Posted by Chairman_MAO on May 5, 2005, at 16:26:36
In reply to Alcoholism - side effect??, posted by absolute on May 3, 2005, at 23:43:38
I've always thought the SSRI alcoholism thing is a result of either
a) the SSRIs perturbing the normal functioning of some neural circuitry, e.g. through inhibition of DA activity, etc.
or b) the SSRI inducing some anxiety along with apathy that can only be remedied by drinking alcohol.NOTE: When I was on SSRIs, my pot consumption skyrocketed and I developed a habit of heavy use that only now, years later, on the right meds, have brought back to healthy levels.
When the SSRI user consumes alcohol, my groundless hypothesis states that they feel emotional release and pleasure again along with the effect of the SSRI, which makes it more difficult to experience the adverse effects of the alcohol and increases its pro-social action.
Increased substance abuse upon SSRI use I feel is one of "big pharma psychiatry's"--that is, conventional "SSRI-go-round" prescribing habits--dirty little secrets, and it disgusts me. If they put those people on buprenorphine (or perhaps phenelzine) instead, they'd probably drink LESS. Increased alcohol consumption on an SSRI indicates, among other things, that the drug IS NOT WORKING, IMHO.
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050504/msgs/494155.html