Welcome, Annie!
You have your hands full with your little one. He may need more than just the Risperdal. Many of our kids are on more than one med because the combination seems to work more than a solo med. As you found with the Concerta, most ADD meds (and anti-depressants) cause BP symptoms to become more severe. They can sometimes be used once the child/person is stabilized with a mood stabilizer. You may want to read "Tha Bipolar Child" and "The Explosive Child". Both are very good and are in the libraries of most all of us here on the board. Also look for a local NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) goup. They have support groups, classes, and education available. Most of us have also heard that our child's behavior is something that we are doing or not doing as a parent. It is not your fault!! Mental illness is a disease - and it is a disease that behaves as it does no matter how perfect a parent you are.
I do not mean to be judging you, but as for yourself, you probably already know that your drinking is not going to help you or your family. Maybe you could think about being re-evaulated for something with the depression, as your sister suggested. Not all people show the same symptoms for BP diagnosis. Maybe another med can help you handle things better without the drinking to survive.
I'm glad you have a wonderful husband around to help with your boys.
And I'm glad you found this site. There is a lot of information here. And a lot of loving, caring, supportive people who have become my friends over the last six years or so. You can feel safe to post what you feel and think; you will not be judged! Only cared for and supported. Ask whatever you need and vent, scream, whatever! Jump into whatever conversations are going on in the other forums.
Again, welcome!!
Elaine, Mom to Matthew, 16, complex partial seiaures and bipolar, carbatrol (tegretol), topomax, and clonodine