Research has found a strong connection between bipolar disorder and alcoholism. Estimates show that up to 45% of individuals with bipolar disorder also engage in alcohol abuse.[i] Even on its own, bipolar can be a difficult diagnosis to handle. And when substance abuse of any kind is added to the list of problems, treatment and recovery become even more complicated.

Alcohol is known to intensify bipolar disorder due to its sedating effects. It acts similarly to some medications, risking feelings of depression with each swig of alcohol. Alcohol also greatly increases the severity of mania, which many who suffer from bipolar find extremely pleasurable.

I know that and wanted to drink anyway. I don't like to be alone.
I have been procrastinating doing paperwork for my business.
Those are my reasons for drinking last night. I really need to make getting the charts made up.
love you bobby, I know you care.
bizi

i really care so much. i don't think you can imagine how hard it was for me to write that. i know how hard it is to be alone. now i am practically alone all the time and probably won't speak to anybody til monday when marci comes. i bet it makes it so much harder being a twin.
have you ever tried reading a fun book when you are alone. susan elizabeth phillips writes the funniest, quirky characters, romance
and happy endings. her dialogue is fantastic.. i have read all of her books and have reread a lot of them. she makes you forget everything around you.
love
bobby

Keep working on the non alcoholic beers and keep going to the gym.
I honestly don't think its going to be a one day I stop type thing for
you. But I also think if you can limit it to one day like that maybe
it will work.

Donna

i don't think this can work but can you give yourself permission to drink when you are alone but when you are not alone, can you just drink nonalcoholic beverages.
Also I am curious you drive a lot and are alone then so during those times do you feel lonely and want to drink?
love
bobby

Thanks bobby, and donna, you ladies are a great source of support.
I drank the zero heiniken 0.0 this evening before 7pm and will only drink more water with my meds tonight. Hoping I can sleep through the night without getting up to go pee.
I appreciate you very much.yes jeff is an enabler.
we will be in new orleans for the james taylor concert with jackson brown. IT should be an excellant concert.
be home on sunday.
leave tomorrow after gumbo!It is going to be chilly with the wind up to 30 mph winds gusts.
You won't hear from me until monday.
love you both
bizi

bizi,
Have a wonderful and safe trip. Enjoy those master musicians. It should be amazing.

that is so great. have a wonderful trip and concert. I heard james taylor years ago in concert. i just looked up his age. he is 73.
love
bobby

he has been performing for 50 years!!!!!!
I don't know about jackson brown.....
Thanks for well wishes and I hope we have a safe brief trip the NOLA.
bizi

Nico [think Velvet Underground] sang 'These Days' that Jackson Browne wrote when he was 16 yrs old. He was very handsome young man.

Carly Simon and James Taylor were married so a lot of great music came out of that time. Then of course there was Joni Mitchell.

Those were the days...