It’s Not a Good Idea to Mix Zoloft and Alcohol

One of the actual dangers of suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction is the lack of concern of mixing substances. In this day and age, more people die from fatal overdoses involving prescription medications than people who die from heroin and cocaine overdoses combined. A widespread issue is that people mix Zoloft and alcohol, and it can be a potentially fatal combination.

Zoloft and alcohol are both nervous system depressants. When mixed, the person may not even realize how much danger they’re in. The primary issue is that many people who have alcoholism are misdiagnosed with depression and a doctor prescribes Zoloft.

Why do People use Zoloft and Alcohol?

Depression and alcohol go hand-in-hand. There are many reasons why a person may have become depressed as well as began drinking in excess. Some people may initially have symptoms of depression and they turned to drinking as a way of self-medicating.

Some people got prescriptions for Zoloft from their doctor to treat their depression. However, once they build up a tolerance, they may turn to alcohol to increase the effects. There are also those who experienced progressive alcohol use to a point of depression. Depression treatment may involve a prescription for Zoloft.

A major issue with those who suffer from alcohol use disorder is that they don’t realize that alcohol addiction can cause depression. Many people who have been drinking in excess for months or years will begin to show signs of depression, and it’s due to the altered state their brain gets in after long-term drinking. Instead of trying to stop drinking, they’ll go to see a doctor or psychiatrist to discuss their depression, but they won’t disclose how much they’re drinking. This causes a misdiagnosis and leads to a person having increased depression as well as the potential of a fatal accidental overdose.

Zoloft and Alcohol Are Depressants

Those who have become dependent on alcohol often disregard any type of warning labels on prescriptions. Zoloft prescriptions specifically say not to combine with alcohol, but many people do it anyway.

These two substances are depressants which mean they slow down the nervous system as well as the respiratory system. When combined, a person can experience shallow breathing without realizing it, and this is what leads to fatal overdose. The combination of the two substances can lead to a person becoming drowsy and being unable to breath when sleeping.

If you’re suffering from an addiction to Zoloft and alcohol due to depression, we have cross addiction treatment programs that address it. Allow Beaches Recovery to help. We’re a qualified, accredited facility that specializes in treating people with polysubstance abuse. The first step in the process will be a medical detox, and then we’ll evaluate you once the drugs and alcohol have left your system. Some people find that their symptoms of depression disappear after detox as well. Call Beaches today at 866.605.0532 to leave Zoloft and alcohol behind.