How does alcohol effect you guys? Does it help calm you or make you worse ? Personally ?

absolutely. I try to avoid it. But sometimes I give in.

When I'm depressed and feeling suicidal, alcohol has been the tipping point to put thoughts into actions.

When I'm anxious, I crave alcohol to sooth me.

Alcohol has sent me into a very bad mixed episode on a few occasions.

I don't drink much, or often, but I want to give it up completely, because I feel it could be the death of me someday. Suicidal ideations are sometimes too hard to resist when my judgment is impaired further by alcohol.

[Blue_Bird]

I only drink occasionally and never go overboard with it so it never causes a problem for me, I feel calm at most

I very rarely drink, and generally only one drink when I do, so no, it doesn't have much effect on my bipolar disorder. I've just never have felt the need to drink to any amount of excess that would impair my ability to do anything, even before I started taking meds.

[Moogieotter]

If I want to ensure a prolonged and painful death, I can simply pick up a drink.

[pearlys]

I drink when im restless and alone. With others i drink moderate. When i drink too much i have the impression my depression gets worse. I also drank a lot during my mixed manic state. I guess it was some kind of selfmedication.
I would like to quit completely cuz I think any drug is especially bad for people with nental health problems.
Take care.

[*Laurie*]

I don't like alcohol and I don't drink. A few years ago I took a couple of sips of my son's beer and became extremely anxious, similar to a panic attack. That really scared me. Alcohol and I just don't get on. I think that for those of us on psych meds alcohol can be dangerous in many ways.

[Edgar's Mom]

Alcohol is a depressant, so it can definitely drag you down. I stopped altogether and feel like it's much better and safer this way. It's not important enough to me to have all of the risks that come with it, and I'm not aware of any real benefit to doing it.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by Edgar's Mom

Alcohol is a depressant, so it can definitely drag you down. I stopped altogether and feel like it's much better and safer this way. It's not important enough to me to have all of the risks that come with it, and I'm not aware of any real benefit to doing it.

It is a depressant, also the weird thing about alcohol is how it causes unpredictable effects. For example, some people become very irritable and angry after drinking alcohol...or the unnerving effect those couple of sips of beer had on me that I mentioned above (terrible anxiety).

The high sugar content in alcohol might be partly responsible for some of its effects.

[champagneferret]

It really depends, honestly. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it turns me into a mess with no mouth filter and I end up saying hateful things.

I draw the line for drink at being sick. If I throw up, or feel like throwing up, the I know I've had too much.

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[gina_re]

Over the years I've lost the taste for it, but over the fourth of July weekend I had a few drinks for the first time in who knows how long. I think that was the beginning of my hypo phase...??

Oh my, does it ever. I have no tolerance for alcohol, two glasses of wine, and I go to the darkest depression for days afterward. I just avoid it altogether. I still want a drink on occasion, but I just don't.

[Lonlin3zz]

Alcohol was a great escape from the negative thinking, makes me high and super-elated. I just took it sips by sips to savor every precious drop, and forget about everything for a moment.

Comes to a night where I break out in rashes, and can't sleep. Then everything just hits back at me, worse than I thought.

Plus, alcohol is definitely bad if you use it as a gateway instead of using it to celebrate for a good cause.

[CrazyLo]

I am happy, chatty, and hyper when I'm drunk. I've noticed it worsens my mania the next day. I don't usually drink too much. Just a few drinks on social occasions. A long time ago I would binge drink to treat my social anxiety, almost every weekend and sometimes during the week too. But I don't have much social anxiety now that I'm older and have had a lot of therapy. Most alcohol makes me sick because of my history of binge drinking and getting alcohol poisoning all of the time. But I can manage a few beers from time to time.

[XenaStrikes]

Alcohol exacerbates any mood you are in.

If you are in a bad state I would advise against it.

Wishing you good health and luck in all your endeavors.

Respectfully.....

[Joshden]

Alcohol can basically stop the drugs. You can have like a glass of wine or half a beer on them but again this is highly not recommended for anyone in anti-psychotics.

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[WibblyWobbly]

Alcohol helps me. I don't drink often, maybe twice a month. I'm coming out of the worst depression I have ever had. I know alcohol is a depressant, but it loosens my mood, picks me up, and relaxes me enough so I can actually enjoy human contact, which I desperately need in order to get better. My pdoc knows and he doesn't mind that I have a few drinks here and there. I do feel sluggish the next day, but I don't have any regrets if it allowed me to feel normal for a few hours.

[CopperStar]

Roll of the dice for me. Sometimes it just turns out normal, I get drunk, sleep it off, back to normal the next day. Other times it makes things worse, and it could make my insomnia worse, or it could make my depression worse, or both. The way I see it, is that once I'm in a bad episode, alcohol cannot help. I have experienced getting totally ****-faced, sobering up and being hungover - all while awake, from night to dawn. I've also been spoiled with weed from years ago, so alcohol really does feel like a poison by comparison.

[yanks7]

I struggle with alcohol from time to time especially if I am unmedicated. It is a quick fix for me but it doesn't last long and usually will ultimately make things worse. It never seems to solve anything for me. it only numbs the pain or anxiety that I am experiencing in that moment and maybe several moments afterwards, but the problem is still there waiting for me

[xxblackrosesxx]

When I am manic and drink. I go superwoman manic and drive everyone up the wall. It caused me to ruin a chat room due to me being hyper and not making sense and spamming the room.

When I am depressed and drink. I turn to self harm and I cry a lot.

[fishin fool]

I have never abused alcohol but I love a drink now and then.
I love a glass of good bourbon but I have not had a drink in
a few months. I have been a little worried about mixing it
with the meds I am on. I admit I do miss it.

[raspberrytorte]

It's the only thing that helps when I have a paranoia attack.

When I feel myself going up, I've noticed I sabotage it by drinking, because up makes my anxiety (and paranoia) worse.

[RomanJames2014]

Alcohol makes me terrible. There's drunk. And then there's manic and drunk. When I'm drunk my mania is doubled and though my thoughts and actions are slow I still get into the trouble. I become totally slutty, I make friends with random people, I laugh and joke when I shouldn't.
It's bad haha.

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[larali]

Originally Posted by Joshden

Alcohol can basically stop the drugs. You can have like a glass of wine or half a beer on them but again this is highly not recommended for anyone in anti-psychotics.

Yeah, that is what my pdoc told me. It negates the effects of meds for a day or so. Something to do with GABA receptors in the brain.

I drink very occasionally now, hoping to stop completely. Alcohol makes me super depressed the day after I drink. This only happens with a bit more than a couple of drinks. Yesterday I had two beers, and I was fine. But I also have a problem with moderating my intake. I tend to drink way too much, usually. So it's better for me that I don't drink, and that has nothing to do with bipolar.

Also, I'm on Cymbalta and mixing it with alcohol is bad for the liver.

[loophole]

I drink to feel alive.. Makes me somewhat sociable.. But mostly to feel alive... I get a little stupid risky though.. It's probably not the best idea for me really but the risk/reward seem well worth it when your moods are so numb

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