Well, hello there! If anyone has information on this subject its me, your resident BP/Alcoholic! LOL

Recently BP diagnosed but now I can see the self medicating since I was a kid. I used to medicate with food. Once I had gastric bypass many years ago, and couldn't eat to medicate I then moved onto alcohol to change how I felt. I was skinny (back then, not anymore...ha) and alcohol was instantly absorbed into my body due to part of my small intestines being taken out. Talk about a high! Whooo Hooooo! That lasted until my first DWI a few years ago and then I got sober after rehab. I was sober for a couple of years but then I went back out one night (realize I was manic now), then went back to AA and was sober again for about a year and a half. Then I started going out about 3-4 times a year in a manic state. Each time the consequences were worse. Jumping out of a car, hospital visit, and latest is the DWI.

Definitely look into some sort of program. Speaking for myself, I can't drink period or ever again!!! The consequences are too great and now I know why I'm doing it. I'm hoping that me being newly diagnosed and hopefully getting on good meds will help me not want to self medicate with alcohol anymore. However, I will say that having a sober peer group is awesome. There are others out there besides AA. Also, there is a new app for your iphone that is called Sober Grid. It's convenient.

Good luck to you!