Many people are asking about the topic, “Is Alcohol A Depressant Or A Stimulant?” Well, I will try my best to help you get the difference in this post. Many American adults say they’ve drunk alcohol at some point.
You can feel relaxed when you drink alcohol, which is why many enjoy it. But if you don’t have control over alcohol drinking, it can quickly hurt you. Now, relax and let me walk you through the meaning of a stimulant and a depressant. Let’s explore!
What Is a Stimulant?
A stimulant is a substance in our bodies. Stimulants speed up activities in your central nervous system. Because of its function, it can make you feel alert, energetic, and confident in some cases.
They speed up or race your heart rate and increase your blood pressure. Some examples of stimulants are Caffeine, Ketamine, Nicotine, LSD (Lysergic acid Diethylamide), Amphetamine, Cannabis, Psilocybin (Magic mushrooms), PCP (Phencyclidine), and Cocaine.
What Is a Depressant?
It’s a substance that lowers neurotransmission levels. It depresses or reduces arousal or stimulation. They slow down the message between the brain and the body.
They affect concentration and coordination and slow down a person’s ability to respond to unexpected situations. Because depressants slow down activities, you might feel very relaxed, sleepy, or sedated when you ingest a depressant.
Depressants slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. Because of its name, many people think that depressants make you depressed. It’s not necessarily that.
The word “Depressant” refers to the effect these substances have on your central nervous system(CNS), not how it impacts your mood. Examples of depressants include Valium, Benzodiazepines (minor tranquilizers such as Valium), Cannabis, GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate), Ketamine, and Opioids (heroin, morphine, codeine).
Now to the main question.
Is Alcohol A Depressant Or A Stimulant?
Now, let’s come to the question, “Is alcohol a stimulant or a depressant? Most people think alcohol is a stimulant, and they believe that it ramps up your confidence, makes you goofy, and gives you a hamper of energy! Let’s not debunk that because alcohol does give you some stimulant effects.
It raises your heart rate and other physical changes in your body. However, we need to take note that these effects are just temporary. They result in your brain releasing more dopamine after your initial drink.
Dopamine is responsible for allowing you to feel great pleasure, confidence, satisfaction, and motivation. When you feel good about an achievement, that’s because you have a surge of dopamine in the brain. Alcohol, however, is a depressant.
How do you feel when you drink alcohol in excess? Do you realize you start slurring your words and react and respond slower than average? Alcohol does have some stimulant effects. However, it is scientifically classified as a depressant.
Most people drink for the initial Stimulant effect just so they loosen up,” and also reduce social inhibitions. If a person consumes a lot more, they will begin to experience alcohol’s sedating effects, which include cognitive impairment.
Some individuals usually drink primarily for alcohol’s sedating effects, such as anxiety reduction. Some studies say that most people initially drink alcohol to experience stimulation and associated symptoms. Still, after becoming dependent on it, they develop an addiction and switch to drinking primarily to experience the anxiety reduction associated with the sedating effects.
When you drink slowly, it’s more likely to lead to a desire for more sedating effects, whereas when you drink rapidly, it tends to increase stimulation effects.
Effects of Alcohol and Other Depressants.
Abusing alcohol and other Depressant medications results in both short-term and long-term effects. Most of these effects are irreversible. Side effects of Depressant abuse include:
- Low blood pressure
- Slow heart rate
- Fatigue
- Light-headedness
- Dizziness
- Slurred speech
- Depression
- Unconsciousness
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Impaired motor skills
- Slowed breathing
- Seizures
- Death
And some non-physical effects of Depressant abuse are; financial problems, unemployment, relationship problems, and family problems.