4 ms·
I don't know for sure one way or the other, but I've seen too many of my friends mix anti-depressants and alcohol to think that these pills are placebos that do
by ImprovedSilence 14y ago
I don't know for sure one way or the other, but I've seen too many of my friends mix anti-depressants and alcohol to think that these pills are placebos that don't have any real affect besides in your mind.
- throwaway_ad 14y agoWhat? You realize anti-depressants like SSRIs modify your brain's chemistry and can take 6-8 weeks before you'll notice any effects. I was staying over at a friend's house and had some drinks (2 beers + 2 screwdrivers), and at the time was on SSRIs for about 4 months. My alcohol tolerance is fairly average and expected a light buzz. Instead I ended up wasted for the first time since college days. In my scenario, anti-depressants definitely amplified alcohol's effects. Regardless of what you think, it's been clinically proven. That's why the drug's label has a warning about alcohol intake.
- ImprovedSilence 14y agoI think you misread my sentence. You are agreeing with me.
- iskander 14y agoThey definitely have a physical effect, but does that effect 'treat' depression any better than, say, atropine? (http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/news/antidepressants-vs-active-placebo http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/news/antidepressants-vs-ac...) The current understanding is that the difference between SSRIs and active placebos is very small. When you take into account how many negative results have gone unpublished, it starts to look plausible that SSRIs have no psychiatric benefit beyond patients knowing 'I took a pill' and 'it has side effects'.