# How bad is it to drink on antidepressants?



## Delicate (May 23, 2008)

I've been on Citalopram just for about a week. My doctor said if you drink on them they just don't work at all but I heard from someone else it just makes you more drowsy, more drunk. I caved once and had a couple of drinks... just a couple... I felt more drowsy. I don't want them to not work though. Also my dad took them when he got really bad depression and he said he drank, hadn't heard not to even, and they worked fine. I know someone else who's on antidepressants and drinks but is it different depending on the type? Just wondering.


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## honastud (Jul 13, 2009)

For me when I was taking Paxil, Effexor or other SSRI's I felt great when I was drunk, but payed for it the next day. Im not sure if it washes the drugs out of my system or what, but I wake up with soooo much anxiety, almost paranoid. It takes me about 3-4 days to get back to normal. Of course it depends on how much you drink.


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## Black_Widow (May 23, 2008)

I've never tried drinking with Citalopram so far myself, but do know someone who will have the odd couple of glasses of wine here and there with it and is fine. She does just do it occasionally though - at least as far as I know.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

When I was on SSRIs, the effects of alcohol weren't really amplified much, but antidepressant/antianxiety effects were totally abolished for exactly 2 days each time. Didn't matter if it was 2 beers or 10, the same thing happened.


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## AliBaba (Nov 16, 2005)

I've drank to the point of blacking out while on just about every AD out there, and I never really had any problems. Other than the blacking out that is. I'd be careful though, it's different for everyone. 

I guess by definition if you're an alchoholic your drinking is going to counteract an AD. I've never had any issues "social drinking" or getting a little typsy every now & then.


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

I'm on paxil, and I find it takes a lot longer for the effects of alcohol to wear off. I also get intoxicated much easier.


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## Makaveli (Jul 15, 2009)

I've been on citalopram on and off for about 6 yrs. When you're drinking and a bit tipsy in the moment, you can feel on top of the world, but the come down is awful. I've been anxious and depressed wreck for days on end after drinking and that's even after having just 2 drinks. Although the extreme depressive episodes and anxiety the day after having only 1 or 2 drinks could be down to my negative thoughts and self cosnsciousness about the social situation.

It's a risk to drink more than a couple of alcoholic beverages when on any antidepressant. It counters the whole purpose of the drug.


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## johnwithsad (Jul 17, 2008)

I drink in moderation on Nardil and haven't had a problem. Moderation is key. I haven't taken citalopram so I can't comment on that drug.


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## Aleforge (Jul 8, 2009)

I would say amplified for me on Zoloft. It doesn't take nearly as much for me to feel the effects as it use to. I guess the positive is you don't have to drink as much if you are looking to relax. But as mentioned it seems different for everyone. My doctor just told me to be careful and drink in only moderation.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

In general moderate drinking is no problem while on antidepressants. Heavy drinking is actually never a safe thing and while on ADs one can black out earlier and some people can show - let's call it 'bizarre behaviour' when they drink much while on SSRIs/SNRIs. I have seen that myself, actually I have proven that myself - but that's top secret, no picture or video proof exists (anymore).  

Disclaimer: All 76 young people who had videos or pictures showing me on that specific evening died a natural death within one week after that evening.


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## Black_Widow (May 23, 2008)

Funnily enough, I had an offer from someone I know to go out for drinks this week. Co-incidentally from that person I know I mentioned in this thread earlier who sometimes chooses to drink on hers. But after reading through this thread and other peoples responses I've decided I really don't want to take the risk. I've not long re-started this medication and have only been back on it (since first time round i tried it also for a short time) 11 days, and after querying some things with a doctor I talked to about taking this today - really do want to see what happens over the next few weeks as to how effective it's likely to be for me without doing anything that's likely to mess up the process meanwhile. If I find it's not being that effective anyway, further on down the line, I would probably risk the odd one or two. But until I know, I'm not taking the risk - just in case it happens this drug ends up working really well for me in which case I doubt I'll feel much of a need to drink anyway.


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## Keirelle (Apr 7, 2009)

Delicate said:


> I've been on Citalopram just for about a week. My doctor said if you drink on them they just don't work at all


Is that true?? That would explain why they were COMPLETELY useless when I was on them... lmao.

Good to know.. :clap


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## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

When I was on Paxil for the first time in my life, I felt like I was becoming an alcoholic. I never really drank before I was on it, but once I started it was almost I couldn't stop. I kept getting a strange euphoric experience with alcohol and Paxil that was addictive. Luckily I came off it and went on another anti-depressant and funnily enough the alcohol craving and addiction totally went.


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## Delicate (May 23, 2008)

Keirelle said:


> Is that true?? That would explain why they were COMPLETELY useless when I was on them... lmao.
> 
> Good to know.. :clap


Lol!! that's what I heard... He asked if I drink I said yeah and he's like (due to general anxiety and depression etc) you should try to avoid that so I just asked what happens if you drink on the tablets and he said they won't work... I don't know though. My sister said go back to the doctor and say look, not drinking, is making me depressed. lol.

I can't stop drinking completely I've tried. This sounds bad but I've got a lot on my mind at the moment and a couple of drinks help me stop thinking so much I've avoided doing that since I started the medication but this morning I woke up at about half three in the morning and couldn't stop thinking and felt really crappy and miserable and I thought I've only got two hours until I have to wake up I need to sleep a little so I had a few drinks and drifted off. I'm trying not to but it's like stopping everything at once, I don't think I drink too much but I do drink.


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## GSH (Jul 16, 2009)

RockiNToM said:


> When I was on Paxil for the first time in my life, I felt like I was becoming an alcoholic. I never really drank before I was on it, but once I started it was almost I couldn't stop. I kept getting a strange euphoric experience with alcohol and Paxil that was addictive. Luckily I came off it and went on another anti-depressant and funnily enough the alcohol craving and addiction totally went.


That's exactly my experience. Not so much on the IR as the CR. Seems like I craved alcohol and would get wasted rather easy. The hangovers were the worst.


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