alcoholic or bipolar?

I dont know whether im a bipolar turned alcoholic, or whether the alcohol has made me somewhat bipolar. I have always been up and down, i drink to try and self medicate, though the effects are worse. If I come off alcohol will i be diagnosed with bipolar, or will i find out the alcohol made me bipolar? advive anyone

There is such a thing as "Dual diagnosis"- which commonly refers to being bipolar and an alcoholic at the same time. I was self-medicating with alcohol for a while- usually when so crazily manic that I just couldn't slow down. I was desperate.

It is considered irresponsible for a professional to give you a diagnosis while the patient is abusing substances...

Get yourself clean and sober for a few months and then go in and be as honest as you can about what you feel...

Your chances at discovering what ails you are better if you limit the poisons...

Only the Best,

Lenny

Good question and the way to get the answer is to get help while discontinuing the alcohol and giving therapy plenty of time to see what's what.

I have been clean and sober several years. In my first months of sobriety I was quite manic, then plunged into severe depression for several months. It was several years before I got treatment for bipolar. I don't recommend that path! It has led many to drink again, and some to suicide. I was fortunate that I didn't meet either of those ends, but I suffered -- needlessly, I think.

If you think you might be alcoholic, bipolar, or both, I would strongly encourage you to get medical treatment from a psychiatrist who understands both diagnoses to help you through the process. Neither of these disorders is anything to play with. If you don't have insurance, call your county mental health department.

Hi- I am going through the same issue with my 24 tear old daughter, who is in hospital for third time for rehab. I believe she uses to cover up her other symptoms of bipolar. she has always had mood swings, anger outburst, and then as high as a kite when a young child. she has been extremely daring, and will do anything for attention. Her risky behavior has put her life at jeapardy many times. She has three DIU's and cannot learn from own mistakes. She's a beautiful, outgoing girl, but concerned about her state of mind lately. She says her mind is continually racing with thoughts and cannot sleep. Then that's all she wants to do is sleep. Again, this is a very popular girl, many friends not obviously strange at all, except she is slow to catch onto common sense. Which is concerning also, like she's having difficulty advancing with age appropriate actions. we love her so much and she does not deserve what is going on. Right now, today at hospital we saw another girl, not out daughter and I am so sad. I want to go get her and hold her forever. She is also wanting to run continually to different cities to live with maybe a friend of a friend.
She admitted herself to hospital to detox off Xanax and get help. But she doesn't stop running, Thinking somewhere else will be better for her? If this sounds familiar to anyone, I hope it helps or lets you see where you may be different, than symptoms of my daughter's.
kat

Hi- My daughter is in hospital detoxing from Xanax at 24 years old. She has been to treatment 2 other times but one other time told she was bipolar? But was wondering how they can diagnose when using? How long did it take for you to get a diagnosis after using substances? Any tips. Hope and pray you can get peace!!
Kat

i been off alcohol ten days, in which i have been completely manic, i managed to get off the alcohol not too bad, though their is a dependence as i had a lot of it. i went crazy this weekend, had a lot too drink friday, did stupid crazy things. barracade myself in room, was paranoid, hallucinating thought everyone wanted to kill me, most of all myself, stayed in room 26 hours.

Ended up aving a drink to cope with feeling hyper yesterday, did more crazy %#@&#!, on karaoke, being mad.
Fell down some concrete steps, shoud see the state of my face.

nobody talking to me, apart from my therapist, my parents are angry. feel like cutting.

I was wondering this myself.
Is it the Bipolar that causes me to drink when I am either manic or depressed?
Or am I an alcoholic?

I went to my pdoc and told her I think I've been manic and not right at all, so I've been self medicating with beer and have had thoughts of past drug use.
She said she couldn't change my meds and there's nothing she could do for me.
She gave me phone numbers for AA meetings and Drug Addiction couseling places.
I have to see her in 2 weeks to tell her what I decided to do.

I haven't drank in 5 days and I feel much better.

Hi to everyone,
I have experienced a lot in my life time so I'm always willing to offer help/advice.
-Alcoholism and being bipolar are two different animals, to be bipolar doesn't mean you are an addict aswell. Any human that has suffered some trauma may turn to the bottle, that's just a need to escape reality. If the alcohol or drug can be removed in a safe setting (rehab) the underlying cause can be dealt with.
On the other hand, like myself, there are those that are very impulsive and always do most things to the extreme, a type of addictive personallity. Unknowingly you can create extra problems for yourself. That mechanism is part of your make up or disorder. Remember though, drinking alcohol doesn't make you an alcoholic.

The xanax issues - many doctors find valium, xanax etc as a quick easy fix (only to be used short-term) and don't address the main problem. The patient is just precribed an addiction.

Kat - if you have any imput in your daughters care there are other options that can help with the withdrawls (which can also manifest as bipolar) and mood.

Tracy - we drink when we're happy, drink when we're sad. Everything in moderation is ok, understanding what your doing with alcohol is a great achievement for you. Try and find other things to do that make you happy and channel some of your energy and thoughts into them.

Later