How does alcohol affect people suffering from bipolar disorder (with paranoia/hallucinations)?
If you are having hallucinations, chances are high that you are dealing with something other than bipolar disorder here (e.g., prodromal phase of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder). You’re at the right age for it’s typical first onset, and the other symptoms you have described are indicitive of it, as well (e.g., paranoia). It would be unwise for you to drink.
A lot of people with bipolar disorder self medicate with alcohol or drugs, because they are desperate. It is called “dual diagnosis” because it is so common. It leads to a lot of addiction. It is extremely dangerous, because alcohol can lead to much worse depression. When people are already having problems finding balance, the alcohol exasperates the problem. Having to seek help for addiction on top of dealing with bipolar is an awful burden to bear. I know a lot of bipolar people who have ended up in AA because the alcoholism got out of control. In an attempt to help medicate themselves, they end up with more problems. As an aside, hallucinations could be a sign of schizophrenia. There are medicines that will help. The alcohol will definitely make these worse.
