Health guides > Antidepressants > Lexapro and Alcohol

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Can I Drink Alcohol While Taking Lexapro?

By Andrew Yocum, MD

Medically reviewed

March 30, 2022

When considering a medication that you will use long-term, it’s important to think about your lifestyle, including if you drink alcohol.

Certain drugs interact with alcohol, which can lead to impaired judgment, increase the risk of harmful and sometimes fatal side effects, and cause the medication to be less effective.

Antidepressants in particular can interact with alcohol, so it’s important to talk honestly with your healthcare provider about your drinking if they suggest you begin taking Lexapro.

In this article, I’ll cover what Lexapro is and the risks you should be aware of when taking the medication while drinking alcohol.

Then I’ll detail the side effects of Lexapro as well as how soon you can start drinking after going off of the medication.

Lastly I’ll explain alternative ways of treating depression that don’t involve prescription medications.

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What Is Lexapro?

Lexapro is the brand name of a generic medication called escitalopram.

It is categorized as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI.

Lexapro works to treat common symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Lexapro uses

Doctors mainly prescribe Lexapro to treat major depressive disorder and anxiety disorder.

They also prescribe it off-label to treat panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Lexapro and other SSRIs are used to treat the symptoms relating to these psychological disorders to give patients relief and help them feel more “normal” in their day-to-day lives.

How Lexapro works

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that sends signals to your brain to regulate functions like mood, appetite, and sleep cycles.

Lexapro and other SSRIs block serotonin from being reabsorbed by the brain after it’s been used.

Preventing reabsorption (or “reuptake”) keeps more serotonin in the brain than usual.

This can help people reg u late their emotions and improve overall symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Lexapro and Alcohol

It’s generally recommended that you avoid drinking any alcohol while taking Lexapro.

For one, alcohol consumption and Lexapro individually can make you feel drowsy, less responsive, and depressed.

When you combine these two, it can heighten these effects.

Additionally, some research shows an increase in alcohol dependence for those who drink while taking SSRI antidepressants.

The exact relationship between alcohol and SSRIs like Lexapro is not well understood.

Alcohol and Lexapro affect the brain’s neurotransmission, and combining them can result in unwanted symptoms.

Alcohol and SSRIs also both affect serotonin in the body, which has been associated with alcohol cravings.

If you want to drink while taking Lexapro, talk to your healthcare provider.

Risk of overdose

Mixing alcohol with Lexapro increases the risk of overdose.

Overdosing on SSRIs like Lexapro can have fatal consequences.

Symptoms of an overdose—either alone or in combination with alcohol—include:

Rapid heartbeat
Convulsions
Coma
Dizziness
Low blood pressure
Insomnia
Nausea
Vomiting
Drowsiness

If you overdose on Lexapro, you may experience serotonin syndrome.

Serotonin syndrome is characterized by:

Muscle rigidity
Rapid changes in blood pressure or heartbeat
Vomiting
Hallucinations
Agitation
Tremors
Seizures

If you suspect that you or a loved one has overdosed on Lexapro, it is a medical emergency.

Call 911 or the Poison Control at 800-222-1222.

Potential severe side effects

SSRIs can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in younger adults and adolescents during the first few weeks of treatment.

Additionally, research links alcohol use and increased rates of suicidal thoughts and attempts.

Because both substances act on processes in your brain that affect your ability to regulate emotions, combining alcohol with Lexapro results in a higher risk for suicidal thoughts and other potentially severe reactions.

Alcohol also temporarily boosts serotonin levels in the brain, which when accompanied by SSRI use, can lead to serotonin syndrome.

Other serious side effects of mixing Lexapro with alcohol can include panic attacks, sudden outbursts of emotion or violence, and overdosing.

Alcohol and depression

Alcohol dependency and depression often go hand-in-hand.

Some experts think that “self-medication” (drinking to try to temporarily alleviate depression) may be the reason behind many dual diagnoses of alcohol use disorder and depression.

Others believe that some patients become depressed because of alcohol misuse.

Common Lexapro Side Effects

The most common side effects of Lexapro include:

Dizziness, drowsiness, weakness
Sweating
Feeling shaky or anxious
Sleep problems (insomnia)
Decreased libido
Dry mouth
Decreased hunger
Nausea
Constipation
Headaches

These side effects often begin to subside after the first two weeks of taking Lexapro.

When Can I Start Drinking If I’m No Longer Taking Lexapro?

Once you stop taking Lexapro, it’s safe to drink alcohol after the medication is no longer affecting your thoughts and behavior.

Since Lexapro has a half-life of 27-33 hours, a regular dose of Lexapro will leave your body after a little more than six days.

You should never stop taking Lexapro without discussing how to do so safely with your prescriber.

If you are trying to change or stop your medication to be able to drink, this may be a sign of an alcohol use disorder.

Talk to your doctor, who can evaluate you for other symptoms of an alcohol use disorder and discuss treatments that may help.

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When to See a Doctor for Depression

Almost everyone feels depressed or down from time to time.

But if depression is interfering with your daily life, make an appointment to see your doctor.

They can assess you for depression or refer you to a mental healthcare provider for further help.

Symptoms of depression include:

Persistent depressed mood
Feeling hopeless
Loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities
Significant unintentional changes in weight or appetite
Sleep problems like insomnia or hypersomnia
Fatigue or low energy
A sense of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
Irritability
Impaired ability to think, concentrate, or make decisions
Recurrent thoughts of death, suicide, or suicide attempts

If you have suicidal thoughts, call 911 or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

If you’d prefer to chat online, you can chat with a suicide and crisis expert by visiting the Lifeline Chat.

How K Health Can Help

Think you might need a prescription for Lexapro (Escitalopram)?

K Health has clinicians standing by 24/7 to evaluate your symptoms and determine if Lexapro is right for you.

Get started with our free assessment, which will tell you in minutes if treatment could be a good fit. If yes, we’ll connect you right to a clinician who can prescribe medication and have it shipped right to your door.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if you drink alcohol while taking Lexapro?

Drinking alcohol while taking Lexapro isn’t recommended. Both alcohol and Lexapro can cause side effects like increased depressive thoughts, sleep problems, and dizziness. Combining the two may cause drowsiness, nausea, reduced alertness, and serotonin syndrome.

Can I have an occasional drink while on Lexapro?

There's limited research on the effect of the occasional drink while taking Lexapro. The official recommendation is to avoid alcohol. You may choose to see how your body reacts to a drink while on Lexapro, but always speak with your doctor about previous health conditions before mixing medication with alcohol.

K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.

K Health has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references.

Andrew Yocum, MD

Dr Andrew Yocum is a board certified emergency physician. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology before attending Northeast Ohio Medical University where he would earn his Medical Doctorate (MD).

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