The Canadian Institutes of Health Research have published research showing that antidepressants may help men consume less alcohol. Surveying 14,063 male and female Canadians on their use of alcohol and antidepressants, they found that whether male or female, depressed individuals tended to drink more (not surprising) but only men decreased alcohol consumption when their depression was treated with antidepressants.
[M]en taking antidepressants consumed significantly less alcohol than depressed men who did not use antidepressants. Non-depressed men consumed 436 drinks per year, compared to 579 drinks for depressed men not using antidepressants, and 414 drinks for depressed men who used antidepressants.The researchers have yet to question whether this is due to the effects of the drugs or another factor, suggesting "physicians prescribing antidepressants may be more likely to caution men than women about their drinking." However, since men are more likely to act out depression by self-medicating with alcohol, isn't it possible the tendency to drink less is merely an effect of the medication working?
Press release: CIHR-funded research: Antidepressants help men decrease alcohol consumption, but not women
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