If you have bipolar disorder, avoiding anything within your control that triggers or exacerbates your symptoms may help with recovery. Working with a care team can help with identifying triggers and developing management plans. Depending on a person’s alcohol usage, a patient may require medically supervised detox to treat withdrawal symptoms. Mania coupled with alcohol use can further decrease inhibitions, Transitional living leading to risky behaviors and painful consequences. Although there is little research to treat both these disorders simultaneously, therapy is a key success factor for any disorder. Learning to deal with bipolar disorder the right way can influence smarter choices such as the choice to remain abstinent from alcohol. Alcohol Use Disorder and Bipolar Disorder are often treated separately.

• Additionally, the treatment plans may intertwine with one another as certain disorders often co-occur and can be the cause or result of one another.
• Once known as manic depression, bipolar disorder is characterized by episodes of depression followed by elevated emotional states known as mania.
• Treatment adherence is of utmost importance for people with bipolar disorder.
• These results suggest that the Alcohol First patients may form a subgroup of bipolar patients that develop a relatively milder form of affective illness that is expressed only after extended exposure to alcohol abuse.
• After the diagnostic hurdle is overcome, the path to recovery can begin.

Extreme fluctuations in mood and energy levels are the hallmark signs of bipolar disorder, a form of mental illness that causes severe psychological instability. Unfortunately, it’s quite common for people who struggle with bipolar disorder to also have an addiction to alcohol or, in some cases, other substances. In fact, alcohol addiction can make bipolar disorder difficult to diagnose and vice-versa, yet successfully managing both diseases is key to long-term recovery and well-being. Clinical researchers believe that brain chemistry may influence bipolar disorder and substance abuse.

Whats The Link Between Bipolar And Addiction?

Similarly, assessments of medication compliance were based on self-reports, rather than routine medication levels, introducing similar potential biases. The Timeline Follow-Back methodology has been primarily validated in monthly follow-ups; therefore, its validity at 4-month intervals is less certain.

Alcohol consumption can trigger similar symptoms by flooding your brain with dopamine and lowering your inhibitions. So, if you’re in the middle of a manic episode, alcohol abuse will make your symptoms of mania much more severe. At this point, research only has theories as to why alcohol abuse and bipolar disorder are often diagnosed together. For example, behavioral health experts believe genetics and family history play a role in a person’s likelihood of suffering from both disorders. It may also be possible that one disorder triggers or worsens the other. In order for alcoholism caused by bipolar disorder to be treated, both conditions need to be addressed. Just quitting drinking isn’t enough if there hasn’t been a proper glimpse into what factors lead to the client starting to drink in the first place.

The Bipolar First group exhibited more time with symptoms of alcohol abuse during follow-up and were more likely to exhibit symptomatic recurrences of an alcohol-use disorder after recovery than the Alcohol First group. Many of the differences observed between these 2 groups appeared to be secondary to the subgroup of patients whose alcohol-use disorder did not begin until after the index hospitalization. However, both patient groups exhibited relatively rapid and common recurrences, suggesting that aggressive intervention in this period might provide a window of opportunity to decrease rates of alcohol abuse relapse. Sobriety One criticism of this finding could be that the Alcohol First group did not suffer from “true” bipolar disorder, but rather from an alcohol-induced affective syndrome. First, patients were recruited during a manic episode, which is an atypical presentation of alcoholism.21 Second, inclusion criteria required manic symptoms to persist beyond the period of acute intoxication and withdrawal. Third, these patients exhibited a pattern of affective relapses virtually identical to those of the other 2 bipolar groups, in the absence of a meaningful correlation between alcohol-use disorder and affective symptoms.

When people you trust understand your illness and know how to recognize symptoms of drug or alcohol use, this support network can intervene. When signs of trouble arise, your personal support system can help you avoid relapse or encourage you to discuss your symptoms with your healthcare providers. In some cases, a simple adjustment to medications or dosage can put you back on the path to health again – and your loved ones can play a key role in helping you maintain long-term well-being. It’s also helpful to have someone you trust to turn to when you’re experiencing normal emotional upheavals and someone to encourage you to adopt healthy habits. In the case of bipolar disorder, long-term medication therapy is often essential for continued recovery.

Bipolar Disorder And Addiction: Everything You Need To Know

A person with bipolar disorder experiences mood swings and other symptoms. Alcohol can affect a person with bipolar disorder differently, compared with someone who does not have it.

Individuals with bipolar disorder may feel misunderstood, stigmatized, or isolated because of their illness. The disorder can effects of alcohol have a negative impact on all aspects of a person’s life, from occupational functioning to the quality of relationships.

Untangling Bipolar Disorder And Substance Abuse

While some may refer to a person struggling with these issues as a bipolar alcoholic, the two conditions are often intertwined and require separate, simultaneous treatment. These co-occurring conditions also tend to have the most negative outcomes. For many with bipolar disorder, regular drinking as a form of self-medication greatly increases the risk of AUD.

In addition, experiencing bipolar disorder and AUD together can cause longer-lasting symptoms and a poorer response to treatment. The higher the high alcohol would bring, the lower the low a bipolar individuals mood would project onto daily life, yet for some it is all worth it. Alcohol eases the anxiety between the crazy feelings and the ups and downs bipolar disorder brings about. Mild drugs don’t seem to cut out all the symptoms many feel with bipolar disorder. Additionally, many with bipolar disorder find that the side effects of most medications are so extreme that they would rather self-medicate and deal with the consequences.

Sana Lake Recovery Center is a Joint Commission Accredited addiction treatment program. We offer a safe and trustworthy facility for people struggling with substance abuse. This seal indicates our commitment to continually elevating our standards and providing asuperior treatment for substance abuse.

Substance Abuse

Among these patients, 206 met the DSM-IV criteria for the rapid-cycling specifier. Rapid-cycling patients were significantly more likely to have a past diagnosis of drug abuse (27.3%) than non rapid-cycling patients (17.2%). If you think you or someone you know has bipolar disorder, it is important to receive an evaluation by a trained mental health professional.

Those with bipolar disorder can have trouble feeling any sort of motivation to even do basic things, like getting out of bed, when they’re going through depressive episodes. Other signs of depression include lack of appetite, irritability, and being very low energy. Bipolar disorder is usually treated with a combination of psychiatric medication and therapy. People with bipolar disorder work with therapists to recognize signs and triggers of mood episodes and how to change their behavior to assist the mood-regulating effects of bipolar disorder medications.

Challenges With Taking Medication For Bipolar Disorder

Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can exacerbate already-altered moods, resulting in an escalation of symptoms that can easily lead to poor choices, serious injury, or worse. 46.2 percent of individuals with bipolar I disorder had an alcohol use disorder. David embarked on his journey into sobriety in June of 2005, which led him to his current career path as a Certified Professional Addiction Recovery Coach in private practice in Greater Nashville. David is cohost of the weekly Positive Sobriety Podcast, as well as being a frequent contributor to various articles and recovery based materials. These episodes leave people depressed and/or uninterested in activities.

Depending on which you choose, NIMH reports you can learn new skills that encourage health-promoting choices such as coping with self-destructive thoughts and other alternatives in managing intense emotions. You’re more likely to have depressive symptoms during withdrawal from alcohol use. You might experience helplessness, fatigue, or disinterest in activities that you used to enjoy. About 20.2 million adults reported a substance use disorder in the last year, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration . THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Can Alcohol Abuse Cause Bipolar Disorder?

Weiss et al. compared integrated group therapy versus group drug counseling in 62 bipolar patients . Patients in the integrated group therapy treatment had significantly fewer days of substance use but had significantly more affective symptoms. Prior epidemiological research has consistently shown that substance use treating bipolar disorder and alcohol abuse disorders are extremely common in bipolar I and II disorders. The lifetime prevalence of SUDs is at least 40% in bipolar I patients. Alcohol and cannabis are the substances most often abused, followed by cocaine and then opioids. Bipolar disorder is characterized by extreme mood changes that vary in duration.

Trauma: Be Proactive, Save A Life

Hypomania symptoms are similar to those found in mania, but they are less intense. Individuals with hypomania are usually capable of managing their everyday lives, but they experience a higher than average level of happiness, irritability, or energy. They may feel that they can handle more responsibility or that they need to sleep less; you’re more talkative or friendly.