Bipolar Disorder and Alcohol

In his article, Alcohol, Drugs, and Bipolar Disorder; a Bad Combination, Russ Federman, Ph.D., makes an excellent point about inhibitions.
I have personal experience with alcohol induced hypomanic or manic states.
Regarding inhibition Dr. Federman writes:

And then there's the seductive and dangerous element of disinhibition, particularly in relation to alcohol. Alcohol lowers inhibitions. That's partly why it feels so good. The shy or insecure person gets to be more outgoing and confident. The person who's too tightly wrapped gets to let loose and be stupid. And the person who's chronically anxious and fearful gets to relax.

So what's wrong with disinhibition?

Well nothing really, if you're able to apply good judgment and adequate impulse control. You can drink some, enjoy your time with friends and usually return to the normal rhythms of your life. The problem is that everyone with bipolar disorder intermittently becomes hypomanic or manic. It's what defines the diagnosis. And in these elevated mood states, bipolar individuals almost always experience some degree of impaired impulse control. During the elevated mood phase they're usually feeling up, energized, gregarious and cognitively accelerated. The problem is that once their mood extends above the mildly elevated range, they often lose the capacity to modulate or turn down their mood-related intensity. It's like the wheels of hypomania become lubricated and they keep picking up speed.

That's what's wrong with alcohol-related disinhibition. It further greases the wheels of elevated mood. The challenge faced by those with bipolar disorder is one of figuring out how to do the opposite. They've got to become skillful at applying the brakes and slowing back down to a healthy speed.


I spent many years telling myself that it was okay to have a few drinks here and there. For years there wasn't a problem. As time went on alcohol seemed to effect me harder and faster.

It reached a point that I would now compare drinking to taking a "Roofie".
It happens quickly, I don't know when it's coming, but it is a complete psychotic manic episode. I actually black out and learn most of it by what others tell me. Luckily it has only happened a few times and while very difficult and emotionally damaging to my husband, he got me to safety.

I don't go out drinking anymore. It is very disturbing to loose pieces of time, and I am talking about after just a couple glasses of wine- not a drinking binge. The last time it happened I left my husband for the ladies room, happy-go-lucky, and when I returned I was raging through the bar screaming headed for the bartender, like I am going to tackle her, throwing my clothes off piece by piece...?! Eventually I was kicked out by my own husband. It was a good hour battle to get me in a car... I ran home, he followed.

I could have gone to jail. I could have hurt someone. I could have hurt myself.
I could have ruined my life.

I don't know why I was able to drink at one point.
I do know I never want to loose control, loose my memory, loose precious time with my husband.

I am not going to address whether it was Bipolar or Med related.
The fact is, when your chemicals are already playing a game in your head,
you don't need to add more players to their team.



[Bipolar Disorder]
[Bipolar Disorder and Alcohol]