Zoloft and Alcohol

Estimated reading time: 28 minute(s)

Millions of people across the world continue to fight depression, one of the most common mental health illnesses characterized by guilt, gloom, pessimism, and hopelessness. Fortunately, medication can offer them relief from these disturbing and potentially impairing symptoms, one of them being Zoloft.

Zoloft is a popular prescription drug, belonging to the class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Also known as sertraline, this medication works by altering how the human brain reabsorbs a neurotransmitter called serotonin. While the medication has been associated with plenty of benefits, it also has a downside, especially for alcoholics as experts warn against using it with this beverage.

Effects of Alcohol on Depression

Zoloft of sertraline is a popular medication prescribed to keep the symptoms of depression under control. Mental health professionals strictly advise people with depression to refrain from alcohol, even if they are not using any prescription drug to manage it. The reason behind this advice is the fact that alcohol is a depressant of the central nervous system that acts directly on the brain. The beverage suppresses the neurological signals to change the way a person thinks and reasons.

While many people may believe that using alcohol eases their depressive symptoms in the short term, the beverage significantly worsens them over time by throwing the user into a downward spiral. Regardless of this fact, many continue to use alcohol as a form of self-medication and end up building an alcohol dependency. The real issue begins when these people reach out to a mental health professional to get proper help for their underlying depression because most of them require a medication like Zoloft to recover. However, combining the medication with alcohol can only make the matters worse.

Apart from the interactions likely to occur by combining alcohol and Zoloft, the beverage itself can also worsen the symptoms of depression, such as:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Nausea
• Negative thoughts
• Loss of appetite
• Body weight fluctuation
• Insomnia
• Anxiety

Sertraline Interaction with Alcohol: What are the Possible Side Effects?

Using Zoloft and alcohol together can lead to multiple side effects and interactions. The details of these side effects are given below:

• Both sertraline and alcohol act on the neurotransmitters in the brain, triggering an episode of an alcoholic blackout. An alcoholic blackout is when individual struggles to remember the events that took place while they were under alcohol’s intoxicating effects
• During the early days of treatment with sertraline or Zoloft, many people experience an increase in suicidal thoughts and anxiety as a side effect of the medication. Drinking alcohol during such a tough time can give the person enough impulsiveness to act on these thoughts and harm themselves
• Using both Zoloft and alcohol at the same time can intensify the symptoms of an underlying anxiety disorder
• Mixing alcohol with sertraline can also lead to digestive issues, such as indigestion, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach acid

One of the most common and dangerous Zoloft and alcohol side effects is an overdose. Many people who combine both agents together end up consuming more of Zoloft, leading to painful symptoms, such as shakiness, nausea, lethargy, vomiting, confusion, burning sensations in hands, arms, feet, and legs, and dizziness. In more serious cases, an individual who has overdosed may develop hallucinations, seizures, or heart problems

When used independently, both sertraline and alcohol can induce drowsiness in users. When a person combines them, the effects of sleepiness and drowsiness intensify, impairing some crucial everyday tasks such as decision-making, impaired cognitive ability, and coordination

Serotonin syndrome is another potential complication of combining Zoloft and alcohol. The syndrome refers to a potentially life-threatening issue caused by very high levels of serotonin neurotransmitters in the brain. Some common symptoms of this disorder include increased reflexes, tremors, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, sweating, dilated pupils, muscle spasms, delirium, excitement, restlessness, agitation, and rapid breathing. If treatment is not sought in time, serotonin can kill the individual experiencing it.

For the reasons mentioned above, it is imperative that all users consuming sertraline refrains from using alcohol in the meantime. Doing so can make them highly vulnerable to accidents and injuries or force them to make ill-judged or impulsive decisions with potentially long-lasting and even fatal consequences.

Zoloft and Alcohol: Precautions to Keep in Mind

As you consider taking Zoloft to manage your depression, keep the following precautions in mind for your safety:

• Let your healthcare provider know if you have any known allergies or are allergic to anything before you start taking Zoloft
• Tell your healthcare provider about any medications that you are already taking, including health supplements and over-the-counter pills to avoid any drug interactions
• Make sure you let your doctor know about your medical history, symptoms, and any past treatments so that they can evaluate your situation more deeply and prescribe the most appropriate antidepressant treatment
• Once you have started using Zoloft, do not stop without medical supervision
• Always consult your doctor if you wish to stop the drug or even lower its dose
• If you experience worsening symptoms despite taking Zoloft, talk to your doctor instead of changing its dose or self-medicating with alcohol to manage them better
• If you are already in the process of alcohol addiction recovery and taking Antabuse to control your cravings, taking Zoloft may not be safe for you. This is because Zoloft contains 12% alcohol and using it alongside Antabuse can lead to uncomfortable side effects.

If you are a known alcoholic who is using Zoloft to manage depression, keep an eye out for the following symptoms and consult a doctor right away if you develop any of them:

• Suicidal tendencies
• Shivering and sweating
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Irregular or accelerated heart rate
• Hallucinations, confusion, headaches, and memory loss
• Seizures
• Manic episodes involve symptoms like extreme happiness, rapid speech, unusual risk-taking behavior, increased energy, and irritability

Seeking Help for Alcohol Abuse on Zoloft

If you have been using Zoloft and find it difficult to avoid alcohol in the meantime, you may be suffering from an alcohol use disorder. One most common indicators of this problem is continuing to use alcohol even when it is clearly risking your physical or mental health. Regularly consuming it even if you are taking an SSRI like Zoloft also fits into that category.

A strong link exists between depression and alcohol use disorder, with the latter significantly worsening the risk of the former. Many people continue to fight both conditions together as a form of co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis. The most effective way to manage these co-occurring conditions is through a medically-supervised addiction treatment program. This program takes place under medical supervision and ensures that your physical and mental health undergo in-depth professional evaluations and monitoring as you continue to move toward recovery.

FAQs

Why do people use Zoloft?

Healthcare practitioners commonly prescribe Zoloft to help manage behavior and mood disorders, like panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, major depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Can you drink Zoloft occasionally?

The prescribing information that comes with Zoloft explicitly mentions not combining this medicine with alcohol. Even without combining it with alcohol, the medicine comes with a long list of side effects, such as dizziness and drowsiness, and combining it with alcohol is only likely to worsen them. Moreover, people who are only beginning to take Zoloft must specially abstain from combining it with alcohol, even if it is a single drink only. This is because experts need to closely monitor how they respond to the antidepressant and alcohol can make the process a lot more difficult.

What are some side effects that Zoloft is likely to produce?

Zoloft or sertraline can lead to a couple of side effects in its users, such as:

• Sexual problems
• Tremors
• Loss of appetite
• Excessive sweating
• Drowsiness or fatigue
• Dizziness
• Stomach issues, such as diarrhea, nausea, and indigestion

Some less common but more serious side effects that can hit people using Zoloft include the following:

• Low sodium levels
• Increased bleeding risk
• Serotonin syndrome
• Withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of the medication

Is there any specific alcohol that I should refrain from combining with alcohol?

As per experts, it can be potentially unsafe to combine any alcohol, regardless of its type, with Zoloft. The combination can lead to a multitude of side effects and may even worsen depression.

What happens when you mix Zoloft and alcohol?

For starters, drinking alcohol while taking Zoloft can make the side effects associated with this antidepressant come on more quickly and at a higher intensity. Some of the common side effects that may come out of this dangerous combination include stomach aches, slowed breathing, suicidal thoughts, and overall impairment. If you occasionally drink alcohol while taking the antidepressant at the same time, consider asking a family member to look after you. However, if the combination is causing you to face severe side effects or develop suicidal feelings, consult a mental health professional right away.

Can I skip a dose of Zoloft to drink alcohol over the weekend?

No, doctors strictly advise not to skip a dose of sertraline-based medication like Zoloft just to drink alcohol. If you are using this medication to treat depression, continue using it exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider. Skipping or even stopping these medications is not recommended as doing so may lead to several withdrawal symptoms, called antidepressant discontinuation syndrome.

When can I start drinking again?

Doctors recommend completely abstaining from alcohol use while you are on Zoloft. Hence, ideally, you must wait to finish the medication course to be able to use alcohol once again. Remember that stopping an antidepressant all of a sudden is never safe and you must always seek professional advice before doing it. A professional will assess your circumstances and propose a slow tapering process to gradually stop using Zoloft without any side effects. They can also help you determine a suitable time when you can start drinking again. However, keep in mind that Zoloft can take a few more days to completely leave your system, even when you have completely stopped using it.