What Are the Potential Dangers of Mixing Lexapro and Alcohol?

 

Many medications have interactions with other drugs as well as side effects. Therefore, it’s important to understand how a prescribed medication reacts with other drugs when taken together. For instance, Lexapro and alcohol should not be mixed because of the potential dangers resulting from the drug’s interactions. Lexapro is an antidepressant approved by the FDA and is prescribed for treating depression and anxiety.

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Before using this antidepressant, you should first understand the interactions of drugs with Lexapro. Here is why you should not mix alcohol with Lexapro.

 

Can You Drink Alcohol While Taking Lexapro?

Although some people do it, doctors do not recommend mixing Lexapro with alcohol due to the potential dangers or side effects. Lexapro and alcohol interactions vary from one person to the other depending on your body’s reaction to the drugs as well as the dosage.

As of now, no research has been able to explain how Lexapro and alcohol interact clearly. However, there are risks of taking alcohol while using Lexapro.

 

Dangers of Mixing Lexapro and Alcohol

Lexapro and alcohol, if mixed together, could have some interactions and possible dangers. First, the alcohol will decrease the effectiveness of Lexapro thus, the antidepressant will not be able to treat anxiety and depression as expected. Also, there’s the risk of increased or severe side effects. 

Some side effects of Lexapro without alcohol include:

• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Dry mouth
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia

 

 

If Lexapro is mixed with alcohol, these side effects could worsen. Some possible side effects of Lexapro with alcohol include:

• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Worsened depression
• Liver problems
• Lack of energy
• High blood pressure
• Increased anxiety

Furthermore, mixing Lexapro with alcohol could lead to suicidal thoughts, especially among children, teens, and young adults. This is because alcohol worsens depression and anxiety effects leading to increased suicide risk.

In addition, mixing Lexapro and alcohol can result in elevated alcoholism. Those taking Lexapro do experience depression which may lead them to use drugs and alcohol in a move to handle the negative effects and symptoms of depression, among other mental disorders.

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Is Any Amount of Alcohol Safe while Taking Lexapro?

Even when consumed in moderation, alcohol could still affect the working of antidepressants like Lexapro. And according to health experts, drinking in moderation means a single alcoholic drink per day for women and less than two alcoholic drinks per day for men.

According to some experts, drinking alcohol in moderation while taking Lexapro, among other antidepressants, could still cause hyperbolic responses to alcohol in some individuals. This includes inhibition, violence, and memory loss. Answers to why this happens and who is at risk remain unknown.

However, drinking a small amount of alcohol occasionally while taking Lexapro or any other antidepressant could be safe for those with a low-risk alcohol disorder. 

Thus, you should take the alcohol slowly and with food to decrease its effects and reaction with the antidepressant. Also, you should talk to your doctor before you mix alcohol with Lexapro or any other antidepressant.

If you feel like harming yourself after mixing Lexapro and alcohol, you should talk to your doctor right away to help you stop alcohol or Lexapro medication. You might experience some withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, shaky hands, vomiting, trouble sleeping, and many more. 

Those on higher dependence risk severe withdrawal symptoms, including seizures or hallucination and even delirium tremens, popularly known as DTs. These symptoms can begin as early as three days after the last drink and could threaten one’s life.

 

 

Effects of Antidepressants and Alcohol on Mental Health Issues

Antidepressants such as Lexapro and depressants such as alcohol could have serious effects on your mental well-being. As a matter of fact, antidepressants are not meant to cure depression and anxiety but to help one manage the symptoms of such mental disorders.

Also, not all antidepressants work for everyone. For instance, if Lexapro isn’t right for you, your body will reject the medication, and the side effects will be more and worse. SSRI antidepressants like Lexapro are known for increased suicidal thoughts, although this mental issue is evident when taking other antidepressants.

Furthermore, mental disorders like depression and anxiety are hard to overcome, and this is why some people take alcohol to deal with them. Some effects of alcohol on mental health include:

• Frequent irritability
• Resettlement
• Intense worries
• Fatigue
• Tiredness
• Loss of interest in certain activities that you used to enjoy

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Conclusion

Although there’s little research about the dangers and possible interactions of Lexapro and alcohol, individuals should refrain from mixing these two substances. Some of the risks involved include increased side effects, reduced effectiveness of Lexapro, and many more. Alcohol’s effects on depression are very severe and could lead to suicidal thoughts.

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