What happens if you take antidepressants and alcohol? Effects and consequences

The effects and consequences of whether you take antidepressants and alcohol They are rather negative. Although in principle it will depend on several factors (punctual or continuous alcohol consumption, type of antidepressant consumed and dose, etc.) It is not very convenient to perform this mixture of substances by the chemistry that they generate with possible harmful reactions for our body.

Next, from Psychology-online we will present a little more detail some aspects to take into account in this situation.

1. What happens if I take alcohol and antidepressants?
2. Interaction between alcohol and antidepressants
3. Effects of mixing alcohol and antidepressants
4. Consequences of alcohol and antidepressant consumption
5. Can you drink antidepressants and alcohol beer?

What happens if I take alcohol and antidepressants?

The Mixture of alcohol and antidepressants It may be due to several reasons:

1. The person is taking antidepressants and in a timely manner the alcohol is raised (at some meal or dinner, for example).
2. The person is following an antidepressant treatment and the same depression leads him to consume frequent alcohol.
3. The person usually consumes alcohol (cases of "alcohol -dependent syndrome") and, while alcohol abuse generates depressing effect, decides to take antidepressants.

In the three possible cases, it would be recommended for a doctor to inform us properly about the convenience or not of the combination of both substances. However, this decision may be made unconsciously (especially in cases 2 and 3), normally pushed by an internal discomfort that does not allow responsible decisions For your own health.

In cases of antidepressant treatment, personal characteristics and the type of antidepressant. In the case of people with alcohol dependence syndrome, it is recommended, before consuming sporadic and unconsciously antidepressant, request professional help to solve their problem.

Interaction between alcohol and antidepressants

Both alcohol and antidepressants have, among other effects, direct action on the Serotonin segregation In our brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that functions as a regulator of certain body behaviors and needs favoring the effective self-regulation of the organism. Depression generates a deficit in the availability of serotonin that causes mismatches in that self-regulation (sadness, loss of interest, appetite and sleep disorders, fatigue, suicide ideas, etc.).

Antidepressants, as indicated by their name, work to counteract the effects of depression synthesizing serotonin in the brain to restore unbalanced functions. There are different types:

• Tricyclic antidepressants (such as imipramine and nortriptyline)
• Imaos or monoamineoxidase inhibitors (such as tranilcipromine and fenelzine)
• ISRSS o Selective inhibitors of serotonia reuptake (such as fluoxetine, paroxetine and sertraline)
• IRSNS o Selective serotonin and noreprenaline reuptake inhibitors (such as duloxetine and venlafaxine)

Currently, the most used are the ITSS and the IRSNS because they produce less side effects.

The alcohol, For its side, when a moderate consumption is presents an antidepressant effect while serotonin availability increases in the brain. For this reason, the interaction between antidepressants and alcohol causes an excessive increase in serotonin in the brain that manifests itself with several effects that we will discuss in the following section. On the other hand, when alcohol consumption becomes continuous and prolonged, its effect changes generating a greater demand for serotonin in the brain and, therefore, contributing to increasing (or reincidivating in) depressive symptoms.

In the following article you can read the effects of alcohol in the brain and nervous system.

Effects of mixing alcohol and antidepressants

As we just said, the mixture of alcohol and antidepressants contributes to unnecessarily increase serotonin levels In the brain causing, mainly:

• Alterations of the musculoskeletic system.
• Psychorganic disorders and psychological disorders due to its effects on the central nervous system.
• Repercussions on the cardiovascular system, increasing blood pressure.
• In general, alcohol consumption together with antidepressants has adverse effects causing greater Anxiety and depression symptoms.

The most serious symptoms caused by the poisoning of this serotonergic syndrome can be:

• High fever
• Epileptic attacks
• Irregular cardiac pulsations
• Unconsciousness, being able to cause death

Consequences of alcohol and antidepressant consumption

Taking into account everything commented on, the consequences of alcohol and antidepressant consumption will be one or the other depending on the person and the treatment and doses that are taking. However, in general, we can talk about adverse and harmful effects on health due to the chemical interaction that causes the mixture in the body: greater risk of accidents and falls, dizziness, behavior alterations, even overdose.

Can you drink antidepressants and alcohol beer?

Consulting in various sources it has not been clear to us whether the consumption of alcohol beer is appropriate or not whether an antidepressant treatment is being performed. In principle, the appropriateness of its consumption will depend on several factors:

• That alcohol without alcohol does not contain any degree of alcohol (There are "without" beers with small percentages of alcohol)
• Consumption must be occasional and moderate
• It will depend on the personal and type and dose of treatment, as we previously commented.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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