Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the most prevalent forms of addiction in the world. Believe it or not, AUD affects over 14.5 million Americans, which is roughly as common as anxiety.
On top of that, nearly all of us will have some type of prescription medicine at some point in our lives. For people who abuse alcohol, that carries a serious danger of mixing pills and alcohol. Let’s talk about some of the risks!
Our bodies treat alcohol as the poison that it is. They work hard to break down alcohol and remove it from our bodies. For this reason, our bodies are not meant to consume alcohol in large quantities.
Not only does alcohol dull the parts of your brain that control your body in the short term, but long-term use can lead to:
The list goes on. More importantly, we should note that those are the effects of alcohol on its own. Alcohol is much more dangerous when combined with other substances. Let’s talk about some of the risks.
Mixing pills and alcohol intensifies the side effects and long-term health effects of both substances, regardless of what medication it is. You’ve heard the long list of side effects on every prescription drug ad you’ve ever seen, and you may not have experienced any of them while taking your medications. However, taking them while drinking is only tempting fate.
Of course, this is especially true if you abuse your prescription medication instead of taking it as directed. In this case, the dangers increase dramatically.
Depending on the medication, immediate side effects could include mild nausea and drowsiness all the way up to seizures and comas. The more you consume each, the greater the chances of facing more extreme side effects.
We also have to mention that the risk of overdose deaths is greatly increased when combining medications. This could be a result of depressed breathing, heart issues, organ failure, and more. Remember, alcohol alone depresses your brain’s ability to control your body. Adding another substance won’t help.
With alcohol being one of the most widely abused substances and 131 million Americans having a prescription medication, you can see why this poses a risk. While there are too many potential pills a person could take to cover them all, let’s discuss some of the most common ones.
Also, the dangers and health risks will also rely on your genetics, body composition, dosages, alcohol consumption and frequency, and several other factors. Still, here are some of the most common side effects.
| Medication Combined With Alcohol | Potential Side Effects |
| Antihistamines (Allergies) | Drowsiness, sedation, serious dehydration, confusion, slowed breathing. |
| Benzodiazepines (Anxiety) | Impaired judgment, dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, sedation, potential death. |
| Opioids/Opiates (Pain) | Sedation, confusion, mood swings, depressed breathing, irregular heartbeat, vision problems, slurred speech, loss of coordination, potential death. |
| ACE Inhibitors (Blood pressure) | Heart arrhythmias, loss of coordination, falls, severe drowsiness, headaches, mood swings. |
| GABA Enhancers or Anticonvulsants (Seizures) | Drowsiness, dizziness, mood swings, trouble concentrating. |
| Biguanides (Diabetes) | Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains, indigestion, low blood sugar/blood sugar spikes. |
| Tranquilizers (Sleep) | Memory loss, loss of sphincter control, loss of coordination, confusion, depression, depressed breathing, falls, seizures, potential death. |
| Heart medicines (Beta blockers, anticoagulants, etc.) | Heart arrhythmias, loss of coordination, falls, drowsiness, confusion. |
Just remember that this does not cover it. If you have certain health conditions, genetics, or varying dosages, you could be at a greater risk for more serious health concerns.
Also, these are short-term side effects, not long-term consequences. If you are abusing multiple substances regularly, your risk of serious health complications including liver damage, depression, breathing problems, internal bleeding, or even death is much higher than someone abusing these substances separately. For these reasons and more, finding treatment is essential.
Combining alcohol with other substances is incredibly dangerous, and withdrawing from both is even more dangerous. For this reason, anybody who abuses pills and alcohol needs to find treatment immediately that involves medical oversight and extensive care. If you can’t commit to a full stay in rehab, we highly recommend an intensive outpatient program, which will allow you to continue living at home while still offering the same level of care.
Now that you know the dangers of mixing pills and alcohol, you can see that it isn’t worth the risks. Alcohol and prescription medications have their own risks and side effects that you can make exponentially worse when taken together.
If you have a prescription medication for a condition, tell your doctor if you have problems with drinking, and get the help you need today!