Should You Really Be Drinking While You Are On Medication?

Sounds like a judgy question but it's not. It's a question I have asked myself more than once. A question I have asked my Psychiatrist. We both agreed that in moderation I should be fine.

My current regime minus my birth control pills. 

Currently, I am on four medications. Prozac, Ambilify, Adderall and Xanax. I take the first three daily, and Xanax only when needed. See my previous post about my anxiety attack. I also take birth control pills but we are only addressing medications used to treat mental health disorders. Also currently, I indulge in an alcoholic beverage pretty frequently. Not "pretty frequently" in a worrisome kind of way. More like one to two drinks, four days a week. On all of my prescription bottles you can read the warning "drinking alcohol is not advised." But again, I subscribe to the everything in moderation way of thinking. Plus, I have learned my lesson when it comes to drinking while on medication. I will share that story in a minute.

First, a friendly but stern reminder. I AM NOT A DOCTOR. Please do not take medical advice from me. This post is for information purposes only, and what works for me may have terrible results for you. Take the information and use it to explore (with your doctor) what works best for you. So please, consult your doctor for advice or answers to your questions. Definitely check in with your doctor prior to drinking while on medication. I checked with my psychiatrist when I was prescribed to each medicine to be sure. It's just smart and in your best interest.

Now....back to the lesson I learned.

Years ago, I think maybe 2011, I attended a family party. Being of Irish descent, my family parties are always rowdy, super fun and heavily stocked with alcohol. At the time I was on a medication regime that was different from what I am on now. I think I was on Paxil and Ativan. I had a blast at the party and enjoyed more than a few beers. I nibbled on a few things but I didn't EAT.  Which is an awful combination even when not on medication. After the party, my sister and I boogied over to a close bar and continued drinking with no food. When I finally left, I felt fine. I can remember sitting behind the wheel of my car thinking about how fine I felt. Probably I had no business driving, but I proceeded to drive the 45 minutes to my house. When I got home, as I pulled into the driveway, I misjudged my turn and pulled in too fast and too wide. I then blacked out and rammed into my neighbor's fancy tile garden set-up that they had recently installed in the corner of their yard. My husband had to come outside to literally carry me inside. Lucky for me, my neighbors are really nice and love a good party so they understood and weren't upset at all. My husband was not as forgiving and to say that he was upset would be a gross understatement.

So wtf happened? How did I go from drinking tons of beer and feeling fine to blacking out and crashing my car in 45 minutes? The answer is: when you are on medication, alcohol takes longer to pass through your liver. Then once your liver is ready to process your alcohol BAM! you are super drunk. Plus, I hadn't eaten so I had nothing to slow down the absorption of the stupid amount of beer I had consumed. And at the time, I didn't feel drunk because the alcohol hadn't "hit" me yet. That is the non-clinical answer based on what I can remember from the clinical answer my psychiatrist gave me.

Lemon martini and watermelon. 

The lesson I learned was, if I am going to drink while on medication I need to eat food, stay hydrated, practice moderation and DO NOT DRIVE. Drinking and driving is stupid, and to this day I am mad at myself for putting other people in danger. I mean what if I had left 10 minutes later and blacked out on the highway? It's terrifying to think about.

Do you want to learn about how you can be affected by alcohol based on what medication you are taking? Well, lucky for you I did some research and will share my notes with you now.

AGAIN, this post is for information purposes ONLY. Please consult your doctor before drinking on medication.

Alcohol is a drug, and it works very similar to the drugs used to treat mental health disorders. Alcohol affects your brain's chemistry, specifically:

• glutamate which increases brain activity. 
• dopamine which makes you feel good 
• GABA which acts as a calming agent on your central nervous system and is a large part of the brain's reward system

So when you drink alcohol, even when not on medication, this is what happens to your brain: The increased activity caused by glutamate is suppressed by alcohol. Drinking alcohol also increases the effects of GABA and the release of dopamine. That is why initially drinking alcohol can be very satisfying but meanwhile could be causing problems for you.

Here are the most common categories of medications prescribed for mental health disorders and the possible side effects you could experience if you drink alcohol on them.

Antidepressants:

• alcohol can make depression worse
• extreme drowsiness
• dizziness
• coordination problems

Antipsychotics: 

• extreme drowsiness
• can increase psychotic symptoms
• alcohol can inhibit the medication from functioning properly

Anxiety Medication:

• extreme drowsiness
• loss of coordination and balance
• deteriorated motor skills
• slowed heart rate
• respiratory distress
• loss of conciousness 

Stimulants:

• stimulants and alcohol compete in your body which can lead to dangerous results
• stimulants dull the symptoms of being drunk which can lead you to drink more and puts you at risk for possible alcohol poisoning.
• raises your blood pressure
• increases your heart rate
• increases your blood pressure
• can cause an irregular heartbeat

Mood Stabilizers:

• can cause a build-up of neurotransmitters causing the effects of the medication AND the alcohol to increase
• when the alcohol's effects wear off, the GABA system is thrown off balance again, which can lead to increased anxiety and sleeplessness
• greater risk of depression once the alcohol's effects wear off
• drowsiness
• lack of motor control
• problems concentrating
• upset stomach
• muscle pain

So my advice to you is the same that I tell myself. Everything in moderation and be kind to yourself and your body. When you suffer from a mental health disorder you and your body are already struggling with so much. Throwing alcohol into the mix can complicate things and make your mind and body feel just awful. In some cases it is best to abstain from drinking all together. Talk to your doctor to figure out where you land, and what course of action you should take when it comes to your alcohol intake. If you find that you or someone you know is using alcohol in problematic ways, like to self medicate, or that you/they cannot abstain or control your/their drinking, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for help finding the tools you need to help you or someone you know. 

Let me know your thoughts either down below of on Instagram. Thanks for reading!