ITSGOTIME

When I drink I find myself in a good mood and lazy daisy. During the day I hate my job, and anyone else that comes near me. I lash out at loved ones and make them feel like crap. My mom told me tonight I'm bipolar and need help from a doctor. So in your experiences if any one has had this experience.... does alcohol do this to you like is a withdrawl symptom or have you've been to a dr and it turned out the alcohol addiction and bipolar addiction go together. Yes I will see a dr, will call them Monday. Just asking for other peoples experiences. thanx in advance

Anna

Many people use alcohol to self-medicate a variety of mental issues - depression, anxiety, ocd, etc. But, being bipolar is not an addiction, it's a mental illness. And, if you are concerned, then it's good you are seeing your dr.

Johnston

Happy when drunk, slightly psycho the morning after at times. Now reasonably happy most of the time sober.

lala34mc

Mood swings all over the place. You should absolutely see a doctor. When I wasn't drinking I was pissed off, agitated, impatient and physically sick. And I'd alternate between manic and depressed several times a day.

ITSGOTIME

exactly Johnston and lala, I just don't wanna get on meds and be all dopey all day. I was on paxil for anxiety years ago and was so tired and dopey all day, ugh

pattyj

I am bipolar and an alcoholic. I haven't opted for bipolar meds just yet because my mood swings could be heightened since I quit 5 months ago. I've done some research and although bipolar and alcoholism don't always go hand in hand, it can be tricky to treat both. I take an anti anxiety med at the moment and its fabulous, no crazy side effects. I was diagnosed with bipolar at 22, I'm 30 now and haven't been on bipolar meds in years due to an allergic reaction. See a doctor, but your moods will be out of whack for awhile as your body is adjusting to being drug free.

Whiterhino24

What anti anxiety med do you take? I can't find one that fits for me yet.

Acheleus

I had terrible mood swings when I was drinking. I had 44 days sober a few months ago and they disappeared, I also am taking antidepressants and anti anxiety medication. Alcohol definitely made me feel annoyed and miserable all the time. It was only when I had three or four beers that I felt normal, then I would not stop drinking and I would not remember anything. Being afraid of what I did in a blackout made my anxiety even worse.

Wastinglife

When I was a daily drinker, I was a miserable basterd all day at work. I had a rain cloud over my head until I got home and had that first drink. Then, the cloud disappeared and the sun shone down on me, life wasn't so bad. A bottle vodka later, I would then be angry at the world. Not sad or depressed. Just angry, mad at everything. Then I would usually pass out until work the next morning and be all sad and miserable again.

I would say that until you stop drinking, it would be hard to determine exactly what the cause of your mood swings are. But booze sure put me on an emotional rollercoaster.

sugarbear1

I've heard true bipolar can take a while to really be diagnosed

alcohol always made me "bipolar" with emotions....what went up had to come down and never had a chance to even out....

not bipolar today, after 2 years+ of sobriety.

pattyj

I take a low dose of Prozac. I get rather anxious without it and am calm but not out of it when I take it.

pattyj

I agree that bipolar takes awhile to diagnose and is especially difficult to do with an alcoholic since we are going through a thousand emotions at once, while drinking and then in recovery. That's why I want to wait on bipolar meds until I have had more time to digest my emotions. I may not either need meds or be bipolar. But I doubt the latter, my family is laden with mental illnesses.