My husband suffers from both. Bp causes the mood swings....The alcohol just major intensifies the mood swings. The alcohol causes them to drop into their lows. When my husband drinks, it sets him into his "low" for several days! I am talking, stays in bedroom and not come out...At all. When he is in his "highs" he is great...Until he starts drinking, which then literally throws him into his low the next day. Alcohol is the worst thing for anyone suffering from bp! And also the worst for mixing their meds and the alcohol together!!

Is your husband currently on meds for his bp?

The same thing happened with my, now, bipolar ex-boyfriend as of this weekend. He was a changed person when he'd drink. He'd go from being the fun party guy, to obnoxious, to just plain mean and verbally abusive. It's like, the person you know and love just isn't there anymore and you're talking to someone else. Horrible.

Or are you putting the cart before the horse?

If he is bipolar, then alcohol will make it worse. Particularly in combination with any medications prescribed.

Might be sensible to go with the "simplest" explanation (alcoholism) and see where it leads. Clearly, when he is drinking you are getting danger signals. Heed them.