Co-Occurring Bipolar and Alcohol Use Disorder

Understanding how bipolar disorder interacts with alcohol misuse and addiction can be an important first step towards achieving recovery. Doctors often diagnose and treat bipolar disorder and AUD liquor storage ideas separately. Because of this, people with both conditions may not get the full treatment they need at first.

Consuming alcohol during a depressive phase can increase the risk of lethargy and can further reduce inhibitions. A person who consumes alcohol during a manic phase has a higher risk of engaging in impulsive behavior because alcohol reduces a person’s inhibitions. Use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Combining alcohol with mood stabilizers is not recommended, as the interactions can cause increased drowsiness, memory issues, impaired judgment, or liver problems.

A bipolar diagnosis is described as type 1 or 2, depending on the severity of symptoms. On the other hand, people who receive a diagnosis of bipolar disorder first are more likely to have difficulty with the symptoms of AUD. Another explanation for the connection is that people with bipolar disorder can exhibit reckless behavior, and AUD is consistent with this type of behavior.

What is alcoholism?

A person with bipolar disorder can also be more likely than others to misuse alcohol. Compared to patients with “pure” depression or mania, 13% of patients with bipolar disorder had co-occurring alcoholism. That substance disorder impaired their recovery from mental illness. For both conditions, a healthcare provider usually performs a physical and psychological health assessment.

The Relationship Between Bipolar Disorder & Alcohol Misuse

These episodes may what happens if i report a drug dealer be so severe that they require hospitalization in order to stabilize. The relationship between bipolar disorder and alcohol misuse is complex. There is probably not a straightforward cause-and-effect relationship. These difficulties, the possible side effects of the drugs, and the features of bipolar disorder itself can make it hard for a person to keep to a treatment plan.

Possible Explanations for Comorbidity

It is estimated that 40% to 70% of individuals with bipolar disorder will be diagnosed with AUD during their lifetimes. Although the connection between these two disorders isn’t entirely clear, some factors seem to contribute. Sometimes what seems to be bipolar disorder might really be another disorder. Or, the symptoms of bipolar disorder might overlap with other disorders, and you also may have another health condition that needs to be treated along with bipolar disorder. Some conditions can make bipolar disorder symptoms worse or make treatment less successful.

1. Having bipolar disorder may also increase the likelihood of drinking or having an alcohol use disorder.
2. Both tend to occur more frequently in people who have a family member with the condition.
3. Approximately 14.5 million people in United States ages 12 and over have alcohol use disorder.
4. Please call to speak to a caring admissions navigator who can help connect you to treatment centers that may be appropriate for your needs.
5. Others may frequently have mood swings from depression to mania or both depression and mania at the same time.

Periods of mania, hypomania, and depression in bipolar disorder can significantly affect a person’s level of functioning and quality of life. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a pattern of alcohol use characterized by an inability to control drinking and other behaviors that cause significant impairment. If you’ve lost control over your drinking or you misuse drugs, get help before your problems get worse and are harder to treat. Seeing a mental health professional right away is very important if you also have symptoms of bipolar disorder or another mental health condition.

Even when researchers study bipolar disorder or AUD, they tend to look at just one condition at a time. There’s been a recent trend to consider treating both conditions simultaneously, using medications and other therapies that eco sober house treat each condition. Other theories suggest that people with bipolar disorder use alcohol in an attempt to manage their symptoms, especially when they experience manic episodes. Bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder, or other types of substance misuse, can be a dangerous mix. Also, having both conditions makes mood swings, depression, violence and suicide more likely. Both valproate and alcohol consumption are known to cause temporary elevations in liver function tests, and in rare cases, fatal liver failure (Sussman and McLain 1979; Lieber and Leo 1992).

Approximately 2.6% of people in the United States have bipolar disorder. Approximately 14.5 million people in United States ages 12 and over have alcohol use disorder. Read more to learn about bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorder, and the connection between these conditions. The most noticeable signs of bipolar disorder in children and teenagers may be severe mood swings that aren’t like their usual mood swings. These types may include mania, or hypomania, which is less extreme than mania, and depression.

When bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder occur together, the combination can be more severe than having each condition independently. Other mental health conditions such as ADHD, depression, and schizophrenia may present with overlapping symptoms. There is also a greater risk of suicide in individuals who have bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder. To diagnose bipolar disorder, your doctor will look at your health profile and discuss any symptoms you may have.

How do bipolar disorder and alcoholism interact?

Side effects, including lethargy, weight gain, and tremors, were listed as the main reason for non-compliance with lithium (Weiss et al. 1998). However, it is also important to note that prescription bottles for lithium usually have a warning label on them not to drink alcohol while taking the medication. Thus, if an alcoholic has the choice between taking lithium or drinking alcohol, it is very likely the alcoholic will not be compliant with lithium. Increased medication compliance with valproate may be an important factor in selecting a mood stabilizer for alcoholic bipolar patients. Thus, there is growing evidence that the presence of a concomitant alcohol use disorder may adversely affect the course of bipolar disorder, and the order of onset of the two disorders has prognostic implications.

Psychosocial interventions have often been considered the mainstays of treatment for alcoholism and other substance use disorders. Several studies have demonstrated success with cognitive behavioral therapy in treating alcoholism (Project MATCH Research Group 1998). Many of the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy are commonly applied in the treatment of both mood disorders and alcoholism.

Combining alcohol with psychosis increases the risk of mental and physical complications. The effects of bipolar disorder vary between individuals and also according to the phase of the disorder that the person is experiencing. Bipolar disorder affects around 4.4 percent of people in the United States at some time in their lives. For example, some people may develop bipolar disorder first, while in others, AUD may appear first. During a depressive episode, a person will already be experiencing a low mood and perhaps lethargy.

Naltrexone (ReVia™) is an FDA-approved medication designed to decrease cravings for alcohol. Maxwell and Shinderman (2000) reviewed the use of naltrexone in the treatment of alcoholism in 72 patients with major mental disorders, including bipolar disorder and major depression. Eighty-two percent of patients stayed on naltrexone for at least 8 weeks, 11 percent discontinued the medication because of side effects, and the remaining 7 percent discontinued for other reasons. The authors concluded that naltrexone was useful in treating patients with comorbid psychiatric and alcohol problems. However, Sonne and Brady (2000) reported on two cases of bipolar women (both actively hypomanic) who received naltrexone for alcohol cravings, and both had significant side effects similar to those of opiate withdrawal.