BD and SUD are afflicted with high rates of suicide attempts and suicide that are even topped in case of coexistence of both disorders (24). A Brazilian study reports of at least one suicide attempt in 68% of BD patients with AUD compared to 35% in BD without AUD, with virtually no difference between BD patients with DSM-IV alcohol abuse and dependence (23). While mania in bipolar disorder can leave a person feeling invulnerable, their body and minds are breaking down from the illness and will likely end up in the hospital, where they can get help. Bipolar and alcohol treatment resistance can be the major hurdle to overcome, as support is available and recovery likely from these diseases. Still, treatment for alcoholics with bipolar disorders is likely to be successful if carried out by recovery professionals in specialized medical facilities aimed at alcoholism recovery.
Unipolar vs Bipolar: Understanding the Difference and Treatment Options
If you suspect that you or your loved one have bipolar disorder, you may consider reaching out to your doctor. They can conduct a thorough evaluation and refer you to mental health providers and/or rehab facilities. People with bipolar disorder have a 21.7% to 59% increased chance of being diagnosed with substance use disorder at least once in their life, per SAMHSA. SAMHSA reports that people with bipolar disorder tend to have a higher risk for substance use disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), almost half of people with substance use disorder also have a mental health condition. Individuals with bipolar disorder already face a heightened risk of suicide and self-harm, and alcohol exacerbates this risk.
Is There a Shared Etiology Between BD and Aud?
It may create conflicts with healthcare providers, hinder therapy progress, and increase the likelihood of non-adherence to treatment plans. This makes it challenging to achieve stability and effectively manage bipolar disorder symptoms. However, relying on alcohol as a coping mechanism is problematic and can worsen the symptoms of bipolar disorder over time. Alcohol can interfere with the functioning of medications prescribed for bipolar disorder, making them less effective.
Treatment for bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder
Impulsiveness, loss of coordination, and changes in mood can affect your judgment and behavior and contribute to more far-reaching effects, including accidents, injuries, and decisions you later regret. Past guidance around alcohol use generally suggests a daily drink poses little risk of negative health effects — and might even offer a few health benefits. About 20.2 million adults reported a substance use disorder in the last year, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder and Alcohol Addiction
If left untreated, alcohol dependence and withdrawal are likely to worsen mood symptoms, thereby forming a vicious cycle of alcohol use and mood instability. However, some data indicate that with effective rewarding recovery treatment of mood symptoms, patients with bipolar disorder can have remission of their alcoholism. The role of genetic factors in psychiatric disorders has received much attention recently.
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. Two studies indicated trends of reduced drinking with use of prescribed alcohol-deterrent drugs. That’s why having an open dialogue with your healthcare provider is so important. And, if you find yourself drinking more than you intended or can’t stop drinking, seek professional help. If you or someone you know struggles with alcoholism and bipolar disorder, medical professionals can help.
Setting achievable goals, finding healthier alternatives, building a strong support network, and avoiding triggers can contribute to a more balanced and fulfilling life. It can be difficult to get the medication right with bipolar disorder because each person is different and may respond differently to medications. People with bipolar disorder often use medications to stabilize their symptoms. In 2011, researchers noted that alcohol misuse can result in a misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder.
These numbers are in a similar range as in other European countries; while prevalence rates from the US are much higher, both for BD and substance abuse/dependence (6). Whereas numbers for legal substances, e.g., alcohol, are considered as relatively robust and reproducible, many cases of illicit drug use remain undetected in patients with BD. Cannabis is likely to be second after alcohol as substance of abuse in BD patients, affecting approximately one quarter of bipolar patients (7). 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.
The German S3 Guidelines for AUD recommend that both disorders, BD and AUD, should be treated in one setting and by the same therapeutic team (49, 81). If not feasible, a close coordination of therapies, e.g., by means of a case manager, should be established. Still, alcoholic patients going through alcohol withdrawal may appear to have depression. Depression is a key symptom of withdrawal from several substances of abuse, and studies have demonstrated that symptoms of withdrawal-related depression may persist for 2 to 4 weeks (Brown and Schuckit 1988). Because of this phenomenon, it is likely that observation during lengthier periods of abstinence (i.e., continued observation following the withdrawal stage) is important for the diagnosis of depression as compared with mania.
Early abstinence predicted later abstinence, and a significant number of those who reduced their drinking by 6 months also achieved complete abstinence after 5 years (91). Although researchers have proposed explanations for the strong association between alcoholism and bipolar disorder, the exact relationship between these disorders is not well understood. One proposed explanation is that certain psychiatric disorders (such as bipolar disorder) may be risk factors for substance use. Alternatively, symptoms of bipolar disorder may emerge during the course of chronic alcohol intoxication or withdrawal. Still other studies have suggested that people with bipolar disorder may use alcohol during manic episodes in an attempt at self-medication, either to prolong their pleasurable state or to sedate the agitation of mania. Finally, other researchers have suggested that alcohol use and withdrawal may affect the same brain chemicals (i.e., neurotransmitters) involved in bipolar illness, thereby allowing one disorder to change the clinical course of the other.
- The FIRESIDE Principles for an integrated treatment of bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder.
- The sedating effects of alcohol can temporarily alleviate symptoms of anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia during manic episodes.
- It is essential for individuals with bipolar disorder to understand that alcohol and their prescribed medications do not mix well.
- Alcohol can cause both short-term effects, such as lowered inhibitions, and long-term effects, including a weakened immune system.
- If your liver isn’t working properly, medication levels in the blood could become dangerously high or drop too quickly, making your medication less effective.
Besides psychotherapy an individually tailored pharmacotherapy is essential in almost all BD patients with comorbid AUD. For BD, pharmacotherapy is an essential component to stabilize mood and prevent recurrences, whereas its role for treating AUD beyond controlling acute withdrawal symptoms is less clear. Randomized controlled studies in BD traditionally exclude patient with concurrent SUD. Thus, the evidence for choosing a mood stabilizer in BD with comorbid AUD is rather weak; strictly speaking, high levels evidence how to help an alcoholic in denial consists of altogether three placebo-controlled studies in this patient group (104–106). To make any suggestion (not even recommendations) about best available treatments we therefore rely on additional low-level evidence from open or retrospective studies and expert opinion. Except from few specialized long-term inpatient settings for comorbid patients (89) the emphasis of all treatment concepts is on outpatient settings as behavioral changes and building up resilience is a long process in both disorders.
Whether a person consumes or misuses alcohol during a manic or depressive phase, it can be hazardous and possibly life-threatening for them and for those around them. For contingency management and motivational therapy in comorbid BD and SUD, only low-level evidence exists, e.g., non-randomized, prospective studies, case series or retrospective studies. In the CANMAT guidelines they are only recommended as second-choice in situations where first choice treatments are not indicated or cannot be used, or when first-choice treatments have not worked (89). The evidence base for suitable psychotherapies in comorbid BD and AUD remains poor.
Treating both conditions simultaneously through integrated treatment programs can provide the best chance for successful recovery and long-term stability. 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. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by distinct high and low mood episodes.
Integrated psychosocial treatment for patients with a mood disorder and substance abuse should involve simultaneous treatment of the 2 conditions. A sequential approach addresses the primary concern and subsequently 3 stages of methamphetamine withdrawal treats the comorbid disorder, whereas a parallel approach manages both at the same time but in different surroundings. In both approaches, conflicting therapeutic ideologies are a potential difficulty.