Cross Sectional Study on Characteristics of Bipolar Disorder Association with Alcohol Dependence in a Tertiary Care Center in South India

Bipolar disorders are commonly associated with other psychiatric disorders, which influence the course, severity and outcome of the disorder Aim: to study the association of alcohol dependence on bipolar disorder and to compare bipolar patients without alcohol dependence in tertiary care center in south India Methods: A total of 83 patients with age of 18-65 years who were admitted in the acute in-patient ward of the Institute of mental Health were administered M.I.N.I PLUS neuropsychiatric interview module and the patients who fulfil the diagnostic criteria for BPAD after ruling out the secondary causes of mood disorder were included in the study. The scales utilized to study the alcohol dependence association with bipolar disorder are in the form of  illness variables and symptoms severity. Results: Group-A (n=42) patients with bipolar disorder and co-morbid alcohol dependence and group-B (n=41) patients with bipolar disorder without alcohol dependence (Group-B) was noted in our study. Strong positive correlation between severity of alcohol dependence score and YMRS score, functioning score, positive scale of PANSS and aggression scores noted and Only treatment adherence, family H/o BPD and family H/o alcohol dependence show significance in the present study. Conclusion: Increase in severity of alcohol dependence is associated with severity of Bipolar disorder.