Can I Drink If I Am Taking Medication For OCD?

Question: Can I Drink If I Am Taking Medication For OCD?

I have had many patients ask me this question. People want to know if they can have a glass of wine with dinner, or champagne on New Year's Eve, or a beer at happy hour... now that they are being prescribed medication for OCD. Is it safe to drink while taking medication? If you are planning to drink, should you skip your meds? And how much is too much alcohol?

Answer: Most health care providers will advise you to skip the alcohol if you are being treated for OCD.

• For one thing, alcohol has many psychoactive effects. It tends to be "mood-destabilizing," and can make people more emotional, tearful or depressed. So if you are being prescribed an antidepressant, why ingest something that might make you feel more depressed?

• Alcohol can cause "rebound anxiety." A drink or two may give you a sense of relaxation. However, as the effects of alcohol wear off, many people experience a rebound (or increase) in their anxiety. If you are taking medication for an anxiety disorder, why risk making your anxiety worse?

• Alcohol disrupts sleep patterns. Most people find it easy to fall asleep after consuming alcohol, but drinking tends to worsen the overall quality of sleep. People often feel less well-rested the next day. And when sleep is disrupted, so are moods, energy and concentration.

• Alcohol can change the way you metabolize medication. Your liver metabolizes alcohol and most medications. If you drink regularly, your liver's efficiency can change, effectively changing how much medication there is in your system.

• Combining alcohol and some medications is just dangerous. Many anti-anxiety medications are sedating and, combined with alcohol, potentially fatal in high doses.

• Skipping your medication, to avoid the problems listed above, can also be risky. Many antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds are associated with possible withdrawal symptoms when they are skipped or discontinued. Better just to skip the alcohol.

Having listed the risks, the reality is that some people do consume alcohol while taking medications for OCD. The combination can cause alcohol to affect a person more intensely than usual, so caution and moderation are strongly advised. Driving is potentially more dangerous, too, when multiple substances are involved.

Past and present alcohol use is a very important topic to discuss with your healthcare provider. He or she can give you recommendations specific to you and your prescriptions, so ask!

_{DISCLAIMER: The information in this site is for educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for personal care by a licensed healthcare provider. Please see your healthcare provider for the evaluation and treatment of any condition or symptoms you may be experiencing.}