Are there any anxiety medications that are safe to drink alcohol with?

Answer 1

For purposes of liability I am not advising you what to do relative to your question. I will make some general assumptions:

1. "Anxiety Medications" = prescription only (e.g. Benzodiazepines - XANAX, Valium) classified schedule IV (C-IV) of Controlled Substances Act of 1970. It is unwise to misuse psychotrophic (mood/mind-altering) medications because of the potential for dependency and addiction.

2. "drink alcohol" = drinking Alcoholic Beverages.

3. "Safe" = Unimpaired behavior? Driving?

Alcohol is a depressant - by its nature it affects the human Central Nervous System (brain, spinal cord). Consider a Dose-Response curve. When you ingest anti-anxiety (or any) medication, the "dose" will have an effect or "response" over time based on chemical reactions in the bloodstream. When you introduce another drug or chemical (alcohol, in this case) you change the environment. A "safe" dose of drug "X" may become unstable because alcohol will either activate or inhibit the same cells affected by the drug. To use an appropriate analogy, driving safely at 30 mph in "normal" conditions may be dangerous in heavy rain on a slick road in the dark.

See the links below. April 2011 is Alcohol Awareness Month. NHTSA's "Talking Points" is informative. Check out the Medline Plus link for treatment options and diagnosis for anxiety.