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Bipolar as a cause of alcoholism

Old 08-24-2011, 04:14 PM
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Bipolar as a cause of alcoholism

My long term AW was recently diagnosed as bipolar 2. She now claims that the only reason she is an alcoholic is because of the bipolar. Was self medicating by bing drinking. I am not buying it yet because she has a long history of reasons why she is an alcoholic. None were her fault. Fixing the issues has never stoped her from drinking. So my question is, could it be true or is she in denial? She keeps throwing up the stats that lots of bipolars are also alcoholics as proof. I have not found any plublished proof but do find links sugesting the possibility that alcoholism can trigger bipolar.
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Old 08-24-2011, 04:26 PM
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I can't speak for anyone else, and I am not a doctor; however, I too struggled with drinking for several years before being diagnozed with bi-polar disorder. I tried several medications before being given the right one for me and once I did, the drinking did stop. I also had the support of my husband who assured me the marriage would be over if I continued to drink so I had that incentive which I would not have had otherwise. Even after being treated I still wanted to drink because it had become such a regular part of my life and had to address what was triggering my cravings. Additionally, I saw a doctor and psychiatrist who regulated my medication as I was detoxing. I would definately speak with your doctor about how to go about quitting as it can be dangerous. Best of luck to you both.
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Old 08-24-2011, 04:42 PM
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I see it as a which came first, the chicken or the egg, problem. I don't know if my bipolar drove my alcohol abuse or the alcohol abuse drove the bipolar. All I know is that today I have two separate issues that are intertwined. They are separate because the two things are treated very differently for me. I treat my alcoholism with Alcoholics Anonymous and my bipolar disorder with meds and therapy. They are intertwined because if I don't treat my alcoholism then I either won't treat my bipolar or the treatment will not be as effective and if I don't treat my bipolar then I am more likely to start drinking again. I have to treat both illness'.

Today I no longer question which came first or what might have caused what. I have seen many dual diagnosed people in AA but I have also seen many who have absolutely no clue or experience with mental illness. Actually the latter can be quite dangerous as they are the ones who tend to preach "you are not sober if you are using any 'mind altering' drugs" which to them means mental health meds. I have learned to just ignore their naivety and do what I know is right for me which is to treat both the diseases I have
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Old 08-24-2011, 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted by WendyAussie View Post
An important note on that - therapy is crucial to augment recovery when taking psychiatric medications. Together they actually change the function and even the STRUCTURE of the brain, re-mapping our old pathways, as does AA. I need all three - psychiatry, psychology and AA.
This is so true and it took me years of being treated before I realized that meds alone were not the key to treating the illness. I also needed therapy to, as you say "re-map the old pathways" of the brain. With meds alone I continued to progressively get worse. Even to the point of no longer being able to work. It has only been in the past two years that I have started therapy as well. By adding it I am multiplying my chances of things getting better. Excellent point, thanks
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Old 08-24-2011, 06:33 PM
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I was involved in a support forum for folks with bipolar for several years and from what I saw only a small percentage of the members were alcoholics. I was drinking alcoholically for several years before I experienced mood swings or major depressions that came out of the blue.
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Old 08-25-2011, 10:35 AM
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I'm not an alcoholic but am the wife of an AH and I have bipolar2. I've never seen the chicken and the egg thing applied to bipolar re alcoholism. I see it all the time re depression though. Alcoholism and withdrawal do cause depression but was the depression there to begin with? Bipolar usually hits during late teens - early twenties. I self-medicated - I had severe anxiety and to feel normal I'd drink a bottle of wine with company or have a drink before I had to go anywere. I likely drank when I was hypomanic too because of the impulseviness and to calm myself. People will drink during depression to take away the pain or use other drugs. I needed the alcohol and planned things around it but once I dealt with the anxiety the thought of alcohol never crossed my mind. I might have a glass of wine if it's there but I never buy it and I'll have glass and I'm done - one more and I'm under the table. Bipolar hits when you're young but that doesn't mean you're diagnosed young. I was diagnosed in my 30's.

You likely all know about the biology and genetics of alcoholism but I think there's environmental and psychological factors. I had a problem with drinking while I was sick and it went away with meds so am/was I an alcoholic? It's complicated.

I've never heard of alcohol causing bipolar but I do think that bipolar can cause alcoholism. I believe there's something in the brain likely the pleasure centres that predisposes a drinker to become an A. The self-medicating would lead to alcoholism if you're predisposed.

I belong to an online support group for mood disorder and there's an addiction board there so MI and addiction often do go hand in hand. This board is here for that reason and I wish the families would come on here. There has got to be MI family who deal with acoholic family members. Addicts post here and there are likely lots who read. Because of the stigma people will rarely discuss MI or A unless there's a separate board. The fact that there are separate boards tells me that it happens. It's complicated - IMO self-medication is common and if you're predisposed to alcoholism that self-medication likely will take you down to alcoholism. IMO bipolar and addiction are separate.

Your wife was recently diagnosed. It takes awhile to get the right meds and then get the dosages right before she'll feel better. If your wife can go through withdrawal and deal with bipolar at the same time - even medicated - the withrawal will be alot harder for her. I honestly don't know how people do it. Insanity x 100. I'm medicated and doing well, I quit smoking for 3 weeks and realized that the withdrawal became hypomania. It took me 3 weeks to realize - I felt like I did off of the meds - started smoking again. It's been weeks since I went back to smoking and the last 3 days have been normal - it drove me over the edge. Not everyone is the same, people on here have done it. I have so much respect for them.

I'm sure I've completely confused you. Educate yourself about bp, it's hard on families and there's support but not much. The focus is on the patient which frustrates the families. Having to live with someone who has bp is similar to living with an A. It's a roller coaster ride. I'd say the coping skills are similar.
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Old 08-25-2011, 11:13 AM
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Just wanted to add - I will quit smoking but this time I'll do it under the supervision and with the help of a psychiatrist. There are likely temp. meds (not tranquilizers) which will make it do-able. Someone here mentioned safe detox. Hopefully it was a psychiatrist who diagnosed her. I wouldn't attempt going through any withdrawal without her psychiatrist being in charge of it.
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Old 08-25-2011, 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by nandm View Post
I see it as a which came first, the chicken or the egg, problem. I don't know if my bipolar drove my alcohol abuse or the alcohol abuse drove the bipolar. All I know is that today I have two separate issues that are intertwined.
I agree with the chicken or egg theory. I eventually came to the conclusion that I suffered from clinical depression starting in adolescence and eventually started to self-medicate with alcohol/drugs.

Regardless, I am responsible for both the treatment of my alcoholism/addictions, and my mental health issues.
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Old 08-25-2011, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by WendyAussie View Post
She needs to be in AA and she needs pych help simple as that.
She may need to be in some sort of formal program to address her drinking problem, but there is nothing on this earth that says that program HAS to be AA. I am in SMART Recovery, and that works for me just fine.
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Old 08-25-2011, 03:20 PM
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Hi Hayfmr,
I do think bipolar can lead to alcoholism - or any form of self medicating - if undiagnosed. I'm pretty sure my ex had bipolar, he had all the classic symptoms, but for him it was more "acceptable" to drink and take illegal drugs than to take psych drugs. In his case I do think the bipolar came first as I knew him from childhood.
I think it's pretty tough for most of us to face up to and accept that we have a mental health problem. I have battled depression myself most of my life, but I still fight taking antidepressants, so i can kind of understand.
But I still think your AW has to be capable of taking responsibility for her actions, just because you have a mental health disorder doesn't mean you're allowed now to be like a child with no responsibility for yourself. That is a major turn-off for anyone to be in relationship with!
So while she can probably say that she was self-medicating herself, and that can be true, she still should have to take responsibility for the problems she caused others by doing that. I suppose that would be when you could feel you trusted her again.
That's the way I view it anyway.
It's a hard position to be in, and it kind of sounds like you've had enough already! She has to understand you too, not just you her. xx
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Old 08-25-2011, 08:22 PM
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We have been together 25 years. She had a drinking problem before we me but kept it hidded from me untill after we had been married quite a while. The alcoholism slowy got worse untill she totaled the car and got a DWI. Went with defered prosecution and stayed sober for 7 years. She also went thru two inpatient programs before the dwi. When she started drinking again she spiraled out of controll very fast. Another long term inpatient program that worked for a couple of months. She is now at the point where her last 3 binges have resulted in a trip to the ER and detox. Last time was a week at the mental health unit where she came home with the bipolar diagnosis. I was already at the point where I was finished and had hired the lawyer. After the last binge she begged me to stop the divorce. I enden up putting it on hold with some conditions for her. None of them were followed. So needless to say during the last binge I restarted the divorce filing. She claims that she drank to self medicate for the anxiety. Now she says the bipolar meds have cured her and she has no desire to drink. She has been on the meds less than 3 weeks. Not much of a track record in my opinion. I still want out of the marriage. She says I am being unfair and need counseling because she is now cured. Maybe she is but the damage from 20 years of binge drinking has been so severe that I don't trust her or care anymore.
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Old 08-25-2011, 11:52 PM
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Hey Hayfrm, I'm at the end of my rope with my husband too. Believe me I get it. I stuck around for a long time after my husband had a couple of heart attacks. He went on dissability and things in our relationship got even worse. Being together 24/7 pushed me to the end of my rope with him. We've been married 28 years. When it's gone downhill for that long there isn't anything left there. I'm at the point that I told my husband that wether he's sober or drunk he's leaving in 1 year. That gives him enough time to make plans and gives me time to get finances in order. I still don't think he gets it.

Your wife needs to deal with her alcoholism and her mental illness. It takes a long time for those meds to work and they might have to switch her to different ones until something works. I don't see how it's possible to get her meds right if she's drinking. I have 1 glass of wine and I'm done. Mixing meds with alcohol is dangerous. If she does quit drinking she still needs to take responsibility for her illness. Dealing with her bp is her job not yours.

Your situation at home isn't going to change for a long time. It won't change at all if she doesn't give up the alcohol. I'm 54 and I figure I've got a good 20 years of quality life ahead of me and I don't want to spend those years just surviving.
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Old 08-26-2011, 05:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Hayfmr View Post
Now she says the bipolar meds have cured her and she has no desire to drink.
She's quacking. She has to address the alcoholism as well as the bipolar if she's going to have long-term success.

I think for most of us, the mental health issues and the alcoholism were very intertwined, but that's no excuse for not addressing the alcoholism.

You said she stayed sober for 7 years at one time, and that tells me she does have the tools for recovery.

She may pick those tools up...she may not. It sounds like she isn't willing to, and will be headed for another drunk in the future.

Sending you hugs of support!
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Old 08-26-2011, 08:25 AM
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I took a drug for bi-polar and was so flat and unmotivated I needed- wanted a drink and some drugs to "feel". zyprexa yuck !!!

Dual diagnosis facts > www.plosmedicine.org/

this article explained to me the origin of the dual diagnosis model and history of bipolar drugs.
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Old 08-28-2011, 07:20 AM
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Bipolar Disorder made that space for me to do many, many really stupid things, including crystal meth. I was in my late 30's before I was diagnosed! I had NO idea I was bipolar but it explained soooo many of my decisions. I am currently being treated with Seroquel which has been a lifesaver, literally. The nice side-effect is I now sleep like a baby.
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Old 08-29-2011, 11:40 AM
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It doesn't matter why someone winds up an active alcoholic, it only matter that they can admit they are one and take action.
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Old 09-04-2011, 08:19 AM
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She has been home for about 3 weeks now. Been faithfully taking her meds and seeking out help including AA. So far she is sober and seems to be stable. She tells me that the bipolar caused severe anxiety. She drank to self medicate even though the drinking made everything worse. Seems to fit in with some of the responses here. I was at the point of wanting out of the marriage at any cost, but she is begging me to stay. Says I am giving up now that she has found the proper treatment. Maybe she has, or maybe not. I just dont know. I have to soon decide if I am going ahead with the divorce or giving her another chance. Neither option will be fun.
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Old 09-04-2011, 06:07 PM
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Take a listen to Burns B. on xa speakers.

Medical doctor, member of aa. He talks about the disease of alcoholism. Same % of non alcoholics as alcoholics who have mental illnesses...take a listen.

Chicken, or egg...which came first!
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Old 09-08-2011, 09:47 PM
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Your wife is not alone. I was diagnosed as bipolar in 2007 at 40 yo. All my formative years, teen years and adult years have been marked with depression, suicide attempts, 20 moves to 3 states and all the while periods of heavy drinking, periods of abstinence from alcohol and weed, which later led to other things.

Bi polar left me uninhibited, no thought of consequence or other people. When I would come down, I would get drunk to deal with the shame, guilt and remorse. Both diseases are fatal left untreated. I take my medication, go to a therapist, psychiatrist and most important, AA.

AA and my sponsor were the catalyst in my acceptance of the MI. At first, I resisted, which is not unusual in alcoholism or bi-polar. At this moment, for the first time, I know this is the right path.

Not sure what your decision will be but just know that she is in the solution, trying to get well.
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Old 09-09-2011, 06:01 AM
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exploited

Originally Posted by Freedom1990 View Post
I agree with the chicken or egg theory. I eventually came to the conclusion that I suffered from clinical depression starting in adolescence and eventually started to self-medicate with alcohol/drugs.

Regardless, I am responsible for both the treatment of my alcoholism/addictions, and my mental health issues.
That's how I look at it. Not only are medical conditions being exploited as excuses for someone's behavior many look at a medical solution only for their sobriety. In an abusers mind I think medical problems are used as an excuse for everything even though they have seperate issues.

It's so true that individuals are responsible to deal with THEIR issues.
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