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Alcohol and anti-depressants

Question:
May I drink alcohol while taking antidepressants?

Response:
There are a number of problems with the mixture of alcohol and antidepressants.

Antidepressants make you especially susceptible to the intoxicating effects of alcohol.

The effects of alcohol prevent the antidepressants from working. Alcohol prevents antidepressants from being effective. This is not because it interferes with the absorption of antidepressants; it is because of the effects of alcohol upon brain chemistry.

The use of alcohol leads to increased depression and panic symptoms, as well as, increase the risk of suicide.

Antidepressants increase one's susceptibility to the intoxicating effects of alcohol. Also, both alcohol and some anti-depressants increase the possibility of seizures.

Alcohol is a depressant… so think for your self, what will be the consequence of taking a depressant (alcohol) AND an antidepressant together?

If you are having difficulty quitting drinking, you may want to look into the possibility of you having a drinking problem.

Regards,
Uzma Mazhar