The Effects of Pairing Alcohol with Prescription Drugs

The Effects of Pairing Alcohol with Prescription Drugs

• Mandy Sandhu
• 29 Oct 2024

Drinking alcohol and taking prescription drugs alters the way the mind and body function. Alcohol leads to drowsiness, impulsivity, impairment, and sluggishness, while prescription drugs have many effects, since they target various problems. If consumed together, they can cause dangerous interactions. Thus, alcohol and medication shouldn’t be consumed together.

If substance abuse or heavy alcohol consumption is a challenge you or a loved one face, contact us at Freedom From Addiction for immediate help and helpful resources to navigate the obstacles of addiction.

Common Interactions Between Drugs and Alcohol Use 

When you drink alcohol with medication, it alters how the latter reacts with the body. Depending on the person, the timing, the dosage, and the ingredients, these interactions can lead to an overdose and be fatal. These are some of the most common interactions between drugs and alcohol.

Opioid Painkillers 

Opioid painkillers include heroin, morphine, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and codeine. Narcotic painkillers are one of the most widely abused prescription drugs and people with substance abuse disorders sometimes pair these drugs with alcohol to enhance their effects.

These drugs already have a high potential to be addictive due to the feeling they provide. However, that potential rises when paired with alcohol. Unfortunately, adding drowsiness and sluggishness to the mix increases the risk of overdose. 

People who pair narcotic painkillers with alcohol can experience drastically depressed breathing. Lower oxygen levels are the cause of overdose deaths, or at least, long-term health concerns.

What About Advil and Alcohol? 

Advil, or ibuprofen, shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol, especially if either substance is taken in excess. Generally, a dangerous interaction occurs with moderate drinking. That’s one drink per day for women and two for men. Mixing alcohol and Advil can cause the following symptoms:

• Irritated digestive tract (intestine lining and stomach)
• Stomach ulcers and bleeding
• Kidney problems
• Increased drowsiness

What About Tylenol and Alcohol?

Tylenol, or acetaminophen, is taken for pain and fever. Consuming Tylenol and alcohol leads to the following symptoms:

• Stomach irritation
• Ulcers and internal bleeding
• Risk of liver damage
• Rapid heartbeat
• Increased chance of acetaminophen toxicity 

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Benzodiazepines 

Benzodiazepines are an anti-anxiety medication. They alter gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors to encourage a sense of calm and relieve anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, and seizures.

Alcohol also alters gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors, which is why they shouldn’t be taken together. Taken together, both substances have increased effects, as they target similar areas in the brain. Doing this can cause:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Slowed or difficult breathing
• Impairment
• Memory problems or blackouts
• Risk of liver damage
• Poisoning
• Overdose
• Death

Prescription Stimulants 

Stimulants are prescribed to people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which target neurotransmitters in the brain to help with focus and balance. However, some people will abuse prescription stimulants to experience the effects they want, often using them for studying, cramming, or extra focus when they haven’t been prescribed the medication.

When these drugs are used without ADHD being present, the brain is still being altered, and an addiction or dependence is more likely to occur. Paired with alcohol abuse, users can experience:

• Drowsiness
• Dizziness
• Problems concentrating
• Increased risk of heart problems or damage
• Liver damage

Antidepressants 

Antidepressants are drugs that should be carefully monitored and administered in tandem with psychological treatment. Generally, people prescribed antidepressants deal with anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, and related mental health disorders.

As such, users are increasingly vulnerable and should avoid consuming alcohol alongside antidepressants. Alcohol could lower the effectiveness of antidepressants, making the user feel depressed, stressed, anxious, or panicky—a dangerous outcome. 

There’s also the chance of affected cognitive processing, such as memory. Symptoms include:

• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Increased risk of overdose or poisoning
• Increased feelings of depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation
• Impaired motor control
• Liver damage
• High blood pressure
• Risk of blood clots
• Risk of heart attack

Antipsychotics 

Antipsychotics aren’t prescribed unless a person suffers from schizophrenia or similar conditions. That means the brain chemistry is already fragile. People using antipsychotics are likely to also participate in treatment to help manage symptoms.

Because schizophrenia affects a person’s ability to make sound decisions and respond appropriately to stimuli, they’re more likely to abuse other substances, such as alcohol. Antipsychotics and alcohol can lead to the following:

• Less effective medication and treatment
• Hallucinations and delusions
• Sedation
• Sleepiness
• Excess fatigue

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What Effect Does Drinking Alcohol and Taking a Prescription Drug or Over-the-Counter Medicine Have? 

Most medications include more than one ingredient, and the average consumer doesn’t read, let alone understand, all the ingredients present. Combining alcohol isn’t safe if a person doesn’t know what else is in their system and how certain medications will interact with alcohol.

Some medicines already contain alcohol. Consuming alcohol will add to what’s in your system. Not everyone knows whether or not there’s alcohol in their medication, so if they consume an alcoholic drink, their intake is higher than they think.

Alcohol affects women and men differently, so harmful interactions can occur at varying degrees. Alcohol mixes with water in the body, and women typically have less water than men in their bodies. This means alcohol reaches a higher level in women than in men, despite consuming the same amount.

Women are more susceptible to harmful interactions when consuming alcohol and prescription drugs. However, men will still experience the same symptoms when they consume slightly more alcohol.

Potential Health Risks of Drugs and Alcohol Misuse 

Mixing prescription drugs with alcohol causes harmful interactions. Here’s a general list of symptoms to avoid:

• Upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting
• Drowsiness, fatigue, excessive sleep, or sedation
• Dizziness, fainting, or confusion
• Headaches
• Blood pressure fluctuations or heart damage
• Acute liver damage, failure, or cancer
• Internal bleeding
• Changes in normal behaviour
• Sudden changes in emotions or mental state
• Loss of coordination and motor control
• Brain damage
• Depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation
• Heart damage, stroke, or attack

Freedom From Addiction: Take Control of Addiction 

Many people who struggle with addiction take advantage of alcohol and prescription drugs to heighten the effects of one or the other, despite the dangers to their health. For better health and safety, avoid alcohol while taking medications. If this is a challenge, or you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, contact Freedom From Addiction.