By far the most sought after post in my blog is the one I wrote about alcohol. I am surprised by the raw nerve that this has hit with people. People are searching for answers when it comes to this. Well, I have bipolar disorder so I cannot speak to the loved ones that are walking this path with their bipolar counterpart. But I can address all of us that are bipolar…
Don’t drink!!!
I come from a long line of alcoholics. The bipolar part of my family drinks. The co-dependent part of my family drinks. Some of my family drank themselves to death. Others drink so much that they are trying to cover up that they want to die or are trying to die through drinking.
I have chosen not to drink. I have chosen to use legal chemicals to alter how I interact. I take Lamictal and Zyprexa right now, but at times I have taken several other prescription meds, just like my doctor said to. Don’t kid yourself. If you are taking prescription meds but not how they are prescribed to you then you are abusing drugs.
What part of “alcohol is a depressant” has you the most confused? Alcohol will make you more depressed. More angry. More upset. More suicidal. More bipolar!!! And who wants any of that?
My family is medicating with alcohol. Alcohol is a piss poor medication for treating bipolar. It just makes everything worse.
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May 11, 2009 at 2:45 pm
marcodante
Alcohol is a big issue, and one that I personally struggle with. Especially when the drugs don’t work. If you’re waiting a month for some drug to kick in (or not) and you are in the depths of despair, alcohol seems like a good, if not the only option to stop the pain, at least for a little while. And while I avoid the hard stuff, I still find it difficult to avoid wine, even knowing that the long term effect is likely to be a negative one.
I am not convinced that drugs work. I read over and over again about people who say their drugs ARE working, only to find out later that they stopped working and that they are now trying something else, another combination.
I have been drug free for several months, but because of the disorder, I find it difficult to implement/maintain those things (yoga/meditation) that might help me maintain a better balance.
Anyway, thanks for the post and the reminder that even a glass of wine is not healthy for me in the long run.
Marco http://bipolarized.wordpress.com