Alcohol and psychodrugs

Short-term effects of combining alcohol and psychotropic drugs include:

• Nausea and vomiting;
• Mental confusion;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Lowered body temperature;
• Irregular heartbeat;
• Exacerbation of anxiety and/or depressive symptoms;
• Poor motor coordination;
• Difficulty controlling muscles;
• Risky behavior (such as driving under the influence or having unprotected sex);
• Severe drowsiness and inability to remain alert;
• Loss of consciousness.

Furthermore, this combination can increase the risk of accidents, as it impairs the ability to drive vehicles and machinery. For this reason, driving while under the influence of these substances is strictly prohibited.

Long-term effects include:

• Changes in brain chemistry: Both alcohol and psychotropic drugs act on the central nervous system. Prolonged use can lead to an imbalance in brain chemicals.
• Tolerance: Prolonged consumption of alcohol and psychotropic drugs can lead to tolerance. This condition occurs when the body becomes accustomed to the substances and, to achieve the same effects, the individual is driven to take increasingly larger doses. This begins the vicious cycle of addiction.
• Physical and psychological dependence: When tolerance develops, the brain is unable to produce certain substances on its own and requires an external supply. This is because both psychotropic drugs and alcohol the balance of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are responsible for feelings of relaxation and pleasure. Therefore, when these substances are altered by combining psychiatric drugs with alcohol, the brain is unable to regulate these neurotransmitters independently. Consequently, to "feel good," the individual is unable to do without the toxic mix of alcohol and psychiatric drugs.
• Withdrawal symptoms: A further consequence, once addiction has developed, is the onset of withdrawal symptoms if an attempt is made to stop using the substances. This only reinforces the vicious cycle of addiction, as the individual, to avoid experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, continues to take the harmful substances.
• Risk of overdose: The combination of alcohol and psychiatric drugs can lead to fatal outcomes due to an overdose of the active ingredient in some medications.
• Physical illnesses: Prolonged use of alcohol and psychiatric drugs can significantly damage the body. For example, it can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease, obesity, stroke, neuropathy, cancer, gastrointestinal problems, and damage to internal organs (such as the liver and kidneys).
• Mental disorders: The combination of alcohol and psychotropic drugs, as mentioned above, can aggravate the symptoms of the condition being treated. For example, it can worsen anxiety and depression.
• Other problems: This combination, over time, can lead to the onset of other problems, including social, family, work, and relationship issues.