Is Drinking Necessarily a Bad Thing?

Yeah, I get that they're still in your system. Some people say though that if they plan to drink that day, they will skip their meds. So what you're saying is if you're on meds for bp, then you should always abstain from alcohol?

Yes, I compared the pros and cons, and assessed the risks, and opted to not drink at all during the time I was on psychiatric medications ... That was my decision though and may or may not be what anyone else would choose to do.

If I am not mistaken, dont we as Bipoar people tend to self medicate?? to escape emotional and physical pain?? I do it too..social alcohol..in fact Im on Yeager restriction as of last Sat nite.....I have no problem with that..but I know we will just subtitute with another form of numbing agents just to get through another day.....think about it..I am

theHighPriestess, unfortunately, drinking a FEW beers is never OK for a female. A few is a male dose. Men and women metabolize alcohol differently. 12 oz daily is the safe female dose. No more. Averaging out across many days does NOT work. Not drinking and then bingeing is NOT ok. I know, it is very unfair. But just as large doses of medications are usually dangerous, large doses of alcohol are unsafe.

Are we missing the point here??? all forms of mindaltering substances is an attempt to self medicate??? Am I wrong?

Actually, not necessarily. I may have a margarita on a hot summer's day because I enjoy a margarita on a hot summer's day; it isn't always an attempt to self medicate.

However, it is important to be honest with yourself about why you drink when you drink. If, in fact, you are trying to numb out or whatever, then yes, that would be more along the line of self-medicating and it is not a wise way to go about dealing with whatever ails you.

And . . . those of us on psychiatric medications do have a responsibility to be careful about mixing our meds with additional substances that might interact with and alter how those meds work. Personally, I almost never drink while I'm on psych meds. I find mixing the two to be irresponsible and careless. And when I do drink while on psych meds, knowing it could have stronger effects than usual, then yes, I'm choosing to drink in order to alter my mood which is a poor idea and I personally choose not to model that kind of behavior for my children.

wild child, you make a good point.

farmer, you make a good point also. When I decide to drink, my intention is innocent. I was to have a good time, celebrate. But when I'm out at the bar doing shots going overboard, I begin to self medicate. I feel the pain aqnd concern stripping away and I want more and more not to care. That's when it is unhealthy for me. And for the record, my children have never been exposed to my drinking or the fallout.

I do drink sometimes, but I don't mix it with my meds. I had a fun time Friday night, but I know I overdid it when I couldn't sleep all night. I didn't want to take the Ambien because I was scared of what it would do. Last thing I need is an overdose of any kind. But I ended up suffering because I wasn't able to sleep. I won't be drinking again for a long time, I know that for sure.

It is not mind altering for me and I drink primarily for alcohol's protective benefits. I ran thhe calculations and decided that moderate consumption, primarily of red wine, offers a net benefit for me. While it does increase the risk of breast cancer, my risk is not big due to. Late menarche, having children early in life and having logged almost ten years of breastfeeding, all factors reducing estrogen exposure. Alcohol in moderations reduces the risk of heart disease which is nice to have but not critical for me since my risk is already low due to below normal cholesterol, good diet and cardio. Alcohol also reduces the risk o stroke which again is merely nice to have since I have low blood pressure as a rule. The critical part for me is the reduction of the risk of the diseases of cognitive decline of old age - Alzheimers, dementia, things that ruined the last years of both my grandmothers. Also, red wine offers antioxidant benefits, again in moderation and only in moderation. That alcohol does not interact with my meds was something I determined from experience. But of course there are other non-achoholic methods to reduce Alz risk, such as cardio and baby aspirin. I personally choose to do all I can to help myself be independent as I age. Granted, I have the luxury of benefitting from alcohol because I do not have what is called addictive personality so I do not run the risk of overdosing and consuming toxic quantities.

Again, I think you are playing with fire. It might start out innocent, but where it will end can you really predict that ? When my mom died when I was 22 having her daily drinks and her Valium and antidepressant med, maybe she thought it was innocent. But she died and I ended up without a mother. Do you have children ? You have a mental illness you take mind altering meds do you really want to add alcohol to that mix ? Think about your children.

This whole conversation makes me a little angry. I can't tell you in words the scars and sorrow I carry every day because of the stupid decision my mother made!! Oh and the guilt I carry because I wasn't home that day to save her.
Is this a legacy you want your children to bare if one time you miscalculate!

(((Speed3))) ...

Valium is a benzo. I would not take benzos with alcohol - it can be deadly and I am sorry that it was deadly in your mother's case. What a horrible way to lose one's mother.

I do not think my moderate thinking is innocent. The word innocent implies neutrality. I would not spend my monney on wine if I thought that all I would get is a neutral outcome. I am spending money believing that I would derive a key long-term benefit. Although I get wine primarily from inexpensive Trader. Joe's it still adds up so it is not something I. Would do just for a net wash.

No, highpriestess mentioned her drinking was innocent. I wasn't referring to your post. Sorry for the confusion. Like I said I am a little sensitive on this matter and I have genuine concern. I am not implying anyone is wrong in their decision that is not my place.

I just know things can happen and I worry for all of you .
Leslie

Lol...i just had to say when i read this i had to laugh a bit to funny.

I'd add drinking for fun (and doing other mind altering substances for the same reason) is not really the same as self-medicating. Same for self-discovery or whatever. You may not agree with it... but eh, there's many reasons for playing with your mind.

Funny , Playing ya and you can end up dead. I laugh every day about it
Come on people

Humans have been drinking alcohol for milenia. And we are still around. If one can drink responsibly, then it's not that dangerous.

Living itself can result in death.

I think abilify and drinking is bad cos the abilify interacts with the alcohol but I might be getting that mixed up - I've been on too many meds to remember which one does what! Talk with your pdoc next visit.
I used to (before being pregnant) occasionally have one drink on abilify and not drive after and my pdoc was ok with that. But as oh hers have said, having a history of alcoholism and drinking anything is a different story.

Really? This is up for discussion?

I'm so sorry Speed3, I really feel for you on this.

Thank you so much
I was beginning to think I was really going insane.

Some people may think psych meds are a dangerous gamble. Venus isn't even on psych meds. Please quit judging each other on this, makes me want to pull my eyeball out. It's making me and probably others decide to not open up and share what could probably save lives if we could openly talk about our drinking and figuring out how much of a problem it might be. Speed, that is horrible about your mom, I'm so sorry.

HP, are you doing ok? I've been thinking about you.

I'm doing alright. I'm sorry that this is such a touchy subject for some people. I realize that taking benzos and drinking is not a good idea but I sincerely wanted to know if it would be ok to drink a bit while taking something like cymbalta or abilify daily. I guess the answer is no. Sorry to offend anyone. I honestly didn't know. And now I have to struggle even more with the option of drinking on occasion because I'm on these stupid meds that I don't even know if I should be on. Ugh.

Talk to your pdoc about the meds cos mine was happy to let me drink in moderation on abilify but if moderation is not possible then maybe it's best to stay away. Can you buy the alcohol in small quantities - just have 1 beer at home and none more available?

I didn't read anything judgemental. I only expressed concern. Others just expressed their own experiences. But there are tons of articles on the Internet that talk about the use of alcohol and mental illness and how it can adversely affect the course of the illness. This is so whether you take meds or not. What we all do is our choice and or consequences. This is a subject in my view were all of us dealing with mental illness really need to know the facts.

Our own doctors are probably the best source for this information.

The thing is, not even doctors can agree on "facts". And when it comes to mind altering substances, they gonna project their values into it.

And i don't pretend drinking is good for me, but eh. We all have our bad habits. I am off those slightly decadent people who say that everything they love is illegal, immoral, bad for health, fattening or highly taxed.