need advise

I think I may be bipolar. I haven't been diagnosed by a doctor. I've been like this for a long time , but just realised I may not be normal. I tried xanax , a friends , a few times but I don't like the feeling. My problem is drinking . It makes me feel a lot better but I know its killing me , and its getting progressivly worse.I drink at least 8 beers a day during the week and upto a case on a Saturday.

Is thier anything otc I can try ?

Hi there

Don't be scared. Go to a doctor, tell them everything you are experiencing and see if they think you need to see a psychiatrist. Find a quality psychiatrist in your area that has a good repuation and schedule a visit. Then tell him all you're experiencing and see what he thinks. It might just be nothing. We all have mood swings and go through rough times, it's part of being human . Just don't self-medicate though, it can turn out bad .

St John's Wort can help with some mild depression.

However, I would go to a doctor and request a psychiatrist. There are a large amount of medication out there to try. Most people with bipolar disorder go through a few cocktails to find the right one with bearable side effects. Many posts on this forum will reflect the struggle of finding the right combo. Don't give up. It is important to take your medication as prescribed and regularly. Some can take up to 6 or 8 weeks to have full effect and if you're taking them randomly, then you will not get the desired effect. If you have side effects, contact your doctor. Unless they are life threatening or unbearable (like vomiting or seizures) you should wait until you talk to your doctor. He can give you something to help or wean you off. Withdraw sucks. Keep taking your meds even if you feel better. If you stop taking them you go back to feeling bad.

Do not take depakote/valporic acid while you are drinking. It messes up your liver. Tell your doc or pdoc about drinking, they probably wont prescribe it. I suggest a support group, such as AA or talk to your doctor. Alcohol is a depressant and half of bipolar is depression. It could lead to an increased risk of suicide.

If you do not have insurance or have low income, there may be a system in place to get help. There are also a lot of medications that are on the $4 dollar list or are very cheep. I get lithium at Walgreens for 4 bucks or so a month.

bluedragon1200 wrote:St John's Wort can help with some mild depression.

St. John’s wort can made other drugs, like birth control pills, less effective. An unintended pregnancy would be stressful so I just wanted to point that out...

It also takes consistent use to be effective.

Sorry. I removed my reply after I realized you're looking for otc things to take, not methods to quit drinking.