Alcohol and antidepressants: what happens if you drink
Mixing the two is common and rarely discussed honestly. Here is what official medicine sources say, in plain language, and the questions to take to your prescriber.
Official sources advise caution. NIAAA lists drowsiness, dizziness, increased risk for overdose and increased feelings of depression or hopelessness as possible reactions for all the depression medicines it lists, which include sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac) and bupropion (Wellbutrin) [1]. The NHS says it is best not to drink while taking sertraline because it can stop the medicine working properly [2], and MedlinePlus says alcohol can make sertraline’s side effects worse [3]. Do not stop an antidepressant to drink; ask your prescriber what is safe for you.
What the official sources say
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| NIAAA, Harmful Interactions | For depression medicines including Celexa, Cymbalta, Effexor, Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, Remeron, Wellbutrin and Zoloft: drowsiness, dizziness, increased risk for overdose, and increased feelings of depression or hopelessness [1] |
| NIAAA, specific medicines | Increased alcohol effect with bupropion; impaired motor control with mirtazapine; liver damage with duloxetine [1] |
| NIAAA, MAOIs (such as Nardil) | Serious heart-related side effects; dangerously high blood pressure risk when MAOIs meet tyramine, found in beer and red wine [1] |
| NHS, sertraline | Best not to drink alcohol while taking sertraline because it can stop the medicine working properly [2] |
| MedlinePlus, sertraline | Ask your doctor about the safe use of alcohol; alcohol can make the side effects of sertraline worse [3] |
Track it in Sober Girl
Why the combination works against you
The first problem is simple: both can make you drowsy and slow, so together they can affect driving, balance and judgement more than either alone [1]. The second is the one people miss. Alcohol is a depressant in its own right, and a review of the research concluded that alcohol use more plausibly increases the risk of depression than the other way round [4]. Drinking to feel better tonight can work against the medicine you are taking to feel better over months.
Alcohol also changes sleep, making it lighter and more broken in the second half of the night [5], and poor sleep is hard on mood. Our page on alcohol and depression covers the research in more depth.
Questions to ask your prescriber
- Is any alcohol OK with my medicine and dose? Answers differ between medicines; MAOIs carry stricter warnings than most [1].
- Could my drinking be why the medicine is not working? The NHS says alcohol can stop sertraline working properly [2].
- What should I do if I have already been drinking? Ask before it happens, not after.
- If I want to cut down or stop drinking, is it safe to do so suddenly? If you drink heavily, it may not be (see below).
If you are drinking on antidepressants now
You are not alone, and you do not need to be ashamed to raise it. Prescribers ask about alcohol because it matters to the treatment, not to judge you. If you want to cut down, counting alcohol-free days is a gentle place to start, and it gives you a concrete number to bring to your next appointment. See alcohol-free days and how to quit drinking on your own.
Sober Girl is a tracker, not treatment and not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether a drink is safe with your medicine; only your prescriber or pharmacist can.
Is Sober Girl right for you?
- use an Android phone (the iPhone app is coming soon)
- want a private tracker, with your journal kept on your device
- want a day counter, money saved and a daily check-in in one calm place
- want a Craving SOS with a breathing exercise and a 10-minute timer
- want to start free and add Plus only if you need the journal, insights or milestone cards
- need it on an iPhone today (the App Store version is coming soon)
- want a community feed, live coaching or an AI chat
- want a structured multi-week education program
- need medical help for heavy drinking or withdrawal. An app is not treatment, so see the safety notes above
Frequently asked questions
Can I drink alcohol on antidepressants?
Official sources advise caution. NIAAA lists drowsiness, dizziness, increased overdose risk and worse depression for the depression medicines it covers. Ask your prescriber what is safe for your medicine and dose.
What happens if you drink on sertraline?
The NHS says alcohol can stop sertraline working properly and advises not drinking. MedlinePlus says alcohol can make its side effects worse.
Is one drink OK on antidepressants?
We cannot say for you. It depends on the medicine, the dose and your health. MAOIs carry stricter warnings, including about beer and red wine. Ask your prescriber or pharmacist.
Should I skip my antidepressant if I am going to drink?
No. Do not stop or skip an antidepressant to drink without talking to your prescriber first.
Does alcohol make depression worse?
NIAAA lists increased feelings of depression or hopelessness as a possible reaction when alcohol is mixed with depression medicines, and a research review judged that alcohol use more plausibly raises the risk of depression than the reverse.
Sources
- Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol With Medicines. NIAAA, NIH Publication No. 13-5329, revised 2014.
- Common questions about sertraline. NHS, page last reviewed 8 September 2025.
- Sertraline: MedlinePlus Drug Information. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine), last revised 15 October 2025.
- Alcohol and depression. Boden JM, Fergusson DM. Addiction, 2011. A review of studies on alcohol use disorders and major depression.
- Alcohol and the Sleeping Brain. PubMed Central, US National Library of Medicine.
- Alcohol withdrawal. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine), reviewed 1 January 2025 by Frank D. Brodkey, MD.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 988 Lifeline. Call, text or chat, free and confidential, 24/7.
How we write these. Every figure above links to the source it came from, and we label self-reported and observational results as such. Where we could not find a source we trust, the page says so instead of filling the gap. Sober Girl is made by ShipAI Lab and this is not medical advice. Sources were checked on 6 October 2026. If you spot an error, email us at integrateopenai@gmail.com.
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