Do you still drink?

I've been off of alcohol since before my diagnosis, and I recently stopped smoking weed too. The emotional benefits have been absolutely extraordinary, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss being able to have a couple beers or a whiskey every now and then. I know about the possible drug interactions that can happen with alcohol, but I guess I'm just curious as to how many other people here have chosen to go sober or not.

I do not. I have liver damage from zyprexa and Seroquel so I dont drink.

Quit drinking in 2008 and it has obviously helped my bipolar stuff enormously. I always used substances to try to help my mood problems. Once that got somewhat better, it became very easy to remain sober. People just thought I had a big drug issue, but really, the primary issue was the mood disorder. That was what was driving the substances.

I went completely alcohol free for most of four years after my first hospitalization, and attended at least 1,000 AA meetings during that time. I only say "most of" because I had maybe 6 to 8 "slips" that would only be one-timers (meaning one sitting), but they were terribly horrible, with blackouts and other bad stuff. I was very sick during that period and falling back on my lifetime 1st choice of self-medication was easy.

I know that drinking, even far lesser amounts than at my worst, does affect my moods negatively. However, I won't lie and say I don't have a drink with lunch and/or dinner many days. It's a long story to describe my phases with post bipolar dx drinking. I'll just say that I don't seem to be a bona fide alcoholic, but I sure as heck can easily start abusing it again if my bipolar is out of control. Some could say that the mere fact that I have a mental illness and take medications, should mean that ANY alcohol is abuse, in a sense. I actually agree with this. Maybe I am "abusing alcohol" even drinking far less than I used to. Drinking any, at all!

I grieved the loss of alcohol in my life for those four years, for sure. That's probably part of why I've allowed myself a drink or two since then. However, nowadays, I am able to happily stop at that drink or two. That wasn't the case in the past. Does that drink or two make a difference in preventing long-term recovery for me? Maybe.

I may sound like a kid making excuses here. The word "but" is what I wanted to add after that. My husband is a European. We may move to either Czech Republic or France. The temptation to drink in those countries is very high. I am quite concerned about that fact. It is unfortunate that I like good wines, excellent beers, and the occasional harder quality drink (Cognac, port wine). I don't want to drink to get drunk, nowadays. My problem, recently, is more liking to drink for what it adds to my culinary experience. I consider myself to be a gourmande of sorts, in the French sense (not Mr. Creosote), and gourmet cooking is a major hobby of mine. But again, that could morph into a desire to self-medicate.

I really, really relate to a lot of this. When I was traveling 150,000 miles a year, I would find myself at dinner with a bunch of fun and lovely people in Milan or Paris or wherever and it was too easy to have another glass of wine. Or two. Or maybe three. You get the idea.

There is this whole thing that people who travel for a living describe about the sense of kind of being almost another person, almost having a different identity, maybe, when they are on the road. So, some people choose to cheat on spouses. Some party super hard. Whatever. I do admit that I think I did experience this disconnection from my home and my true, grounded self during all my travels. It is easy to be swept away by the majesty of London on a lovely July evening with delightful people in a fabulous restaurant. Too easy. So, I get it. I do.

Unfortunately, I have bipolar disorder and my mental health depends on being regimented and strict in schedule and that travel and those dinners ultimately helped do me in.

I've never liked alcohol, so I don't drink.When I was younger I smoked weed now and then, but not often by any means.

I have the complication of added diabetes to the mix, and it was a severely uncontrolled case until recently. (I just got test results this week telling me that I've finally got it under control). I miss not being able to socially drink, but the trade of having better control over myself is huge.

I'm a social drinker. I had a glass of wine about a month ago and about half of a can of a vodka drink a couple days ago. Didn't like it so didn't finish it. I figure with the small amount and long periods inbetween I'm fine. The only thing I have a hard time saying no to is my daughter's Bloody Mary s, she makes very good one but I limit myself to two. It's been about a year since I last had one so I don't worry about it. With the covid situation I haven't been to my daughter's since March

I drink, I enjoy wine and craft beer. I have noticed that it has interacted with Latuda. I'll have a drink or 2 after work and then eat dinner and take Latuda. 30 min later I can barely stay awake and I'll nap for a couple hours. I take 60 mg Latuda. I looked on the internet and it says it is OK to drink on Latuda (in moderation of course) but I'm wondering if there is a window like i can have a drink 1 hour before taking Latuda or 2 hours after that won't make me drowsy and won't have as much of an interaction. And if I can take my Latuda before bedtime with less than 350 calories to keep it from making me drowsy earlier in the evening. This is the only problem I'm facing with drinking alcohol.

I do not smoke pot though. It messes with my mind and causes psychosis.

Side note: I have an appt with my psychiatrist Thursday so I'm going to ask him these questions and express my concerns.

Drinking with any psychiatric medication is dangerous. Even if the warnings say its ok, or wont harm you it actually can because psyche meds are notoriously hard on your liver. Mixing alcohol which is metabolized by the liver and medication which is also metabolized by the liver is dangerous because your liver has to work harder to process the meds and alcohol. So imo any regular drinking is bad for you. It has nothing to do with whether you are buzzed or drunk from drinking its about the stress it puts on your body.
I cant remember who said drinking with latuda is ok but:

Quote:

You should also avoid the use of alcohol while being treated with lurasidone. Alcohol can increase the nervous system and blood-pressure lowering effects of lurasidone. You may experience increased drowsiness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and impairment in thinking and judgment

I treat alcohol as a very rare, very rich food that I only indulge in from time to time, as part of something else, like part of a meal.

I had a binge drinking problem for a couple of years after my late husband died. I did not recognize it as a problem at the time because I only drank in the weekends (Friday and Saturday) but the sheer amount I would drink was absurd. Two bottles of wine in one sitting, 8-10 malt drinks/hard ciders, etc. I never blacked out but I had a hazy memory. I wouldn’t be able to wake up if my son needed me, which was a definite problem. And I drank alone If my sister in law wasn’t available to drink with me. I would look forward to it all week.

Now I recognize that as a definite issue. I wasn’t drinking because of bipolar, but more to cope with my husband’s loss. Gradually the need to drink dropped off, especially since my SIL could no longer come up and hang out with me. Now I rarely, if ever, drink alcohol. Maybe a drink once every few months. I’ve completely lost my taste for alcohol. I only like very sweet wine, and only one glass. Maybe a hard cider here or there. I don’t drink when I go to restaurants (when they were open anyway) because my boyfriend doesn’t drink at all, so why bother? Just drives the bill up anyway.

I don't, but then, I never started. My father was an alcoholic and I was always terrifed of ending up like him. Passed out on the couch with a cigarette burning and possibly burning the house down.

I didn't mean to sound like I have the PLOMs but it was simply a statement of fact

I hear ya on this one. When I think about how I used to get really messed up and then smoke cigs in my apartment I thank my lucky stars that I never did anything (more) to compromise my deposit.

I still drink most days 2 beers, occasionally like tonight,
I had 7really good sour beers. I don't feel drunk, did not
black out, did not throw up. It was spread out over 8 hours.
So I have a high tolerance. I started drinking these
really good heinikin 0.0 I like the taste and it is really good.
Had been drinking those for weeks. but now I am drinking again.

I know that I should not drink.
bizi

I drink from time to time. I enjoy a glass of wine on occasion when I cook or eat a nice meal. I will share a beer with someone at a social gathering.

There have been times in my life when it was more than that. I had to ask myself 'what is the purpose of this?' If having a drink becomes a pattern, I take a deeper look.

I am not on any meds at the moment, so that isn't a concern. I do dislike the feeling of altered consciousness. I am sensitive to that after my episode when I lost control. Any more than a glass or two of anything just doesn't seem right for me.