If I was being honest with myself, before I finally was diagnosed and starting meds thta actually worked, I was on the path to alcoholism.

My older sister is a full blown alcoholic, which might have helped me some. It at least kept me mindful that it could become a reality for me too.

I was easily a 6 pack a day drinker for a long time. I would drink alone just as much as socially.

Such a double edged sword though. It would "turn off the machine" for awhile, but way too often that frieght train sped right into uncontrolable downward mood swings. Such a bad and scary situation because in that state I lose any sort of coping mechanisms. It was scary for me and scary for the ones that were around me.

Taking Lamictal changed all of this pretty quickly. I had less urge to "turn off the machine". For the times when I did start drinking I would feel awful, which has to be a side effect of the Lamictal. I never had any hang overs previously, other than if I drank enough to almost black out.

Now, I rarely drink. The most I might do is a beer in a social sitation, maybe once a month.