Xanax and Alcohol: Why Mixing Them Is Dangerous, and What to Do

Xanax (alprazolam) is prescribed for anxiety and panic disorder. Alcohol is often what people reach for to calm down too. Taken together, they can be dangerous, even at amounts that would feel manageable on their own.

This guide explains why, what the Xanax label says, what to watch for, and when drinking alongside Xanax is a sign that more help is needed.

Can you drink alcohol on Xanax?

No, not without talking to your prescriber first. The Xanax Medication Guide, published on the National Library of Medicine’s DailyMed site, tells patients not to drink alcohol while taking Xanax without first talking to their health care provider. It warns that alcohol can make Xanax’s sleepiness and dizziness much worse.

The prescribing information for clinicians also tells patients to avoid alcohol and other drugs that slow the brain while on Xanax.

Why is mixing Xanax and alcohol dangerous?

Both slow down the central nervous system, including breathing, and together the effect is stronger. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) lists Xanax among the medicines that interact with alcohol, with risks that include:

• Drowsiness and dizziness
• An increased risk of overdose
• Slowed or difficult breathing
• Impaired motor control
• Unusual behavior and memory problems

NIAAA’s page on alcohol overdose names benzodiazepines such as alprazolam as one of the drug types that raise the risk of an alcohol overdose.

How long after taking Xanax can I drink?

There is no waiting time we can give you, and you should not rely on one you find online. The Xanax label tells patients not to drink while taking it without talking to their provider first. How long it stays active depends on the dose, the form (regular or extended-release), your age, your liver and other medicines.

If you take Xanax and want to drink, ask your prescriber or pharmacist directly. If you find you cannot skip the drink, that is worth telling them too.

What does the Xanax boxed warning say about alcohol?

The label’s boxed warning, the FDA’s strongest, says misuse of benzodiazepines, including Xanax, often involves alcohol or other drugs, and that this raises the risk of serious outcomes including slowed breathing, overdose and death.

The same warning says Xanax taken with opioids can cause profound sedation, slowed breathing, coma and death, and that regular use can lead to physical dependence, with withdrawal reactions that can be life-threatening if it is stopped suddenly.

What are the signs of a dangerous reaction?

Watch for the signs of overdose. NIAAA lists confusion, trouble staying conscious, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, a slow heart rate, clammy skin and very low body temperature.

Call 911 right away if someone who has mixed Xanax and alcohol is very hard to wake, is breathing slowly or not at all, or has blue-tinged lips. NIAAA says not to leave the person alone, and if they are lying down, to roll them onto their side to prevent choking. If opioids may also be involved, give naloxone if you have it.

Why do people mix Xanax and alcohol?

Often to manage anxiety. Both quiet the nervous system for a while, and when one stops working as well, it is tempting to add the other. NIAAA notes that anxiety disorders are much more common among people with alcohol use disorder, and that drinking can itself cause anxiety. Our article on anxiety after drinking explains that loop.

Is it safe to stop Xanax or alcohol suddenly?

No. The Xanax label says stopping suddenly or cutting back quickly after regular use can cause withdrawal reactions that can be life-threatening, and recommends a gradual taper. Stopping heavy drinking suddenly can also cause dangerous withdrawal.

If you depend on both, stopping either one on your own is risky, and both need to be managed together by a medical team. Our guide to Klonopin and alcohol withdrawal explains why using a benzodiazepine on your own during alcohol withdrawal is dangerous, and Nova’s page on benzodiazepine detox covers how it is handled.

When is mixing a sign of a bigger problem?

When you keep drinking on Xanax despite knowing the risk, take more Xanax than prescribed, or rely on either one to get through the day, those are signs of a substance use problem. Other signs include:

• Running out of Xanax early
• Drinking or taking Xanax to manage anxiety before most situations
• Feeling shaky, sleepless or panicky when you skip either one
• Memory gaps after drinking on Xanax

Nova’s confidential alcohol self-assessment is a private place to start, and Nova’s Xanax guide covers the medicine itself.

How can treatment help?

When alcohol and a benzodiazepine are both involved, detox has to be supervised, and anxiety needs treatment that does not depend on either. At Nova, care runs through each stage:

• Medical detox at our Austin detox center or Houston detox center, where withdrawal is managed with 24-hour care
• Residential drug and alcohol rehab, with 30-, 45-, 60- and 90-day stays on Nova’s campus outside Austin
• Intensive outpatient (IOP) at Austin IOP, Houston IOP and San Antonio IOP, plus online IOP, for structured care while you live at home

When anxiety and substance use feed each other, co-occurring disorders treatment treats both together.

When you are ready to talk

Nova’s admissions team answers 24 hours a day. The first conversation is free and confidential, and the team can help you understand which level of care fits. You can also verify your insurance online in a few minutes.

Common Questions