To avoid dangerous side effects such as drowsiness and liver problems, it’s best not to use alcohol while you take Lexapro. It works by increasing serotonin levels in the brain to boost mood and minimize feelings of anxiety. However, the manufacturer of Lexapro still recommends against mixing the two.
The effects of alcohol on neurotransmitters in the brain can disrupt the delicate balance of chemicals responsible for regulating mood and emotions. While the short-term effects of alcohol are concerning, the long-term effects can be even more detrimental. Long-term alcohol abuse can have serious consequences on both physical and mental health. For example, chronic alcohol use can lead to cardiovascular problems, such as high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, and an increased risk of stroke. The first three reviews were not specifically designed for evaluating the efficacy and safety of antidepressants for alcohol‐dependent people. The fourth review adopted very selective inclusion criteria (studies reporting data over at least eight weeks; studies reporting a change in depression scales).
According to our results, in people with co‐occurring depression and alcohol dependence, antidepressants may be useful for the treatment of depression, alcohol dependence, or both disorders, although the clinical relevance may be modest. Results are also limited by the large number of studies showing high or unclear risk of bias and by the low number of studies comparing one antidepressant to another or antidepressants to other medications. In people with co‐occurring depression and alcohol dependence, the risk of developing adverse effects appears to be minimal, especially for the newer classes of antidepressants (such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Indeed, antidepressants improve only some outcomes (i.e. the number of abstinent participants and the number of drinks per drinking days) and not others (e.g. the rate of abstinent days). Regarding alcohol consumption, we found moderate‐quality evidence that antidepressants increased with respect to placebo, the number of participants abstaining during the trial and reduced the number of drinks per drinking day.
And finally I want to tell doctors that your patients can often see that the information you are getting is wrong — we don’t blame you for this, we just want you to listen to us. I knew I was drinking too much but I also had terrible overwhelming uncontrollable cravings for alcohol. I printed some of the information from the internet out and gave Sober House this to my doctor and tried to explain that I thought the medication was giving me intense cravings for alcohol. Abrupt cessation of or significant decrease in alcohol intake in dependent drinkers can precipitate the emergence of an acute withdrawal syndrome within 4 – 12 hours of the last drink that may persist for up to 5 days (DSM-5).
The analysis found no significant difference between antidepressants and placebo (2 studies; 29 participants; MD 1.00 cravings for alcohol, 95% CI ‐3.27 to 5.27; Analysis 1.20) (Cornelius 2016; Krupitsky 2012). The analysis found no difference between antidepressants and placebo, with no evidence of heterogeneity (4 studies; 121 participants; https://wyomingdigest.com/top-5-advantages-of-staying-in-a-sober-living-house/ SMD 0.20, 95% CI ‐0.16 to 0.56; Analysis 1.4) (Cornelius 1997; Cornelius 2016; McLean 1986; Pettinati 2001a). We examined the effect of including people with uncertain diagnoses in the sensitivity analyses. Trials including people with additional diagnoses of dependence by other substances of abuse were also considered eligible.