# SSRIs and alcohol



## frony (Apr 2, 2006)

I'm on Cita an equivalent of Celexa about two months, and it's going pretty well I think, but my problem is that everywhere I read you should not drink not a single drop of alcohol while taking SSRIs my psych wasn't so dismissive about it, she only told to not to drink MUCH. Well I've been doing so from the beginning, having an ocassional beer or so, but the a week ago I've drank more than half a bottle of gin, and this friday night I had seven pints of beer. But I didn't notice any negative effects in combination with the SSRIs, everything seems normal. Do you think this kind of drinking is okay, or is this considered excessive, while taking the antidepressants, and what harm can it possibly do?

I don't know why I'm doing this, I guess it's just my weak will.....


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## jeremy (Apr 28, 2006)

I think your psych was right...Dont drink much. Excessive alcohol consumption does not help your emotional state at all and ruins your liver. I have never taken medications in my life so therefore do not know how it feels to take them etc, but I would say that if they are meant to be helping you and you are drinking excessively then it is like taking one step forward and one step back. Just my view of course.


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## comfortably numb (Mar 6, 2006)

From what ive read there is no absolute contradiction between ssri's and alcohol. The danger is that alcohol may affect you more strongly then it normally would when your on a ssri. You might have 2 or 3 drinks and end up feeling like you drank 6 or 7.

It also depends on what you are taking the ssri for. If your taking it for anxiety then everything should be alright, just dont go overboard. But if your taking it for depression then id recomend staying clear of alcohol altogether because alcohol increases the chances of you doing something stupid to yourself.

Ssri's can sometimes cause impulsive behaviour and mania and id imagine alcohol would only make that worse.

Alcohol is also known to make depression worse in the long run so thats another reason to avoid it.


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## just breathe (Nov 21, 2005)

Dont forget that you liver is doing double duty...


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## jeremy (Apr 28, 2006)

And while your liver is doing double duty it is overtaxed on;

* Bile production and excretion
* Excretion of bilirubin, cholesterol, hormones, and drugs
* Metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates
* Enzyme activation
* Storage of glycogen, vitamins, and minerals
* Synthesis of plasma proteins, such as albumin, and clotting factors
* Blood detoxification and purification

If it can't do the above properly, your whole body will suffer, resulting in probably more than DP.

For liver I recommend Chinese Wolfberries. They are an amazing superfruit that contain huge amounts of vitamins and minerals.

As for your weak will, you only have it because you say so.


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## Newhope85 (Jun 28, 2006)

ohhh dude, you'll be fine i drank on that stuff hard for awhile and i'm still alive. ps:how'd u get your DP?


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