Alcohol and Anti-depressants

Most people won’t be surprised to know that mixing alcohol and benzodiazepines or alcohol and opiates is not a good idea. The reason is that combining these drugs has an additive effect, enhancing the power of both. When someone’s judgment is impaired it’s difficult to remember how many pills have been taken or how many drinks they’ve had. This  can lead to severe impairment or death by overdose. Benzos and alcohol both work on the central nervous system as depressants, so the risk is heavy sedation causing an accident or shutting down the system and dying.

There are many people on medications like Xanax and Hydrocodone who still drink, not believing the warnings. If the person got the opiates or benzos illegally, then there was likely no warning not to drink on them — in fact, the person selling the illegal drugs could likely encourage drinking because it creates a better high. There’s a lot of ignorance and misinformation regarding alcohol and other drugs.

While the above warning will ring a bell with most rational people, what most people will not likely consider is alcohol and anti-depressants. Anti-depressants like Prozac are not drugs that people use to get high, so it’s understandable that a person going to the bar would not consider drinking alcohol a risk if he/she is also taking an anti-depressant. It is a risk. It’s one of the greatest risks. This is from PsychCentral.com:

Alcoholism and depression are common co-occurring disorders, which puts individuals at high risk for interactions between alcohol and antidepressant medications such as Prozac and Elavil. Effects can include impaired thinking, dangerously high blood pressure, intensified depression symptoms and death.

Certain antidepressants may also interact with MAOIs, causing dizziness, seizures, confusion and coma and putting users at risk of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition. Other medications and supplements that may interact with certain antidepressants are prescription painkillers, the herbal remedy St. John’s wort, the bronchodilator albuterol and some over-the-counter antihistamines.

Don’t foolishly mix drugs. Know what you’re putting in your body and what effects it will have.