Not sure if this belongs here or in Addictions forum. I am bipolar 1 and quit drinking. Being that alcohol is a depressant, I am wondering if my mood might elevate into mania since I'm off the alcohol.

I have been fully blown manic before when not drinking. That said, whenever I look up drinking and mania or hypomania, all I come across is that alcohol can make a person manic. Any experiences or comments?

[cashart10]

Alcohol accentuates my mood. If I am manic, it will make me a giddy fool. If I am depressed it will make me a suicidal mess. I don't drink often so I can't speak for a regular drinker coming off of alcohol. I just wanted to share that with you. Bravo to you for quitting drinking! That is a major accomplishment!

I'm a drinker when manic, I'm the last girl standing. But I don't touch the stuff when I'm depressed because it makes it worse.

[Bigmike727]

Rarely drink so I can't say anything for sure, but my smoking increases dramatically when manic so there may indeed be a correlation between drug usage and mania.

[Woolly Bugger]

I don't have the answer to your question. All I know is that, before I started taking prescription medicine for my bipolar disorder, I used to drink every night. I quit for seven years only to start again when I became quite manic in Berlin. I'll never forget the night it happened. Seven years of sobriety down the drain in about seven seconds. I have three or four beers a week now, no more, and don't think I have a problem with alcohol. I drink my beers when I'm depressed and when I'm manic. It doesn't seem to have any effect on either state. I do recognize that my drinking before was, essentially, self-medication.

Thanks for your replies. I've been sober since April 27th....went through a medical detox. Never been thru this before. I feel depressed and it looks like it's PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). I wish I'd not let the drinking get so out of hand. Oven ever doubted my bipolar but didn't realize I'd turned into an alcoholic, too!

I'm sober but feel lousy, lol.

My alcoholism is trauma centered, plus the disease. Most of my alters are drinkers, except the littles. Every single one of us has tasted the abuse, so alcohol helps some of us forget. I just don't remember.

[Row Jimmy]

I actually found I would drink MORE when I was manic or coming into mania. On my depressive side, I usually didn't want to be social so I didn't drink. Or, maybe I didn't drink because I felt guilty about my drinking. But this was an interesting diagnostic for my case. When I was manic, I partied like a Viking but in the long run or day-to-day, I didn't really need or crave alcohol. For some reason, I didn't always drink when I was manic......not sure why. Sometimes, I'd just be manic without the booze. But I didn't use alcohol to cover anything up. I just wanted to party my arse off and I was ready to crank. Then, I would go weeks without drinking. But sure enough, at some point, I'd connect the up mood to booze and I'd finish two bottles of wine at dinner or go to a party and I would be asked to leave at 3 am after either taking over or providing the entertainment. Then I'd disappear again and be depressed, sober until I went back again.

Like you, now I just don't drink anymore.

"No more beatin my brain, with a-liquor and drugs". - Iggy Pop

I drink more when hypo manic and I have a much higher tolerance to alcohol. Like Cashat it eccentuates my mood. While manic and drinking I become higher and tend to keep going until the crash. When low I get booze blues big time. I don't drink often ( especially not lately with the antibiotic) but I do still enjoy a beer or 3 when 'stable '

[RisuNeko]

I like wooly bugger used to drink daily before I was put meds to self medicate. Then I stopped drinking for a long time and now I just drink a couple of beers a week. Not more than one in a night. I just like the taste because I grew up with my dad brewing beer and he always let me taste it when it was ready.

I crave alcohol when I am manic. Otherwise I only drink when going out with friends. When manic I go out even by myself.

[bbTofu]

Not a bp, but when depressed I'd smoke a joint with a friend to fall asleep easily or just to ease the tension of the hollow feeling.

Today I mostly drink wine and rarely sip some beer.
I get similar feeling from wine and weed in the sense of easing up and I like it.
Wine makes the depression lighter.

Honestly I don't think I drink when I'm elevated or hypo-manic, but I do smoke and when I do I think I'm bursting even more until I feel like I'm gonna explode out of my body if I won't keep on going with whatever it is that's going (lol).

Frankly, I just don't drink enough to point a significant affect of drinking on me or vice-versa.

Before I got on the right med combo, I was a pretty heavy drinker. As soon as I was put on this med combo, my drinking stopped, like a miracle.

I don't remember going through any withdrawl though, or remember going manic when I quit. I can see your point that it might be possible. Keep an eye out.

Congrats on not drinking anymore. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but I'm sure the extra stability will be worth it.

Thanks again...happy to report I'm day 23 sober.

[RisuNeko]

Congratulations! That's great!

[Pikku Myy]

I can personally say alcohol brings the worst out of my delightful personality. I get super anxious and start having panic attacks I am much better off around people that do not drink.

[ChaoticSymphony]

Google pink cloud. You may be experiencing that too

[ChaoticSymphony]

I had quit for 3 months and was on cloud 9 but then a horrible depression took over and I started drinking again. Lots of people warned that this could happen but I didn't think it would so wasn't proactive With watching my moods and all of the sudden I'm in the hospital for a suicide attempt. I'm not at all trying to sound discouraging just a friendly warning to take extra care in charting your moods.

I am happy to report my drinking is not as bad as it was before I quit but alcoholicsm is sneaky so I'm not hopeful this will remain but trying my damnedest to remain strict.

[Nammu]

I can take it or leave it when I'm manic or depressed but when I'm in a mixed state I crave it.