Alcoholism and Bipolar Disorder
It seems fairly commonsense to avoid over-indulging in alcohol if you are a bipolar sufferer, particularly in light of recent research which shows that alcoholism and bipolar disorder are linked.
The research showed that alcoholism and bipolar frequently go hand in hand. One usually develops before the other, more commonly bipolar disorder which in turn increases the risk and later leads to alcoholism.
Sharon Bell explains further:
Here’s bad news for heavy drinkers. Alcoholism and mental illness often go together and this deadly combination can spell disaster for patients and their loved ones.
This was revealed by Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Hall-Flavin who said that alcoholism and bipolar disorder usually go hand in hand with one following the other.
“Bipolar disorder and alcoholism frequently occur together. In some cases, bipolar disorder clearly develops before alcoholism. Bipolar disorder may increase the risk of alcoholism or other forms of substance abuse. It’s not clear why this occurs. But it may have a genetic component,” Hall-Flavin said.
“When bipolar disorder and alcoholism occur together, each can worsen the symptoms and severity of the other. Alcohol or other substance abuse can also complicate treatment efforts for bipolar disorder, and vice versa,” he added.
Bipolar disorder is a common mental illness that affects 222 million people worldwide or between three and four percent of the world’s adult population. This mood disorder that is also known as manic depression or manic-depressive illness affects both men and women and is the sixth leading cause of disabilities worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. It usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30. Patients with bipolar disorder have alternating episodes of emotional highs (mania) and lows (depression). Attacks can be mild or severe and the mood swings can lasts for weeks or months, affecting the lives of the patient’s family and friends.
The manic phase is characterized by extreme optimism, euphoria, inflated self-esteem, poor judgment, rapid speech, aggressive or risky behavior, an increased drive to perform or achieve goals, the inability to concentrate, and a tendency to be easily distracted.
In the depressive phase, the patient may experience sadness, hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, guilt, fatigue, loss of interest in daily activities, irritability, and chronic pain without a known cause. The exact cause of bipolar disorder is unknown but doctors believe the condition may be caused by physical changes in the brain, environment or a hormonal imbalance. Aside from alcohol abuse, the disease may be inherited and caused by periods of high stress or drug abuse. “Often beginning in adolescence or early adulthood, bipolar disorder has a profound negative effect on interpersonal, social, family and vocational outcomes and is a risk factor for substance abuse and suicide Recent reports have noted that up to 25 percent of bipolar disorder patients will attempt suicide at some point in the course of their illness,” said experts at the Lundbeck Institute in Denmark.
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So it seems clear that alcoholism and bipolar disorder often go together, forming a deadly combination which can spell disaster for bipolar patients and their loved ones. The answer seems pretty clear - if you have bipolar disorder, don’t drink to excess!
