Does alcohol interfere with the metabolism and efficacy of psychotropic medication?
A. One of the most common reasons why people do not benefit from antidepressants, mood stabilizers and other psychotropic medications is that they are using alcohol and/or other recreational drugs. While it used to be thought that one or two drinks a day had no impact on the effectiveness of antidepressants and other medications, it has become clear that people taking psychotropic medications should not have more than three drinks per week. Q. Can antidepressants flip anyone into hypomania or does the person have to have a predisposition to bipolar disorder? A. There is no doubt that antidepressants can induce mania or hypomania in some individuals. While most people in whom antidepressants induce mania clearly have a history of cyclothymia or bipolar disorder, others have just a family history of possible bipolar disorder. Q. What is the relationship between panic attacks and depression? A. There is a significant association of panic attacks with depression and vice versa. A recent st
