Mixing Zoloft and Alcohol Can Be Dangerous
The Zoloft Alcohol Interaction
For patients on the antidepressant drug Zoloft, which is sold generically as sertraline hydrochloride, drinking alcohol is not recommended, according to Zoloft’s medication guide. That’s because drinking beer, wine or liquor when you are on Zoloft might result in one or more unpleasant or dangerous side effects. This page describes the experiences and side effects that some Zoloft users suffered after drinking alcohol.
Have you been drinking more since you’ve been on Zoloft? Research shows Zoloft might increase some users’ alcohol cravings.Alcohol Might Prevent Zoloft From Working Properly
Zoloft is a member of the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, or “SSRIs.” SSRIs increase the brain’s levels of serotonin–a soothing hormone that stabilizes one’s mood and facilitates many of the body’s other important functions–by preventing serotonin from being reabsorbed by the brain’s nerve endings.
Since serotonin levels are also affected by beer, wine and liquor–consuming alcohol initially increases the brain’s serotonin levels, then drops them to below the level they were at before the person imbibed–drinking alcohol might interfere with Zoloft’s ability to increase a patient’s serotonin levels. As a result, the patient who drinks alcohol while on Zoloft might experience the following “anti-Zoloft” side-effects:
- increased depression
- unexpected or unwanted emotions
Using Zoloft and Alcohol Together Might Make You More Intoxicated Than Using Alcohol Alone
- dizziness
- blackouts
- shaking
- slowed reaction times
- sedation
- sexual dysfunction
- headaches
Since Zoloft can actually increase a user’s cravings for alcohol, being on Zoloft can make a person who drinks alcohol more vulnerble to some of the more destructive aspects of alcohol abuse, including blackouts, violent outbursts, tolerance and dizziness.
Has your urge to drink alcohol increased since beginning your Zoloft regimen?
