Key Takeaways
- Most doctors advise against drinking any alcohol while taking Lexapro due to compounded CNS depression and reduced medication effectiveness.
- Drinking on Lexapro commonly causes heightened intoxication, worse hangovers, emotional instability, and worsened anxiety the next day.
- Alcohol counteracts Lexapro's antidepressant effects by disrupting serotonin balance, potentially making your depression harder to treat.
- Even one drink can produce noticeable effects in some Lexapro users, including increased drowsiness and mood changes.
- The combination can dangerously impair driving ability and reaction times beyond what either substance causes alone.
- If stopping alcohol feels impossible while on Lexapro, professional dual diagnosis treatment can help address both issues.
What Really Happens When You Drink on Lexapro?
Many people prescribed Lexapro (escitalopram) want to know: can I still have a drink? While the clinical answer is that it is not recommended, understanding what actually happens in the body when you combine the two helps explain why.
The Immediate Effects
When alcohol enters your system while Lexapro is active, several things happen:
Lower Alcohol Tolerance: Many Lexapro users report feeling the effects of alcohol much faster and more intensely than before starting the medication. One or two drinks may feel like three or four.
Amplified Drowsiness: Both substances are CNS depressants. The sedative effect of alcohol is magnified by Lexapro, leading to excessive sleepiness, slurred speech, and poor coordination.
Emotional Volatility: Alcohol temporarily boosts serotonin before causing it to crash. Combined with Lexapro's serotonin effects, this can produce intense mood swings — from euphoria to tears to anger in a single drinking session.
The Next-Day Effects
The day after drinking on Lexapro is often worse than a typical hangover:
- Heightened anxiety (hangxiety): The rebound anxiety from alcohol is amplified when your brain is already relying on an SSRI for serotonin balance
- Depressive crash: Your depression may feel significantly worse for 1-3 days after drinking
- Physical symptoms: Worse-than-expected headache, nausea, and fatigue
- Cognitive fog: Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
Long-Term Impact
Regular drinking while on Lexapro can create a harmful cycle:
- Alcohol undermines Lexapro's effectiveness
- Symptoms worsen, leading to the perception that the medication is not working
- Doctor increases the dose or switches medications unnecessarily
- Higher doses increase side effects
- Patient drinks more to cope with the worsening situation
If you or a loved one is facing these challenges, learn more about getting help when drinking becomes uncontrollable available at Trailhead Treatment Center in Salem, NH.
Practical Guidance
If you are currently taking Lexapro and wondering how to handle social situations involving alcohol:
- It is okay to say no. You do not owe anyone an explanation about your medications
- Non-alcoholic alternatives have expanded dramatically — mocktails, NA beers, and craft non-alcoholic spirits are widely available
- Be honest with your doctor about your drinking habits so they can adjust your treatment accordingly
- If you cannot stop drinking, this is important information — not a personal failure. It may indicate that you need additional support
Trailhead Treatment Center provides integrated mental health and substance use care to support lasting recovery and wellness.
Conclusion
Drinking on Lexapro is not medically recommended, and the real-world effects — lower tolerance, emotional instability, worse hangovers, and undermined treatment — confirm why. If you are struggling to manage alcohol use while being treated for depression or anxiety, Trailhead Treatment Center offers integrated dual diagnosis treatment.