I don't want to generalize and say that all bipolar people drink heavily. There are two friends of mine that I know who are bipolar and they always drink heavily all the time and black out a lot. I like to drink and get drunk every now and then, but after a night of drinking, I'd like to straighten out my brain and sober up, but my bipolar friends just like to drink again the next day and get drunk. Is there a reason why they drink so heavily all the time?
2007-12-27 04:24:23 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Mental Health
Alcohol and drug abuse is very common among people with mental illness. Sometimes clincians refer to this as "self medicating."
2007-12-27 06:28:33 · answer #1 · answered by majnun99 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have a cousin that's bipolar and I know where you're coming from. I read up on the disorder and bipolar patients tend to drink heavily to counter-weight their moods; in other words, to try to keep them from the extremes. Bipolar people either are extremely happy or sad and drunkness may help them keep away from the two poles;especially the "down" one. Hope this helps
2007-12-27 04:31:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I think of bipolar people as extremes of norms. There are so many categories of bipolar and everyones experience is different. But it could be said these people are rather sensitive to good and bad things happening for whatever reason and can tend to act very impulsively at times. Some bipolars are pretty insightful and know they can abuse themselves for periods and turn it around and be tee total and this does happen a fair bit.
2007-12-27 04:41:35 · answer #3 · answered by ADad 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think that has anything to do with being bipolar. First, it is kind of odd to have TWO friends who are bipolar...is this your opinion or a medical fact? Second, binge drinking has underlying causes that usually dont have much to do with manic depression. It sounds like they are trying to escape their own reality, which is a step toward alcoholism. Soldiers do the same thing (I used to be one, and drank quite a bit), as do many people who are unhappy with their life.
2007-12-27 05:24:48 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's because we have different brain chemistry than others. I used to drink heavily. Now I binge eat. We do everything to the extreme, that's why. When we're manic everything has to be perfect, but it's easier just to drink and be depressed.
2007-12-27 05:07:40 · answer #5 · answered by // 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same reason some nonbipolar people drink heavily.
2007-12-27 04:31:59 · answer #6 · answered by joey 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well i dont know but my mom is bipolar and she drinks alot.i hate that about her but hey what can i do i try to keep her from getting too drunk tho . i asked her why shes always drinking and she said that it keeps her on an even (keel) **not sure how to spell that** well i hope this was helpful
2007-12-28 20:57:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm trying to figure that one out myself, but every night it just seems like a good idea to drink lol. I was even dreaming about drinking last night!
2007-12-27 04:32:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have friends who are "bipolar" too that drink a lot. often i have wondered which came first...the bipolar or the alcoholism
2007-12-27 05:37:05 · answer #9 · answered by mp3 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Often times people will self medicate with drugs or alcohol to help themselves feel better.
2007-12-27 04:30:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋