During the course of therapy with any drugs, doctors often recommend to exclude the use of alcoholic beverages. And some drugs taken with alcohol can lead to serious he alth problems. Tranquilizers and alcohol are a dangerous combination that can have extremely negative consequences not only for he alth, but also for life.
What are tranquilizers and how do they work
The word "tranquilizer" comes from the Latin tranquillo, which means "calm". These drugs belong to the category of psychotropic drugs that affect the central nervous system. Medicines have a calming and hypnotic effect, can reduce the level of anxiety, nervous excitability, reduce fear.
The mechanism of action of such drugs is to inhibit brain structures that are responsible for regulating the emotional state.
Medicines belonging to this category are strictly forbidden to prescribe to yourselfindependently and take uncontrollably. Fortunately, such serious drugs are not dispensed from pharmacies without a prescription. Their use is possible only on the appointment of a specialist and under his supervision. Such therapy can have many side effects, one of which is addiction, which leads to the development of a withdrawal syndrome after stopping therapy (like "withdrawal").
When tranquilizers are prescribed
Medications in this group are recommended for patients who suffer from:
- neuroses accompanied by anxiety, fear, panic attacks;
- PTSD;
- compulsive movements, muscle spasms;
- epilepsy.
Can I drink alcohol with tranquilizers
According to the instructions that come with each drug, the combined use of alcoholic beverages and tranquilizers is strictly contraindicated. This is explained by the fact that both drinks containing alcohol and medicines of this type can affect the functioning of the brain and nervous system, so this combination can be dangerous.
How alcohol and drugs work when taken together
When drinking alcohol, a state of euphoria occurs, which is soon replaced by depression, the drugs of this group have the same effect. So, drinking alcohol and tranquilizers, which enhance the calming effect of each other, you can fall into a state of deep sleep, from whichon your own is very difficult.
Also, under the influence of alcohol, the ability of the drug to cause muscle relaxation is enhanced. As a result of this, it is possible to stop the processes provided by the muscles without the participation of consciousness (heartbeat, respiration, etc.). This condition is very life-threatening.
Main side effects
Those who are interested in the question of whether it is possible to drink alcohol while taking tranquilizers should consider a few more side effects that may occur with this combination:
- Due to the negative impact on the brain, the risk of hallucinations, dizziness, fears increases, suicide attempts are possible.
- After a large dose of alcohol and subsequent pills, a person becomes emotional. This condition leads to the fact that the patient cannot remember how many pills he drank and whether he drank at all. In this case, the effects of tranquilizers and alcohol can be life-threatening if an extra dose of medication is taken.
- The patient may have intolerance to some components of the drug. This reaction, exacerbated by alcohol, can at best lead to shortness of breath, drowsiness, difficulty breathing, or even death.
Even if tranquilizers and alcohol did not cause any disorders when used together, it is better not to repeat such experiments in the future.
Symptomsoverdose
A person under the influence of alcohol can take an increased dose of the drug. By themselves, such medications do not give serious complications if the dosage is exceeded. But tranquilizers and alcohol simultaneously give severe symptoms, which manifest themselves as follows:
- daytime sleepiness and inability to wake up;
- eye tremor;
- falling blood pressure;
- impaired coordination and consciousness, up to coma;
- respiratory depression;
- cardiac arrest.
What to do if you experience dangerous symptoms
If after the joint use of alcoholic beverages and drugs of the tranquilizer group, any alarming symptoms occur, you should immediately call an ambulance. You can try to provoke the victim to vomit. In the event that consciousness is not impaired, it is recommended to take activated charcoal according to the instructions.
After admission to the hospital, the patient will need gastric lavage and infusion solutions that increase urine output. Such actions will help to remove the drug from the body. In the form of symptomatic therapy, it is possible to administer an antidote - flumazenil.
Tranquilizers for alcohol addiction
Following from the above, the compatibility of tranquilizers and alcohol should not even be in doubt. Their joint use is a direct threat to life. But it should be noted that with alcoholDependence may be recommended to take drugs of this group. Usually they are prescribed in the event that a person develops an abstinence syndrome. It occurs in people who suffer from alcohol dependence, in the event that alcohol consumption has been stopped for any reason. In this case, the following manifestations occur:
- excessive sweating;
- palpitations;
- hand shake;
- anxiety;
- irritability;
- the appearance of guilt.
The patient can stay in this state for several days. To save a person from painful symptoms, drugs are prescribed, including tranquilizers. Withdrawal syndrome without appropriate therapy will be very difficult, with signs of meth-alcohol psychosis: insomnia, changeable mood. Perhaps the appearance of hallucinations. The patient loses orientation in space, can be aggressive and dangerous to others. The elimination of mental disorders is precisely facilitated by tranquilizers, which are used in tablets or in the form of injections.
Taking such drugs, the patient with alcohol addiction is in a state of rest, becomes slow, his physical and emotional activity is reduced. The disease state caused by the absence of alcohol in the blood passes, so the desire for libations disappears.
The main thing is not to confuse the withdrawal syndrome with a hangover. In the latter case, a person feels bad in the morning after alcohol abuse. Unpleasant condition usuallypasses in a day. At the same time, ethanol has not yet left the blood, so the use of tranquilizers is strictly contraindicated. The consequences can be very serious.
Drinking after treatment
Patients who are interested in whether alcohol is allowed while taking tranquilizers will have to wait until the end of the course of therapy. Three days after the drug is discontinued, its effect on the body stops. If the treatment lasted for a long time, then within a week there is a risk of withdrawal syndrome. When this period is over, alcoholic beverages can be consumed. But if a person has serious mental problems, it is better not to take alcohol at all until an absolute recovery occurs.
Patient testimonials
There is such a thing as "phenozepam sleep" that occurs when tranquilizers and alcohol are combined. Reviews of patients testify that as a result of the use of fenozepam with alcohol, a state similar to sleep occurs, which may be accompanied by involuntary urination or defecation, vomiting. You can even choke on vomit, which will lead to respiratory arrest, this should be remembered by those who want to know if alcohol is possible with tranquilizers. But the lethal dose is only 10 mg of the drug. Signs of an overdose can also occur when using a smaller amount of medication under the increasing influence of an alcoholic beverage.
The important thing is that it doesn't matter what kind of drinks you drink -low alcohol or strong. There are reviews on the network about such cases, from which it follows that the results, even when drinking beer or wine with tablets, can be unpredictable. In one case, a person experiences an upsurge in mood, in the other, he falls into a deep sleep, after which he is in a detached state. And for some users, the effect came unexpectedly a day or even two after drinking alcohol and drugs. This is dangerous because at this time a person may be, for example, driving.
However, some people note that if you take the drug prescribed by your doctor in therapeutic doses and at the same time occasionally allow yourself to drink a little alcohol, then no dangerous side effects occur. But the body of each person is individual, and the consequences may appear in the future, complicating life. Therefore, during therapy, it is still better to abandon such experiments.
Alcohol and tranquilizers are categorically incompatible. By reinforcing each other's action, they can lead to the development of he alth-threatening and even life-threatening consequences. If, by negligence, you made such a mistake, immediately call an ambulance, without waiting for the development of symptoms. The situation is very serious and unpredictable, so it's better to play it safe.
