for them
to get better.
In my courses and systems, I talk about
what happens when you self-medicate,
and how dangerous that can be:
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Here's another way that a person
with bipolar disorder can be affected
by alcohol - a very dangerous way:
During a bipolar manic episode, it is
normal to feel very exhilarated, very
"on top of the world," so to speak.
The person might feel "invincible,"
as if nothing could harm them.
It is not uncommon for them to go
off their medications (which is probably
what put them into the episode in the
first place) and to start drinking alcohol.
But here's where the problem arises.
They start drinking more and more,
and when the episode is over, they find
that they now have a drinking problem,
or are an alcoholic.
But here's the most DANGEROUS problem
of bipolar disorder and alcohol of all:
Some people will take alcohol with their
medication.
This combination can actually KILL them!
Whether you have bipolar disorder or not,
you can read your prescription labels, and
it will tell you, "Do not take with alcohol."
There is a reason for that!
It has been proven that alcohol has an
adverse effect on prescription medications!
Bipolar medications are some of the
strongest medications around.
Combining them with alcohol can cause
serious adverse reactions.
Like I said, these reactions can even be
FATAL!
The reactions can also cause the person
to become delusional, or even hallucinate.
They can even cause the person to become
a danger to themselves or others.
For all these reasons, someone with bipolar
disorder should stay away from drinking
alcohol!!!
If you believe that your loved one with bipolar
disorder also has a problem with alcohol as well,
then they need help.
Try to get them to see a professional as soon
as possible for diagnosis and treatment.
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Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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