There are no antidepressants that are completely safe when taken with alcohol. Some providers may say that light to moderate drinking is OK while taking certain antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac), and escitalopram (Lexapro).
Paroxetine is the antidepressant for which the most scientific evidence was found for dual anxiety treatment (68–70). Three clinical trials (69–71) found that paroxetine was effective in social anxiety patients with alcohol dependency.
However, since many patients are not willing to give up alcohol completely, it is important to combine alcohol and antidepressants in the safest way possible. Some physicians allow moderate drinking for their patients. This means 1 drink per day for women and 2 drinks per day for men.
Drinking alcohol with antidepressants can lead to worse side effects from the medication such as dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion. People with depression are at a higher risk for developing substance use problems, including alcoholism.
What happens if you drink alcohol while taking Lexapro? Drinking alcohol while taking Lexapro isn't recommended. Both alcohol and Lexapro can cause side effects like increased depressive thoughts, sleep problems, and dizziness. Combining the two may cause drowsiness, nausea, reduced alertness, and serotonin syndrome.
As such, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends not drinking alcohol while you take Zoloft. Alcohol can intensify Zoloft's side effects, including sedation, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.
Drowsiness, Confusion, Loss of Coordination
Alcohol and antidepressants can impair a person's coordination, and cause confusion and severe drowsiness. People can fall and injure themselves, and it's best to avoid driving or operating machinery if someone drinks while on any type of antidepressant.
When combined with antidepressants, these effects of drinking become heightened. In other words, you may get drunker faster, and with less alcohol than usual. The results can be dangerous if you make poor decisions while combining these two substances.
Three medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat alcohol use disorder: acamprosate, disulfiram, and naltrexone. Acamprosate and naltrexone reduce alcohol consumption and increase abstinence rates, although the effects appear to be modest.
Naltrexone (ReVia)
This medication blocks the “feel-good” response alcohol causes. Naltrexone may help reduce the urge to drink and prevent excessive alcohol consumption.
Naltrexone (Trexan) and acamprosate (Campral) are recommended as FDA-approved options for treatment of alcohol dependence in conjunction with behavior therapy.
Addiction psychiatrists work with patients to determine the reasons for the development of their drug or alcohol addiction. If there is a need, they can prescribe medication to control withdrawal symptoms and treat underlying or co-existing psychiatric disorders.
Drinking alcohol with anxiety medications can worsen side effects, such as extreme sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and slowed breathing. These side effects can lead to accidental injuries with serious and sometimes fatal consequences.
Allow at least two weeks to pass before consuming alcohol if you've recently stopped treatment with a MAOI antidepressant.
Drinking alcohol while you're taking Prozac or other SSRIs is not recommended. While Prozac is a safe medication to use as directed by your doctor, Prozac and alcohol are still a dangerous combination. In many ways, Prozac acts as a sedative—calming you down and making you tired or exhausted.
Due to the various risks associated with drinking alcohol and taking Effexor, it is best to avoid drinking alcohol while taking Effexor. It can quickly become a harmful addiction because the heightened effects of intoxication can become addicting to someone who is depressed or anxious.
You're less likely to experience unpleasant or unpredictable effects if you drink alcohol while taking an SSRI or a serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant, but avoiding alcohol is often still recommended.
Some of the most common symptoms of alcohol abuse are: Experiencing temporary blackouts or short-term memory loss. Exhibiting signs of irritability and extreme mood swings. Making excuses for drinking such as to relax, deal with stress or feel normal.
Alcohol is not only psychologically addictive but physically addictive as well. With long-term and/or heavy drinking, it is probable that an alcoholic will exhibit withdrawal symptoms if they stop. These symptoms are very unpleasant and can be a powerful deterrent to committing to sobriety.
If you feel that you need a drink every night or to get through a social event, stressful situation or personal struggle, and you have a compulsion to drink or constantly crave alcohol, maybe even daily, this could be a sign of psychological dependency.
Not necessarily. The cravings will lessen in severity over time, but for some people, they will take several years to go away completely. For others, the cravings may never fully disappear, but hopefully these individuals learned relapse-prevention skills in rehab to help them withstand these episodes.