Prozac and Alcohol Is a Bad Mix for Individuals with Depression
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States, with higher rates usually found among individuals. Often, treatment for depression includes antidepressant medication along with therapeutic counseling. While there are many options to choose from regarding antidepressant medications, Prozac (fluoxetine) is one of the most frequently used prescriptions. Prozac often has favorable results, but it does come with warnings of side effects and interactions with other substances. A primary concern reported is the interaction between Prozac and alcohol, which can be problematic.
United States military members are the lifeline of our defense system. However, due to the sometimes traumatic nature of this unique occupation, individuals can be left facing challenging mental health conditions. For example, depression, PTSD, and substance abuse are among the most reported conditions that individuals face. Fortunately, medication helps some of these conditions, but they must be used with caution, especially when alcohol is involved.
What Does Prozac Do?
Prozac is the brand name for fluoxetine and is in a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. As the name of the drug class depicts, SSRIs stop the neurotransmitter serotonin from being reabsorbed by the brain after it has been released. Because serotonin is partially responsible for stabilizing moods, the result from the available serotonin in the brain is increased happiness and lessened depression. Fluoxetine is usually prescribed for depression, but is also used to combat obsessive-compulsive disorders and some eating disorders. However, because fluoxetine has such a profound effect on the brain, it should not be combined with other mind-altering substances, such as alcohol.
The Prozac and Alcohol Interaction
Both Prozac and alcohol influence the brain, which is why Prozac and drinking don’t go well together. Prozac is designed to increase the presence of serotonin while alcohol works to slow the brain and body down. Therefore, when drinking on fluoxetine side effects of both substances can be amplified.
Alone, Prozac side effects can include:
However, when drinking on Prozac, these effects are amplified. In addition, the side effects of alcohol are also worsened. When taken together, side effects of Prozac and alcohol include:
Aside from these dangerous side effects, alcohol also lessens the effectiveness of fluoxetine leaving a person impaired and feeling down.
Alcohol Use, & Depression
Many individuals experience traumatic events during their time in service. This trauma often leads to conditions like depression and PTSD and encourages many to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. This can be dangerous when taking prescribed medication, as the repercussions of combining Prozac and alcohol indicate. In addition, regular substance use not only aggravates conditions like anxiety and depression but also paves the way to dependency and addiction. In fact, mental health disorders and addiction are so intertwined that it is often difficult to determine which condition is the root of the problem. In these cases, both substance abuse and mental illness should be assessed separately and together in order to estimate the best way forward.
The results are important because “we need new approaches that help people get feeling better faster and help them stay feeling better,” says Rebecca Price, an author of the study and an associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. Established drugs like Prozac and Zoloft can take weeks to ease depression, and don’t work for every patient. Ketamine can offer immediate relief, but the effects often fade after a few days or weeks.