Mixing Lexapro & Alcohol | Effects & Risks

Lexapro is the brand name for an antidepressant medication called escitalopram oxalate. It’s used to treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

As a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), Lexapro increases the brain’s levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that helps regulate mood. Like other types of antidepressants, Lexapro poses serious health risks when mixed with alcohol.

What Happens When You Mix Lexapro & Alcohol?

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against drinking alcohol while taking Lexapro. That’s because combining these drugs may increase your risk of side effects, worsened depression and anxiety, serotonin syndrome, overdose, and alcohol addiction. 

Worsened Side Effects

Like other prescription drugs, Lexapro can have side effects. The most common side effects of Lexapro include drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, and weight gain. These effects can also be caused by alcohol. 

Thus, you’re more likely to experience them if you use alcohol and Lexapro at the same time.

Drinking alcohol may also increase your risk of Lexapro’s more serious side effects, which include fever, memory problems, and seizures. 

Worsened Depression 

Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. That’s why many people who drink report worsening symptoms of depression, such as:

• hopelessness
• irritability
• anxiety
• loss of interest in activities once enjoyed
• suicidal thoughts

Alcohol can worsen these symptoms even if you’re taking Lexapro. In other words, it can prevent Lexapro from working properly. 

Serotonin Syndrome 

As mentioned above, Lexapro treats depression by boosting serotonin levels. Alcohol can also cause a temporary increase in serotonin. When your brain contains too much serotonin, you may develop serotonin syndrome. This condition causes symptoms such as:

• restlessness
• diarrhea
• nausea and vomiting
• increased body temperature
• high blood pressure
• fast heartbeat
• abnormal eye movements
• hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t there)

When left untreated, serotonin syndrome can lead to permanent organ damage or death.  

Increased Risk Of Overdose

An overdose occurs when you take enough of a drug to cause life-threatening symptoms. Both alcohol and Lexapro can cause an overdose. When you use the drugs together, the risk of overdose increases.

Common signs of alcohol and Lexapro overdose include:

• nausea and vomiting
• dizziness
• sleepiness
• confusion
• slowed breathing or heart rate
• pale, blue, or clammy skin
• extremely low body temperature 
• seizures
• loss of consciousness

If you or someone you know experiences these symptoms, seek medical advice right away. When left untreated, an overdose can be fatal.

You’re more likely to experience an alcohol and Lexapro overdose if you engage in a form of alcohol abuse called binge drinking. 

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as consuming 5 or more drinks in 2 hours for men and consuming 4 or more drinks in 2 hours for women.

Increased Risk Of Alcohol Addiction

As explained above, alcohol can prevent Lexapro from properly treating your depression. Untreated depression significantly increases your risk of alcohol addiction (also called alcohol use disorder). 

This disease makes you feel unable to stop drinking despite negative consequences.

Other signs of alcohol addiction include:

• withdrawal from friends and family
• loss of motivation 
• changes in eating and/or sleeping patterns
• tolerance (needing an increasingly larger amount of alcohol to feel the desired effects)
• alcohol dependence (experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as shakiness or loss of appetite, when you don’t drink)

Like other diseases, alcohol addiction can have short-term and long-term effects on your health. The most common effects of alcohol addiction include: 

• trouble concentrating 
• impaired coordination
• high blood pressure
• memory problems, including dementia
• worsened mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder
• liver problems
• cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum
• weakened immune system 

Is It Ever Safe to Mix Lexapro & Alcohol? 

Despite the above risks, some health care providers allow patients who use Lexapro to engage in moderate drinking. Moderate drinking is generally defined as:

• having up to one drink in one day if you’re a woman
• having up to two drinks in one day if you’re a man

Still, it’s healthiest to avoid drinking altogether. Talk to your doctor to determine whether you should drink in moderation while taking Lexapro. 

If you or a loved one struggles with alcohol consumption or another type of substance use, please contact an Ark Behavioral Health specialist. Our substance abuse and addiction treatment options include medical detox, mental health counseling, and more.