Buspirone and Alcohol, What Happens When You Mix Buspar and Drinking
- Home
- Blog
- Mixing Alcohol and Medication
- Buspirone and Alcohol, What Happens When You Mix Buspar and Drinking
Buspar (buspirone) is a common choice for anxiety, and many people who take it eventually ask whether they can still drink. The prescribing information says it is wise to avoid the combination, mostly because both can leave you dizzy and drowsy. This article is part of our series on mixing alcohol and medication, and it walks through what is known and how to talk it over with your prescriber.
Key takeaways
If you only have a minute, start here.
| Question | Quick answer |
|---|---|
| Does the label say to avoid alcohol? | Yes. The FDA prescribing information calls avoiding alcohol with buspirone the prudent choice. |
| What is the main risk? | Dizziness and drowsiness, two of buspirone’s own side effects, can stack with alcohol. |
| Does buspirone make alcohol impairment worse? | Formal studies in the label did not find that it did, but individual reactions can be unpredictable. |
| Is driving safe? | Not until you know how buspirone affects you, and never after drinking. |
| Who should I ask about my situation? | Your prescriber or pharmacist. |
What is buspirone and why is it prescribed?
Buspirone is an anxiety medication used to manage anxiety disorders and for short term relief of anxiety symptoms. It works differently from benzodiazepines such as Xanax or Klonopin.
According to the FDA prescribing information for buspirone, the research behind buspirone was done mostly in people with what is now called generalized anxiety disorder. The label also notes that buspirone is not a controlled substance, and that studies have not shown a potential for abuse or signs that it causes physical or psychological dependence.
That makes it quite different from benzodiazepines. If you also take one of those, our article on Xanax and alcohol covers a combination with much more serious sedation risks.
Is it safe to drink alcohol while taking buspirone?
The prescribing information says it is prudent to avoid alcohol while you take buspirone. Your prescriber is the right person to explain how that applies to you.
The label takes a careful position. It describes formal studies in which buspirone did not add to the mental and physical impairment that alcohol causes. Even so, it recommends avoiding the combination, and it notes that buspirone’s effects on the brain in any one person may not be predictable. A study average does not tell you how you will react on a given night, with a given amount of alcohol, sleep and food.
What happens when buspirone and alcohol mix?
The biggest concern is that dizziness and drowsiness from each can add up. Alcohol can also make it harder to tell whether buspirone is helping your anxiety.
Dizziness and drowsiness can stack
Dizziness is one of the most common side effects of buspirone. In placebo controlled trials described in the label, about 12 percent of people taking buspirone reported dizziness compared with about 3 percent on placebo. Lightheadedness, headache, nausea and nervousness were also common. Drowsiness was reported a little more often than with placebo. Alcohol causes dizziness and drowsiness on its own, so the two together can leave you woozy when you stand, off balance or nodding off when you need to be alert.
Driving and alertness
The label advises patients not to drive or operate potentially dangerous machinery until they know how buspirone affects them. Add alcohol to that uncertainty and the risk of slowed reactions or a poor decision behind the wheel goes up.
Anxiety medications and alcohol in general
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) lists buspirone among anxiety medications that can interact with alcohol. For that group as a whole, NIAAA describes drowsiness, dizziness, impaired motor control, unusual behavior, memory problems and a higher overdose risk. Some of those risks come mainly from more sedating drugs in the same group, but the message is clear. NIAAA also notes that interactions can happen even if you do not take the medicine and the drink at the same time.
Other things the label asks you to watch
The label advises avoiding large amounts of grapefruit juice, which can sharply raise buspirone levels in the body. It also asks patients to tell their prescriber about all medications, alcohol and drugs they use.
| Effect | Buspirone alone | Buspirone with alcohol |
|---|---|---|
| Dizziness | One of the most common side effects | Can feel stronger, with more risk of falls |
| Drowsiness | Reported a little more often than placebo | Alcohol adds its own sedation |
| Alertness for driving | Caution until you know how it affects you | Reaction time and judgment both suffer |
| Anxiety tracking | Easier to judge whether it is helping | Harder to tell what is the drug and what is the drink |
If drinking to manage anxiety has become a pattern, you can talk with our admissions team at (424) 302-2598 or send us a message.
What are the warning signs?
Pay attention to dizziness, unusual sleepiness, unsteadiness or confusion after drinking. Any of these is a signal to stop, sit down and stay with someone.
- Dizziness or a spinning feeling
- Unusual sleepiness or trouble staying awake
- Unsteady walking, stumbling or falls
- Confusion, blurred vision or trouble concentrating
- Nausea or vomiting
- Agitation, fever, heavy sweating, muscle stiffness or twitching, which the label lists among signs of a rare serious reaction called serotonin syndrome
When should you call 911?
Call 911 right away if someone who takes buspirone and has been drinking cannot be woken, is breathing very slowly or not at all, has blue lips, or has a seizure.
- Cannot be woken up or is not responding
- Slow, irregular or stopped breathing
- Blue or gray lips or fingertips
- A seizure, collapse, high fever or severe muscle stiffness
If the person is awake and breathing but you are unsure how much they took, call Poison Help at (800) 222-1222, any time, day or night.
Anxiety and heavy drinking can sometimes come with feelings of hopelessness. If you or someone you love is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
What should you ask your prescriber?
Ask how alcohol could affect you at your dose and with everything else you take. Bringing up alcohol is a normal part of good care.
- How could alcohol affect me with my current buspirone dose and other medications?
- Is the dizziness I feel expected, and will it ease over time?
- Do any of my other prescriptions or supplements add to drowsiness?
- How would I know if alcohol is making my anxiety worse?
- Should I limit grapefruit or anything else besides alcohol?
- What should I do if I drank while taking buspirone?
Please do not stop buspirone or change how you take it in order to drink. Talk with your prescriber first.
Why do people end up mixing the two?
Most often to quiet anxiety, get through a social event or fall asleep. That instinct is very human, and there is nothing shameful about it.
For a lot of people, alcohol was the first thing that seemed to help, long before a prescription entered the picture. Using alcohol to manage anxiety is often called self medicating. The catch is that the relief rarely lasts, and many people find the anxiety returns once the drink wears off, which can feed the cycle.
Breaking that cycle usually means getting real tools for the anxiety itself. Our anxiety treatment focuses on exactly that, alongside any medication your prescriber recommends.
How can we help?
We support adults working through anxiety, mood and alcohol use together, with care that fits around work and family. Here is what we offer.
Our intensive outpatient program gives you structured therapy and support while you keep living at home.
For evening availability, LUNA, our evening online IOP, is open to California residents only.
When anxiety and drinking are tangled together, our dual diagnosis treatment addresses both at the same time.
We also offer medication assisted treatment, case management, online treatment, NEXT Step aftercare, and a family support program so the people close to you can learn alongside you.
Frequently asked questions
Is buspirone safer with alcohol than a benzodiazepine?
Buspirone is not a controlled substance and formal studies did not find it added to alcohol impairment. Even so, the prescribing information says avoiding alcohol is the prudent choice.
Why does buspirone make me dizzy?
Dizziness is one of the most commonly reported side effects in the label. If it is severe or does not ease, tell your prescriber, and know that alcohol is likely to make it worse.
Can I drink the night before or after a dose?
NIAAA notes that alcohol and medicines can interact even when they are not taken at the same time. Your prescriber can talk through timing with you.
What if I already had a drink?
Avoid driving, sit or lie down if you feel dizzy, and have someone stay with you. Call 911 for trouble breathing or unresponsiveness, or Poison Help at (800) 222-1222 with questions.
Should I stop buspirone so I can drink?
Please do not stop or change your medication on your own. Talk with your prescriber first.
Whenever you are ready, our admissions team is here at (424) 302-2598, or you can reach out online.
