Should people with bipolar disorder drink alcohol?

Question

My son is 19, bipolar, and drinking. When he's drinking, he could give lessons to Satan on meaness. Ideas, anyone?

Answer 1

Not sure what your legal drinking age is but here it is 18 Years. if you are old enough to fight in Iraq then you are old enough to drink!

Now to your question :
It is inadvisable to consume alcohol both with the Bi Polar condition and the medication usually prescribed to control it. In fact the latter is the most serious of the two. Some Bi Polars can have an occasional drink without any effect. Others 1 drink and they are off the planet!

Check out the side effects and do's and don't s on the medication information slips.
Discuss the matter with your doctor or his also, as intake of alcohol with some medications will cause delusions, hallucinations respiratory distress and heart attack or stroke.

Answer 2

It isn't necessarily the bipolar that is causing his 'satanic' image :), if he's on meds however, drinking should be avoided whenever possible because the meds don't mix very well with the booze.

I am bipolar and when or if I drink (not very much any longer) I was always quite happy, mushy and more outgoing than normal...I know someone however who is not bipolar and he is totally moronic if he drinks rye. Sometimes certain alcoholic beverages affect people in strange ways, your son is one of them most likely. Whatever he's drinking...he should stop or switch to something else.

My brother is totally horrid if he drinks beer...my husband is a royal idiot on beer. It's just a matter of what his system will react to and how.

Answer 3

Well probably tough love is the only way to go here, I agree. However, you gotta be real strong here mom. He's your boy hey and he needs you now more than ever. After all, you're the only one who'll ever give your whole world for his sanity. Hate to say it, but you need to be prepared to bluff your boy Big Time. I sooooooo feel for you, my little heart is just breaking. :( I know someone really well who was there once, they hit the bottle real hard but she was lucky cos she had a real tough husband and he stood by her. You know, he just told her to ditch the bottle or I'm leaving. He meant it too!! After 15 years of marriage he was sick of being torn up.

That's what you have to do. Give it to him straight. Tell him to get his butt to AA or you're washing your hands of him. He'll go, believe me he'll go, cos in his lucid moments he grieves enormously for the pain he's caused you. He would also be beating up on himself cos he hates what he does to the people he loves but he is sick and can't help it. He has no idea how to stop, nor does he want to. Hell, why should he? When he's high he's having a blast but when he's coming down off the booze/drugs the depression/mania is reeeeeeeeeeally bad, like he could never explain it. Geez, I couldn't back then, still don't really feel so inclined.

It sounds like his meds might not be doing wot they're supposed to. Go back to the psychiatrist and get him re-evaluated, pick your moment to tell him all this by the way. Like, after he's hit the tiles again and is feeling gross, blue and sorry for himself. Cos then he'll say yes to anything to atone for his behaviour, don't, whatever you do, use your love as a condition for him going to AA/meeting with the pschye again.

Alcoholism seemingly is quite commonly attached to Bipolar 1 & 2. As is schizophrenia. I'm Bipolar 2/Schizophrenic and if there are intoxicating substances (drugs/alcohol) involved in this medium it is totally a bananas situation where there is complete chaos. Take control back of your life. He needs direction and routine, treat him like a 2 year old. He'll thank you for it later, believe me. No time will ever be just the right time, just grab the next opportunity and step up to the line, cos he's not gonna do it anytime soon !!!

By the way, you may take some solace in the fact that a rather large percentage of people with Bipolar Disorder are those of us who are inclined to be intellectually advanced. Soooooooo, there's probably a few hidden talents there, maybe he's the next Curt Cobain. Hehehe just kidding.

PEACE & LOVE & ALL THAT

Answer 4

Yeah that's a recipe for disaster.
He's not even of legal drinking age, so if lived with me...
he'd have to make a choice...
place to stay, people who care about him or
hit the road and take the bottle with ya.
Tough love Mama...give it a try.