I'm not formally dual-diagnosed, but I am a recovering alcoholic with bipolar 1 and I took my last drink 23 years ago tonight. It CAN be done, one day at a time, one crisis at a time, one white-knuckled minute at a time. Using alcohol only complicates bipolar, and vice-versa. You can do this! Go to a meeting, talk to other people in the same situation, and of course you can always vent here where there are lots of people going through some of the difficult things you are.