Is It Safe to Drink Alcohol with Benzodiazepines?
Learn why mixing alcohol with benzodiazepines is a recipe for disaster that’ll make your recovery that much more difficult.
Not all cases of generalized anxiety disorder or depression warrant treatment with medications. However, consulting with a psychiatrist may result in prescriptions for antidepressants. Common antidepressants include selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or serotonin and norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
There's another class of medications that can also help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression called benzodiazepines. They're usually added to your regimen and tend to have a stronger effect than SSRIs and SSNIs. But, they can also come with more risks than a standard antidepressant. If you’re under the influence of alcohol, it might be harder to assess how well your medications are working. Avoiding alcohol will give you a better idea of how your medication is making you feel and whether it’s helping your symptoms. If it isn't improving your symptoms, you and your psychiatrist may need to go a different route.
References
American Addiction Centers. (2022). Dangers of Combining Benzos and Alcohol.
GoodRx. (2023). Can I Drink Alcohol With Anxiety Medications Like Xanax and Ativan?
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2022). Substance use disorder.