[Icare dixit]

Do you drink alcohol?

How often/much? Would you say you were addicted?

Do you consider it self-medication?

I drink very little alcohol and I only used it to self-medicate during longer, severe manic periods/episodes, to sleep.

[Blaire]

I self medicated with alcohol for years and ended up physically dependent. It was a very ugly situation. I got sober 15 months ago and know without question that I can never touch the stuff again. When I'm drinking, I become profoundly unstable and act on my suicidal thoughts. Neurontin and Atarax treated my anxiety and made it possible for me to stay sober. Anxiety was my #1 trigger, and alcohol has a snowball effect with that.

[benzenering]

Not sure what the purpose of this is, but I'll play along...

Do you drink alcohol? Yep

How often/much? Daily, a lot

Would you say you were addicted? Probably so

Do you consider it self-medication? Maybe, hard to tell I've been doing it for so long

I drink very little alcohol and I only used it to self-medicate during longer, severe manic periods/episodes, to sleep. You are very lucky to be a able to take it or leave it, I am unable to do that

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by benzenering

Not sure what the purpose of this is, but I'll play along...

Do you drink alcohol? Yep

How often/much? Daily, a lot

Would you say you were addicted? Probably so

Do you consider it self-medication? Maybe, hard to tell I've been doing it for so long

I drink very little alcohol and I only used it to self-medicate during longer, severe manic periods/episodes, to sleep. You are very lucky to be a able to take it or leave it, I am unable to do that

Just so that we may share experiences. It could help, I hope. As I don't have a problem with alcohol, it may seem (almost; I really hope not and didn't intend anything like that) like judging or shaming or something, but it's not like that at all. I'm addicted to nicotine and it's very much self-medication while it can be more or less equally bad when depressed, causing a rise in anxiety (the dynamics are different, but there are some similarities).

I am (indeed, truly) very lucky when it comes to alcohol.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Blaire

I self medicated with alcohol for years and ended up physically dependent. It was a very ugly situation. I got sober 15 months ago and know without question that I can never touch the stuff again. When I'm drinking, I become profoundly unstable and act on my suicidal thoughts. Neurontin and Atarax treated my anxiety and made it possible for me to stay sober. Anxiety was my #1 trigger, and alcohol has a snowball effect with that.

Yes, I completely understand the snowball effect. Glad you could escape that vicious circle.

[hopeless2015]

Yes I drink, every weekend. I don't drink as much as I used to but still drinking. Yes I'm self medicating.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[bizi]

I think my pdoc just took a course on bipolar. This is the first time in 13 years that she has asked me to do a mood chart or talked about rapid cycling 3 or more episodes in a year. She wants data to know what to do with me (she thinks I am under medicated) so am doing the best that I can documenting my days.How do I document my excitement over our trip with out appearing hypomanic?

goals and stats:
7-10 drinks per week.
6-8 hours of sleep a night.
3-4 mood scale.

AF= Alcohol free
Mod= 1-3 drinks
DD= 4 or more drinks in a setting

Mood values/numbers:

0=suicidal
1=depressed
2=low mood
3=baseline mood
4=a little above baseline
5=hypomanic
6=manic
7=psychotic or an episode requiring zyprexa

4-24 Mod 3 pints=4 last day of festival!, mood= 4
4-25 AF, slept 7, mood= 3
4-26 mod 2 root beers, slept 6, mood= 3
4-27 AF, slept 6, mood= 3
4-28 AF, slept 7, mood= 3
4-29 Mod 1 pint=1.25, slept 8, mood= 3
4-30 AF

Drinks per week= 7.25, 4 AF days

5-1 Mod 3 pints,=4 slept 8, mood= 3
5-2 AF, slept 7, mood =4
5-3 AF, slept 7, mixed mood=4/2 extreme fatigue 1 hour nap
5-4 AF, slept 7, mood=3
5-5 AF, slept 6, mood =4 planning trip
5-6 Mod 3.5 beers, slept 7 , mixed/mood =4/2 extreme fatigue, 2 hour nap
5-7 DD 4 beers, slept 6.5, mood= 3/2 extreme fatigue again, no nap

Drinks per week= 11.5, 4 AF days

5-8 Mod (1 big 24 oz can 8%)=3.5, slept 8 hours, mood=3
5-9 AF slept 6.5 hours, mood=3
5-10 AF slept 6.5 hours, mood= 3
5-11 AF slept 7 hours, mood= 3
5-12 Mod 2 beers, slept 7.5, mood=3
5-13 AF slept 6 hours, mood=3/2 had to take nap
5-14 AF slept 7 hours , mixed mood=3/4 vacation shopping/organizing, got alot done!!!!!

Drinks per week= 5.5, 5 AF days

5-15 Mod 3 pints of beer=4, slept 7 hours, mood=3/2 took nap
5-16 Mod 3 drinks, slept 6.5 hours, mixed mood=3/2/4 took nap then planning trip
5-17 AF slept 7 hours, mood=3/2/3 took early nap
5-18 AF slept 8 hours, mood=3
5-19 Mod 1 root beer, slept 6.5 hours, mood=4 trip planning
5-20 Mod 3 pints=4, slept 7 hours, mood=4 trip planning
5-21 AF slept 6 hours, mixed mood= 3/2/4 (2 hour dizziness in bed).

Drinks per week=12, 3 AF days.

Goals for week:

5-22 DD 2 x14 oz of 10% stouts=4.5 beers/units, slept 7.5 hours, mood=4
5-23 AF slept 7 hours , mood=3
5-24 Mod 2 pints=3, slept 6.5 hours, mood=3
5-25 AF slept 6 hours, mood=3
5-26 AF slept 7 hours, mood=3
5-27 DD, 2x10%=4.5, 2x5%, 1 small margarita=7.5, slept 5hours, mood=4
5-28 Mod 2 beers, slept 7 hours mood 3

drinks for week 17, 3 AF days

bizi

[Icare dixit]

It's just that alcohol addiction (and other addictions) co-occurs a lot with BP and I think it's good to be open about it.

[bizi]

If you look at my drinking record over the past 5 weeks. There appears to be a pattern developing.
When I drink I have an elevated mood and for the most part am not able to stop at just Mod, that was my goal. While even though I have 3or more AF days per week, I have more DD days than mod days when I do drink.
So I am still not reaching my goals. I have one more full week before our vacation where I will not be recording any thing, will take a break from that. I have been recording now for years my drinking behavior( except when on vacation that is...and I always drink too much).
Having some friends over for dinner and they don't drink so today will be AF for sure.
Last night, we were invited over to a friends house for drinks and I did not want to stay at home so I went along. Ended up haveing a great time. We rated and sampled different beers. It was good and I estimated I had a total of 2 beers. So mod for the night.

bizi

[Icare dixit]

That's very detailed bizi! Inspiring. I stopped charting/documenting my mood some time ago, but it might be a good idea to start doing that again. It just is discouraging or too much when in a mixed state and it seemed pointless when stable for a long time (but I later realised it was rather a manic period).

Are you aiming for only AFs?

[bizi]

no mamm.
My goals were to not drink and drive which I have maintained for the most part.
To have 3-4 days AF which I have maintained.
To only drink Mod (1-3 drinks in a setting) which I have not done.
DD is 4 or more drinks.

My goal is to be mod 2 pints of beer which usually equals 2.5-3 beers.(they are higher alcohol % beers).
thanks for asking.
bizi

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by bizi

If you look at my drinking record over the past 5 weeks. There appears to be a pattern developing.
When I drink I have an elevated mood and for the most part am not able to stop at just Mod, that was my goal. While even though I have 3or more AF days per week, I have more DD days than mod days when I do drink.
So I am still not reaching my goals. I have one more full week before our vacation where I will not be recording any thing, will take a break from that. I have been recording now for years my drinking behavior( except when on vacation that is...and I always drink too much).
Having some friends over for dinner and they don't drink so today will be AF for sure.
Last night, we were invited over to a friends house for drinks and I did not want to stay at home so I went along. Ended up haveing a great time. We rated and sampled different beers. It was good and I estimated I had a total of 2 beers. So mod for the night.

bizi

Maybe you can make more of your AF days into (really) Mod days so you don't associate drinking with getting wasted but with moderation. It might also help to not drink beer (though sampling would be fine) and treat a drink more like a luxury, if you know what I mean. I'd suggest Scotch. It ain't cheap, so that might help. Maybe wine. Maybe, just maybe, (something with) rum. Anything that isn't very much associated with binge drinking.

Is DD really binging or not that bad really?

[violetgreen]

In retrospect, I self-medicated with alcohol for 33 years. Stopped drinking 7 1/2 years ago. I'm addicted, so I think of alcohol as poison to me, went to AA for 5 years, and don't drink at all anymore.

[Wander]

I drink between 4 - 6 ish beers a day, and yes I am self-medicating. Both my T and pdoc are concerned, especially since I often drink before midday. Right now I am in a mixed state and I am trying to ease up on the drinking with little success. I think I have a problem and I am almost willing to get serious about it. This mixed state is driving me into crisis so something has to give soon. I hate it that alcohol has power over me. This has to end. I just don't know how to stop it.

I used to self medicate with alcohol frequently. Primarily for anxiety. I gave it up a few years ago but will allow myself a cocktail if I go out to dinner. Drinking used to be a very big concern of mine and I didn't think it was in my nature to stop. Then I ended up in the hospital with severe SI after a night of drinking and just stopped.

[Rjaye]

I come from a family of alcoholics, so I went the other direction. I would have a beer every couple of months, but I avoided having alcohol in the house.

Now, when I do enjoy a craft beer, I have to time it to my meds, or skip certain meds because of the interaction. One time I had two beers on my meds, and fell asleep in a friend's bathroom sitting on the toilet. It was funny, but I don't want to repeat it, and have friends find me dead in their bathroom.
I'm pretty leery around alcohol.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Wander

I drink between 4 - 6 ish beers a day, and yes I am self-medicating. Both my T and pdoc are concerned, especially since I often drink before midday. Right now I am in a mixed state and I am trying to ease up on the drinking with little success. I think I have a problem and I am almost willing to get serious about it. This mixed state is driving me into crisis so something has to give soon. I hate it that alcohol has power over me. This has to end. I just don't know how to stop it.

Do you drink when depressed or manic (or both) or is the mixed state you're in too severe or is it a less volatile, more of a dysphoric, mania or agitated depression?

If there are different reasons (or settings), maybe you can first start to lessen your use of alcohol for one of these reasons, maybe the lowest-hanging fruit, and so on, for each reason/condition.

That's what I tried with nicotine (though based on different settings) but I just don't really want to quit smoking, honestly, but I think something like that might work. Maybe not.

But making your progress visible is (I think) very important, like bizi does.

[st0psign]

does it mean anything if I'm reading this hungover?

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

Do you drink alcohol?


How often/much? Would you say you were addicted?


Do you consider it self-medication?


I drink very little alcohol and I only used it to self-medicate during longer, severe manic periods/episodes, to sleep.

I self medicated with alcohol for the last ten years on and off. Last year I became physically dependant and had to detox in a local hospital. I went a whole year without a drop and recently started up again but NOWHERE near what I was doing a year or two ago. I drink to help calm down, when I'm happy, when I'm sad, and definitely to sleep! Nothing like passing out cold after a night of drinking. The other day I woke up with a hangover and hated myself. My bf's kids are usually here 2-3 days of the week and I don't drink around them. My bf works third shift the other days and that's when I'm home alone and drinking.

I've always read that when you're a bad addict, it could takes years for your tolerance to go down and boy they're right! Even after a year sober, I can still drink anyone under the table. Quite often I get more full than buzzed and I'm left uncomfortable and pissed lol. So what's the point?! But I still do it anyway!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[venusss]

Do you drink alcohol?

I am a Slavic chick living in turbulent times. Of course I drink.

How often/much? Would you say you were addicted?

I have very high tolerance and lately I been drinking much. But there has always been a reason, eh.

Do you consider it self-medication?

No. E. M. Remarque never used that word and neither would I. But at time I do drink to dull the world-woe.

[raspberrytorte]

No. I don't like feeling drunk and get bad hang overs off of one beer (I think because of my meds) and in my early twenties I self medicated with it, got in trouble, and I'm not going there again.

[Unrigged64072835]

I only drink a glass of wine on special occasions. Otherwise I don't touch the stuff. I used to self-medicate on wine several years ago but I sought help and got straightened out. I get a buzz off a glass so that's enough.

[bizi]

I really love craft coffee stouts which are higher alcohol content. I don't want to stop at one so I have 2 but at a higher alcohol content that equals 3-4....
I guess 5 or more in a setting is considered a binge.
bizi
maybe I need to change my standards....
hmmmmm

Keeping track this way helps to keep a good eye on where I am going. And she wants to see this list that I have kept track of. I have changed it up a bit. now my abbreviations are as follows
AF=O drinks
Mod=1-4 drinks
DD= 5 or more drinks in a setting and is technically the number they use for a binge.

bizi

[Blue_Bird]

I drink once in awhile. Alcoholism and drug addiction run in my family but I've never had any problems with it. Although I only just became of age last year. I usually will have a glass of wine or 2 on a special occasion or some Bailey's in my coffee, couple margaritas in the summer. I can relax and enjoy one or 2 drinks without feeling like I need more and more unlike with food which I struggle with.

Sent from my A463BG using Tapatalk

[annielovesbacon]

I'm a student, I used to drink a lot last semester. At the time I told myself it was because I'm in college, I'm just having fun. But most of the time I was getting drunk alone, I only went to parties to steal alcohol, lol. So I guess I was self medicating when I was depressed. I got trashed, by myself, over finals week in December and that coupled with the realization that being drunk exacerbates my anxiety made me decide to stop drinking. I would'nt go as far to say that I'm an alcoholic or anything, but I think it could have spiraled down to that if I let it. I haven't drank at all this semester, but I'm not completely against drinking, I would just have to make sure I am around others and not drinking too much.