Detox should not be considered as a replacement for comprehensive rehabilitation, but it remains an indispensable step during early recovery efforts. Medical detox entails a set of interventions designed to help you wean off alcohol gradually and safely to minimize the risk of harm and unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. MAOIs are typically a second-line prescription for depression when other classes of antidepressants aren’t working, as they interact with other medications and food, causing adverse side effects. In this article, I’ll discuss what antidepressants are and who they may be helpful for. I’ll also explain different types of antidepressants and go over warnings of mixing antidepressants and alcohol.
Besides, she added, how safe it is to drink while on antidepressants depends on the kind of antidepressant you’re taking — and for most people taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (or S.S.R.I.s), an occasional drink likely won’t do much harm. The bottom line is that there are many reasons not to combine alcohol with antidepressants. If you wish to drink alcohol while taking an antidepressant, do so moderately and safely. For others, alcohol abuse and depression are actually two separate diagnoses that exist at the same time (the so-called dual diagnosis), making each more complex and difficult to treat. Download K Health to check your symptoms, explore conditions and treatments, and if needed text with a provider in minutes. Whether you want to discuss side effects of antidepressants or treatment for depression, K Health can help.
Consuming alcohol while taking antidepressants may prevent you from experiencing the benefits of antidepressants. Finally, I’ll explore what to discuss with a doctor for tips to manage antidepressant side effects. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Some liquid medications, such as cough syrups or NyQuil, may also contain alcohol. Concurrent use with alcohol can also cause some antidepressants to be metabolized more extensively and become less clinically effective than usual. Additionally, people with vaginas are more likely to get depression than people with penises. It can also cause symptoms adderall’s effects on the brain: short-term and long-term symptoms of apathy toward previously enjoyable activities, difficulty making decisions, physical issues, and thoughts of self-harm and suicide. American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information. We strive to create content that is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
You can always ask your pharmacist if you can take any medicine with alcohol. And never abruptly stop taking an antidepressant unless directed to do so by your doctor. If you’re at low risk of addiction to alcohol, it may be OK to have an occasional drink, depending on your particular situation, but talk with your doctor. If you drink a lot of alcohol and then suddenly stop drinking while taking Wellbutrin, this may also increase risk of seizures. Research shows adolescents and young adults in the United States experience depression symptoms at a higher rate than other age groups, people at any age can get depression. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records.
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It is also a good idea to drink slowly and eat some food while drinking to decrease the effects of the alcohol. However, you should not combine alcohol with your antidepressant until you know how your antidepressant will affect you. Many antidepressants will make people feel drowsy, dizzy, and less alert. People who experience these effects from their antidepressant will likely not be able to tolerate the combined effects of alcohol and antidepressants, and will not be able to perform routine tasks such as driving or operating machinery.
- Alcohol is one of the most common legal, non-prescribed psychoactive substances in the U.S., with 54.9 percent of adults surveyed reporting alcohol use within the past month and 69.5 percent reporting that they drank in the past year.
- You can always ask your pharmacist if you can take any medicine with alcohol.
- Medical detox entails a set of interventions designed to help you wean off alcohol gradually and safely to minimize the risk of harm and unpleasant or even dangerous side effects.
- Data sources include Micromedex (updated 3 Mar 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Mar 2024), ASHP (updated 10 Mar 2024) and others.
- If you’re at low risk of addiction to alcohol, it may be OK to have an occasional drink, depending on your particular situation, but talk with your doctor.
To drink or not to drink while on an antidepressant—that is the question. Taking antidepressants with alcohol can intensify certain effects that can be caused by both the medication and alcohol. These chemicals work in different ways to help with your mental and physical well-being. Most antidepressants work alcohol use disorder treatment by increasing the low levels of these important neurotransmitters. Similar to any type of medication, antidepressants may cause side effects, some of which include nausea, insomnia, irritability, fatigue, and dry mouth. Always check the warnings and interactions in the labeling for your antidepressant.
This article is written by Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin and Mayo Clinic Staff. Make your tax-deductible alcohol and drug gift and be a part of the cutting-edge research and care that’s changing medicine.
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For instance, you may feel extremely drowsy and less mentally alert when consuming alcohol and antidepressants. One study found that for people with co-occurring depression and alcohol dependence, the risk of developing adverse effects from antidepressants is minimal, especially with SSRIs. You should avoid activities that requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the antidepressant affects you. Alcohol and some antidepressants compete for the same metabolic systems in the body—that is, they both head for the exit doors at the same time once the body has ingested them. Because of this competition, the body’s levels of both the antidepressant and alcohol can be higher than with either alone. With a higher level of each in the system, potential side effects of both may be exacerbated.
Use of alcohol can range anywhere from the occasional drink, to heavy drinking (more than 3-4 drinks per day), to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) whereby a person loses control over their intake and experiences significant negative consequences from use. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 14.5 million Americans over age 12 met the criteria for AUD that year. If you’re at low risk of addiction to alcohol, it may be OK to have an occasional drink, depending on your particular situation, but talk with your health care provider. If you’re concerned about your alcohol use, you may benefit from substance abuse counseling and treatment programs that can help you overcome your misuse of alcohol.
Table 1. Common Antidepressants
Drinking alcohol while taking antidepressants is generally not recommended because both of these substances can make you drowsy, less alert, and uncoordinated. 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. Don’t stop taking an antidepressant or other medication just so that you can drink.
How to Stop Drinking Alcohol
Joining a support group or a 12-step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous may help. Avoid drinking alcohol if you’re taking Wellbutrin, for example, since this may lead to uncommon and serious side effects, including hallucinations, paranoia, mood and behavioral changes, anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, and seizures. Drinking alcohol while taking antidepressants may exacerbate their side effects, especially if you are also taking other medications that can have negative interactions with alcohol, like sleep medications and prescription pain medications.
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Removing alcohol from the picture increases the opportunities for brain and body to function optimally. Antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed psychoactive substances in the U.S. Eleven percent of people ages 12 and older take an antidepressant, and it is the third most commonly used prescription drug among all adults. Among the year old age group, it is the number one prescribed drug in use. It is recommended that you don’t drink alcohol while taking antidepressants, as it may increase the risk of worsening mild to serious symptoms of antidepressants. For many people, the first step in quitting alcohol abuse is to enter medical detox.