What happens when you take antidepressants and drink alcohol?

We’ve all heard about the dangerous mix that is alcohol and prescription drugs. You know, like when your dentist tells you to lay off the painkillers while enjoying your margarita by the pool. But what about antidepressants? Are they safe to consume with a side of brewskies or should we avoid this cocktail at all costs?

What are Antidepressants?

Firstly, let’s talk about antidepressants. These medications are used to treat depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other similar conditions that make you want to scream into a pillow.

There are many different types of antidepressant drugs on the market such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Tricyclics(monocyclic & tetracyclic) Monoamine oxidase inhibitors(MAIOs). Each type of medication works differently in order to elevate mood levels; however, there isn’t one answer fits-all solution so only prescribed dosage makes sense because taking too much sounds like dancing without moving from where you’re seated.

What Happens When You Mix Antidepressants With Alcohol?

Now that we understand what an antidepressant is for someone who lives under rock, let’s discuss drinking alcohol while on these meds.

The combination sounds harmless enough: a few drinks here and there while popping some pills should be fine since often people can’t resist their urge for cocktails with anti-depressants being part of treatment but guess what? Mixing alcohol is NOT good news bears with every AD known man! Drinking essentially counteracts any positive benefits that may have been gained from using AD medication in first place(clearly not making it easier in aiding your mental health struggles).

Alcohol reduces the effectiveness of most kinds of AD due neutralizing your drug doses thereby hindering success, it also puts you at risk for some next-level shit if you mix too much of both. Let’s take a look at the potential risks of this antidepressant and alcohol cocktail.

The Risks of Combining Antidepressants And Alcohol

Don’t get yourself in trouble before your situation causing troubles already. Mixing substances is always risky- there is no debate!

But specifically with AD drugs and alcohol, this cocktail can lead to dangerous side effects such as:

1. Worsening Depression Symptoms

Alcohol is known to lower serotonin levels(serotonin being neurochemicals that regulates mood). Antidepressants like SSRIs are used to increase these levels which helps lessen depressive symptoms but when you consume buddies along with antidepressants, higher concentrations sometimes reducing medication’s effectiveness leading to entire possibility of worsening depression.

2. Increased Risk Of Suicidal Thoughts Or Actions

This effect depends on what type of AD user taking because it may heighten one’s chance not only suicidal thoughts but actions as well (coming straight from FDA’s warning label itself).

3. High Levels Of Intoxication

The summer reminder every partygoer gotta face sometime or other – high level intoxication Is possible; simply put, drinking lowers threshold needed for getting drunk long as ur popping pills sober may seem until upto bedtime) which means some people who have combined their meds with alcoholic beverages can become dangerously intoxicated & simply tend happier toward destructive behaviors/situations without knowing how they got themselves into those positions) As an example: Someone! I knew took two shots after ingesting Paxil tablet crumpled into applesauce leading him vomit throughout the restaurant like a human hosepipe..Needless to say he didn’t make great impression on date.

So keep in mind: combining antidepressants like SSRIs or MAIO(surprisingly still relevance) even helpful Trazodones (yep that one!!)with alcohol increases your chance of feeling drunk quicker and leads to greater risk of making questionable decisions or getting randomly woozy.

4. Memory Loss

Another potential side effect from taking antidepressants while consuming alcohol is memory loss (coincidentally, a common result after every family wedding). The combination can lead to blackouts where you have no recollection of events the night before sometimes even vague memories knowing some shady business happened).

Combined with Antidepressant users may sometimes forget important things like whereabouts their keys or phone charger at amidst drinking sessions; so it’s important to hold on your partner’s hand lest you lose much more than a couple drinks hazy leading up remembering nothing.

5. Liver Damage

Last but not least, combining AD medication with alcoholic beverages can cause damage if regularly performed over time, especially in context of persons having genetic variations(leading us here straight back people looking for excuses all day for being depressed)/conditions like Hepatitis C or autoimmune hepatitis(literally own immune system attacking liver cells), the latter causing an increased vulnerability to chronic liver diseases.

This is serious: Sticking close only certain assigned amounts recommended by healthcare professionals always remember moderation Is key.

Conclusion

Antidepressant pills serve many purposes – easing everything from depression symptoms such as anxiety disorders & seasonal affective disorder are treatments out there too and OCD :)! But, mixing these powerful drugs alongside alcohol risks severe health concerns including worsening depression symptoms downright suicidal thoughts backing those positive effects back out until functioning normally; Intoxication possibilities rising beyond fun ; Memory recoverability lessens which would lead into unwelcome fuzzy heads somewhere along next morning routinely & lucky hepatic damage after considerable amount consumed!

Proper doses always crucial when taken separately just be selective/pick choose who should accompany(P.S- I’m talking about your company now while imbibing tonight)! It’s simply not worth the risk of what potentially may happen along the way!

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