This is my second day and so far so good. I’m wondering if anyone else has to deal with bipolar disorder and their addiction (I’m sure there are many of us). Mood swings have always been the biggest trigger for a bender in my case. How have you dealt with this? Did you seek out medication, therapy, or do something else?
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I have depression, anxiety and adhd- I don’t have bipolar disorder so I can’t relate there but I do have other stuff lol therapy, treatment for alcoholism- rehab, iop, or outpatient, aa, and the right medication has helped me so much! I am new in recovery however- 72 days and this is my first rodeo so to speak. My brother in law is an alcoholic too with bipolar and I know for him finally finding the right medication was a game changer for him! I wish you the best of luck, congrats on day two and I’m so glad that you are here 
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Hello there. I’m bipolar with PTSD and BPD. I absolutely have to be medicated whether I’m sober for a year or a few days. Sober or not, the disability is there.
The bad part is that drinking on my medication renders it useless. That in itself is helping me stay sober. (I black out very easily and the mental and physical hangovers are excrutiating and take days for me to feel okay again). NOT WORTH IT!
I also do therapy and see a psych nurse at my doctor’s office as well. My regular doctor put me on the wrong meds in the beginning of the year and I ended up in a psych ward, so it’s best to go through a specialist in my experience.
My psych nurse is also helping me with my alcohol abuse and monitoring me.
I’m starting to go to AA meetings too.
Personally I need all these support systems in place for my addiction and to manage my mental health. They go hand in hand.
Good luck with everything and I’m right here with you as a fellow addict and bipolar person! We got this! You got this! 
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I was on meds and counseling when I started my recovery. I needed to address both of them together. I went to a dual diagnosis rehab as well.
Thanks for the responses, guys! I’ve been working out seeking a psychologist I feel comfortable working with that specializes in my disorder as well as alcohol abuse. Medication is a road I’ve been down but after what felt like total failure self-medicating became my crutch. Knowing how much bipolar affects my drinking is helpful, but doesn’t assuage the urges or band-aiding I tend toward. @NWWitch that sounds like a hefty support system! It feels overwhelming because it seems like a full time job not only to manage mental health but a whole other beast as well 
knowing there are others does help me breathe easier
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It can be a hefty work load and I totally hear ya! I’ve met so many bipolar people, including myself, who get extremely overwhelmed with just getting out the door in the morning some days.
I had to start small and kept adding appointments the more comfortable I became. Now it’s just an hour I dedicate this day or that day to important self-care. Totally normal to me now and so worth it. I still have hiccups, quite recently in fact, but I bounce back even faster with those wellness programs at my back. 
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I have bipolar and an alcoholic. I started medication back when i chose to go sober. My last manic episode opened my eyes a lot.
Can I ask what medications work for some of you? I have depression and anxiety and take sertraline. Sometimes I wonder if I’m bipolar
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My last manic episode really scared me. It was the worst one I’d had in a while. By the time I was out of that state and sober again I found I had lost yet another friend. Things have to change. Mania is something I just don’t deal with without alcohol.
Bipolar is so tricky because it can be misdiagnosed so often (along with the other disorders it can be misdiagnosed for). My diagnosis came after hospitalization and regular meetings with a psychologist and psychiatrist. It took a long time to get what was going on.
I take Zoloft and Seroquil. Bipolar/depression/anxiety all those are pretty tricky to diagnose correctly. And which type of bipolar can be tricky as well.
Mine ended me in jail for the first time in my life. And i wrecked our only car at the time. And i almost lost my marriage and kids. I realized i couldn’t continue without medication and i also realized how much i had been drinking in the last few years (tho i have drank a lot for years) i had to choose something better. Being sober has definitely improved.
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I’m bipolar with an opiate use disorder. I find managing both very difficult at times as well, especially when I’m experiencing severe lows. It’s usually in those states where I want to use even more. My doc prescribed me Latuda specifically and some benzos. The Latuda helps a ton to stabilize my moods.
I have years of sobriety and have BPD which was diagnosed when I was in my 20s. I was able to get off medication (lithium) after 3 years. Took meds for depression off and on. Got sober. Then, had a manic episode a year ago. Now, I take Lamictal. That seems to be working.
I hope you get the love and support you need right now.
Oh, I do attend AA meetings and work with a great therapist that is sober and knowledgeable about medications for BPD.
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I also take sertraline, have for years. I take for depresion and anxiety. Drinking makes this drug basically ineffective. It also supposedly makes you more drunk or,black out. The drug works great for me if im not drinking.
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Yes I found the same. I was starting to spiral down every time I drank. Very dark thoughts and memory loss. Today is day 9 sober and I’m feeling great. My mind is clear and I have more energy . Thanks for the comment
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I’m in the beginning phases of this same exact situation. I just cracked up our car last night. It may land me in Jail because if how drunk I actually was. I’m scared as hell. I have kids to take of as well. My wife was with me and holds herself just as accountable. I’m in a lot of trouble.
Super scary. Glad u shared. Glad you’re scared. Not in a mean way. Hoping the negative experience will motivate you toward sobriety goals. 
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I’ve been diagnosed with bipolar 2, etc. I think mental illnesses negatively impact/impacted my addictions and vice versa.
I take meds, see therapist, practice self care.
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Its a rough road to go down. Glad yall are ok, hope everything works out!