Can you take buspirone and alcohol together? (3+ potential risks)
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this article, we will discuss whether it is safe to drink alcohol while taking buspirone – an anti-anxiety medication. We will also talk about the potential risks of this combination and what one should do to avoid dangerous adverse effects.
Can you take buspirone and alcohol together?
It is not generally recommended to take buspirone and alcohol together. Although buspirone is not known to significantly interact with alcohol, pairing these together is not really a smart thing to do.
Buspirone and other drugs that can affect your brain should never be combined with alcoholic beverages, as such combinations can negatively affect your brain functions and cause additive side effects (1,2).
The use of alcohol can also affect the treatment of your mental health condition, such as anxiety or depression, as it dulls your system and is widely known as a CNS depressant.
So, it’s best to avoid combining alcohol with Buspar, benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and other medications that can affect your brain and how it functions. It is also important to note that people can react differently to this combination.
While it may not change a thing for some, it can cause life-threatening consequences in others.
What does research suggest?
There is limited research on the effects of alcohol consumption on buspirone – the active drug in Buspar. However, some research studies have indicated that buspirone, when taken with alcohol, can cause severe drowsiness and weakness (3).
One research study showed that the use of alcohol with buspirone does not necessarily affect your psychomotor skills, but can cause drowsiness, dizziness, extreme weakness, and can increase the risk of faintness (4).
This indicates that buspirone, although it does not significantly interact with alcohol, can increase the risk of side effects when consumed with alcohol and it can lead to serious circumstances in certain individuals (5).
Some research studies have indicated that buspirone can be used for alcohol cessation, as it manages the psychological symptoms associated with alcohol withdrawal. However, consuming them both at the same time can be dangerous.
What are the potential dangers of combining alcohol with buspirone?
The potential dangers of combining alcohol with buspirone include:
Additive side effects
The combination of alcohol and buspirone can result in an increased risk of side effects, such as increased drowsiness, dizziness, and fainting. This combination is particularly risky for individuals who are more sensitive to alcohol or those who get drunk rather easily.
The additive effects not only impair cognitive function but also increase the risk of accidents and falls, which can be dangerous.
Coordination impairment
Both alcohol and buspirone affect the central nervous system (CNS), which plays a crucial role in coordination (1,2). When combined, these substances can amplify the impairment of motor skills and coordination.
This increased risk of impaired coordination makes activities, such as driving or operating heavy machinery dangerous. So, it is important to avoid alcohol while taking buspirone to ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.
Increased risk of suicidal behaviour
Alcohol, as a CNS depressant, can exacerbate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Combining it with buspirone may interfere with the desired therapeutic response and worsen mental health symptoms, including an increased risk of suicidal behaviour.
Liver damage
Both alcohol and buspirone are metabolised by the liver. Prolonged use can lead to increased stress on the liver, resulting in liver damage (6).
This is even more dangerous for individuals with pre-existing liver conditions, as their compromised liver function makes them more susceptible to severe complications, including liver failure.
What to do if you have taken buspirone and alcohol together?
If you have taken buspirone and alcohol together and you feel unwell, seek medical attention right away. As stated earlier, buspirone and alcohol do not necessarily interact with one another but can increase the risk of sedation and coordination impairment.
This can be dangerous for certain people and may require immediate symptomatic relief. This is why it is important to reach out to your doctor right away.
It is also important to cut back on alcohol while being treated with buspirone. This is crucial because alcohol can negatively affect your mental health and may exacerbate your current symptoms, impacting your therapeutic goals.
Additionally, some individuals may take buspirone together with antidepressants for the treatment of anxiety comorbid with depression. Pairing alcohol with more than one such medication that can affect your brain can lead to life-threatening complications. Therefore, it is crucial to minimise alcohol use as much as possible.
If you are struggling with alcohol addiction, I suggest seeking professional help.
References
- Wilson TK, Tripp J. Buspirone. 2023 Jan 17. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30285372. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531477
- Hendriks HFJ. Alcohol and Human Health: What Is the Evidence? Annu Rev Food Sci Technol. 2020 Mar 25;11:1-21. doi: 10.1146/annurev-food-032519-051827. PMID: 32209032. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32209032/
- Mattila MJ, Aranko K, Seppala T. Acute effects of buspirone and alcohol on psychomotor skills. J Clin Psychiatry. 1982 Dec;43(12 Pt 2):56-61. PMID: 6130074. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6130074/
- Seppälä T, Aranko K, Mattila MJ, Shrotriya RC. Effects of alcohol on buspirone and lorazepam actions. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1982 Aug;32(2):201-7. doi: 10.1038/clpt.1982.148. PMID: 6124334. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6124334/
- Malec TS, Malec EA, Dongier M. Efficacy of buspirone in alcohol dependence: a review. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1996 Aug;20(5):853-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1996.tb05263.x. PMID: 8865960. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8865960/
- Patel R, Mueller M. Alcoholic Liver Disease. 2023 Jul 13. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 31536239. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546632
