Alcohol Cravings linked to Antidepressant Use
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Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 1
Originally Posted by EndGameNYC 
There does exist an established link in the research literature between SSRIs and cravings, but more work needs to be done.
Preliminary findings indicate that some people's cravings increase, and the people who didn't have cravings prior to taking their meds develop cravings afterwards. Others are unaffected, and another subgroup reports that their cravings were diminished following the introduction of SSRIs.
Not all medical doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists make it their business to keep up with the current literature unless it makes headlines.
Preliminary findings indicate that some people's cravings increase, and the people who didn't have cravings prior to taking their meds develop cravings afterwards. Others are unaffected, and another subgroup reports that their cravings were diminished following the introduction of SSRIs.
Not all medical doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists make it their business to keep up with the current literature unless it makes headlines.
Anyway, I wondered if you could please give me the details of the literature establishing a link between SSRIs and alcohol cravings so I can shove it up my doctors ***!
Many thanks
Last edited by Dee74; 05-16-2014 at 03:17 PM.
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Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 46
For me, my alcohol problem began when I started taking SSRI's. I was a drinker prior to taking Lexipro, probably too much at times, but not where it was affecting my life, and certainly not a daily obsession. At the age of 42 I was prescribed Lexipro and I noticed that the morning after drinking, I would have very high anxiety and an almost unbearable craving for alcohol. Over the course of three years, this grew into a real problem and I caved in to morning drinking and all the problems that go with it. It got real bad and I got tired of the cycle. So I quit drinking 2 and a half years ago, and the SSRIs shortly after. Life is so much better now, that I don't think I will ever drink or take SSRIs again. I have read a lot of anecdotal writings on SSRIs and alcoholism with 20-30% reporting an increase in drinking; 25% decrease and the rest no change. For me, I'm convinced that I was in that 20-30% and it hit me hard. In any event, I do not feel there has been enough education on the dangers of SSRIs and alcohol, but I do know that many (including myself) have been deeply affected by the combination.
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