Bipolar + depression + alcohol = ????

[Onit]

My husband is bipolar depressive and LOVES a drink. He had 15 months of abstinence following a 12 week CBT program and it seems like he is well and truly off the wagon now. In addition, he is having his medication reduced with a view to coming off it totally to see what he is like without the medication. This is something that I'm not happy about but then, who knows if the medication is hampering his ability to be "normal"?

I'm at my wits' end anyhow with regard to the way he flat out lies to the doctor about not drinking while reducing the medication when he is drinking. He acknowledged having a couple of binges recently to the doc but I am sick of hearing the empty promises, as is his family. I don't want him to resort to self-medicating with alcohol again, self-harming and having to be admitted to the ED (this has happened twice).

Any advice for me and any for me to offer to him from the perspective of other sufferers of these illnesses?

[nandm]

Welcome to the mental health forum and SR.

From the perspective of a bipolar recovering alcoholic, I can say that while there are days when I feel like my mental health issues were better managed when I drank and did not take medication when I truly break it down and look at my past I can see that this is only an illusion and false hope.

I have been sober almost 9 years now. I was diagnosed bipolar nearly 7 years ago. Medications do help to some degree but I have not been fortunate enough to find the right combination yet. I recently changed doctors and am hoping the new one who believes in combining therapy and medication management will be able to better manage my illness. My bipolar is complicated by PTSD which presents with some symptoms which overlap with the bipolar.

I would recommend checking out our friends and family of alcoholics forum. I don't know if your husband is or is not an alcoholic but it sounds like you could use the support of people who know what it is like to live with someone who is drinking excessively and having it interfere with the managebility of their life. ALANON is also a wonderful group which can help you gain the tools to help you. I would also recommend reading a book called "The Bipolar Handbook." It will help you immensely with understanding bipolar disorder. Here is a link to the thread which gives excerpts from the book as well as the authors name: http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...lar-facts.html (Interesting Bi-polar facts)

[WantToHeal]

Bipolar + depression + alcohol = A life lived in a constant state of fear and self-loathing.

No bipolar here, but a healthy dose of depression and anxiety. I can tell you from personal experience that drinking:

• Screwed up the effectiveness of my medication;
• Increased my anxiety and panic;
• Put my self esteem in the crapper;
• Alienated those close to me; and
• Lowered my motivation to do other things that contribute to my health and well-being.

30 days ago, I realized I had to make a decision between drinking and better mental and physical health. And for me, personally, there is a clear choice to be made. I have to do one, or the other. No halfway measures one way or the other was going to cut it.

So I stopped drinking and began an aggressive program of recovery, including one-on-one therapy , medication adjustment, regular exercise, better nutrition, improvement in grooming and personal hygeine, relaxation and deep breathing practice, and a conscious effort to spend more quality time with my loved ones.

Am I "cured"? No, not by a long shot. I have a very long road ahead of me to truly make lasting, meaningful changes in my life. But I can tell you, without a doubt, that my world looks better, day by day.

I hope your husband is able to achieve the peace and stability he deserves. I am 100% convinced that he will not find it in a bottle.

[dingleberry]

It must be frustrating for you. I have years of experience the same as your husband. Used alchol to self-medicate but since I began Lamictal andPaxil in Jan. the regular urges to drink were less frequent. I did have a few binges though. No drink in 4 mos now; alcohol would make the highs higher and the lows lower like the meds were doing nothing at all. I had to make a choice.....how much do I REALLY want a better existence how far will I go to NOT repeat the past. My behavior got too detrimental on alcohol...alienated everyone. They still won't believe I'm doing better. No its bad to mix meds with alcohol; Has he tried Lamictal? Just spport him anyway and take care of YOU first. Menton often what hes doing to himself. Handing BiPolar sober is much easier on him and family members than staying stuck with old habits/addictions. I hope this helps Take care