What are Depressants?

A depressant is any drug that slows down your Central Nervous System (CNS). Just a quick recap: the CNS is located in your brain and spinal cord. It’s responsible for detecting stimuli and converting that information into sensory data. It also is responsible for motor skills – how you move the various parts of your body.

Some examples of depressants include:

• Marijuana
• Barbituates (ex: Nembutal)
• Benzodiazepines (ex: Xanax, Valium)
• Sleeping medications
• Opioids (ex: Oxycodone)

And, of course, alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant, although it does have some stimulant qualities in low doses. While it’s legal and widely consumed, alcohol can be harmful or fatal in high quantities, and chronic use can lead to addiction and serious health problems.

Why Do People Use Alcohol?

There are a variety of reasons people may drink alcohol. Sometimes people do it for ceremonial purposes – a child’s baptism, or a wedding, for instance.

Other times, it’s to socialize, such as when people get together with friends at bars to have drinks. In these situations, people sometimes abuse alcohol – this is known as binge drinking. Young people are especially likely to do this due to their susceptibility to peer pressure.

Some people abuse alcohol habitually due to alcoholism, known in the medical community as Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). Mental illness is a major contributing factor to a person’s likelihood to suffer from AUD. Twenty to 60 percent of cases of alcohol dependence involve mood disorders.

What Are the Side Effects of Depressant Abuse?

Side effects of abusing depressants include:

• Physical Health Problems — This can include a range of issues from headaches and dizziness to more severe problems like respiratory distress, irregular heartbeat, and seizures. Long-term use can potentially lead to liver damage, lung disease, and other serious health conditions.
• Cognitive and Emotional Issues — Depression, confusion, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating are some of the cognitive and emotional side effects that may occur. These issues can potentially interfere with a person’s ability to function in their daily life.
• Sleep Problems — While depressants are often used to treat sleep disorders, misuse can lead to problems like insomnia. Over time, users may also develop a tolerance, meaning they need to use more of the substance to achieve the same effect.
• Physical Dependence and Withdrawal — Regular use of depressants can lead to physical dependence. This means that a person’s body becomes so accustomed to the drug that they experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop using it. These symptoms can be severe and potentially include fever, nausea, seizures, and hallucinations.
• Overdose — Perhaps the most serious potential side effect is overdose. Because depressants slow down brain activity, taking too much can slow a person’s heart rate and breathing to dangerously low levels. This can potentially lead to coma or death.
• Addiction — Chronic misuse of depressants can also lead to addiction, a serious disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences. Addiction can have a wide range of negative impacts on a person’s life, including problems with work, school, relationships, and the law.

It’s also important to note that mixing depressants with other substances, particularly alcohol, can intensify these effects and increase the risk of overdose. For example, mixing alcohol with opioids can slow your breathing to dangerously low levels.

If you or a loved one suffers from alcohol abuse or addiction, contact Aliya Health Group.

Who Is at Risk for Alcohol Abuse?

Anyone can suffer from alcohol abuse and addiction. The biggest risk factor for alcohol addiction is binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as consuming 5 or more drinks on a single occasion for men and 4 or more for women. Doing this repeatedly significantly increases the risk of developing AUD.

 However, some people may be at higher risk than others.

Risk factors for alcohol abuse and addiction are:

• Age — Studies show young people are vulnerable to alcohol abuse and addiction. This is especially true of young people in college, where binge drinking is prevalent.
• When You Begin Drinking — The earlier you drink, the more likely you are to develop AUD later in life. This is especially the case for those who begin drinking in adolescence or earlier.
• Mental illness — Mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder are significant risk factors for AUD.
• Sex — Due to their higher body fat percentage, women absorb alcohol faster than men.
• Family History — Some individuals may be genetically predisposed to alcohol addiction. This means that a history of alcoholism in the family can make a person more likely to develop the condition. Likewise, one’s upbringing can also predispose a person to alcoholism.

It’s important to remember that these factors do not determine whether someone will develop an alcohol use disorder, but they are associated with an increased risk. Just because someone has these risk factors doesn’t mean they will necessarily develop an addiction, and likewise, people without these risk factors can still develop AUD.

If you or someone else may be struggling with alcohol abuse, please seek professional help.

Alcohol Addiction Treatment

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcoholism, you don’t have to face it alone.

We at Aliya Health Group seek to be a beacon, resource, and partner for those struggling with alcohol addiction. We offer affordable and compassionate alcohol addiction treatment, with alcoholism treatment centers all over the country.

After detoxing, proper treatment can begin.

There are several different approaches to treating alcohol addiction, including:

Residential Treatment

After completing medical detox, you’ll transition to residential treatment, also known as inpatient treatment. There, you’ll receive medically-assisted treatment and dual diagnosis treatment to deal with any cravings or co-occurring mental health issues you may be battling.

In addition to individual and group counseling and medication management, you’ll also have access to leisure activities and family support services.

Partial Hospitalization

A step down from inpatient care but with more structure than conventional outpatient programs, a partial hospitalization program offers a good balance for those looking to ease back into normal life. Clients can receive care five to seven days a week for several hours each day, returning to their homes in the evening.

This way, they can recover without putting their daily lives on hold, receiving intense therapeutic interventions like group and individual therapy, skill development, and medication management as necessary.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

Clients undergoing this program participate in intensive therapy sessions, meeting three to five days a week, with each session lasting three hours. This level of care is a step down from partial hospitalization, requiring less time commitment.

IOPs offer participants the ability to continue their employment or academic obligations, receiving support and therapy as needed as they prepare to reenter society.

Outpatient Care

Finally, there’s outpatient care. Outpatient care allows clients to receive care without neglecting their responsibilities at home. It also tends to be significantly more affordable than higher levels of care.

Start Your Alcoholism Recovery Journey Today

If you or a loved one are thinking of seeking treatment for addiction to alcohol but have questions, call us at 888-965-3085 or contact us here. Our highly qualified staff will be happy to assist you.

References: 

1. Alcoholism and Psychiatric Disorders (nih.gov)
2. Are Women More Vulnerable to Alcohol’s Effects?-Alcohol Alert No. 46-1999 (nih.gov)

What Is Alcohol?

Alcohol is a chemical substance often used for its intoxicating effects in various drinks. The type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages is known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol, which is a psychoactive substance that causes different effects on the body and brain. It’s produced through the fermentation of sugars by yeasts, a process used in making wine, beer, and distilled spirits. If you’re wondering if alcohol is a stimulant or depressant, read on!

Alcohol is considered a depressant rather than a stimulant because it slows down, rather than speeds up, our nervous system. Stimulants, on the other hand, increase neural activity, causing heightened arousal and energy levels.

However, in low doses, alcohol has stimulant-like effects.

When consumed in small quantities, alcohol can:

• Increase energy
• Decrease inhibitions
• Increase heart rate
• Increase dopamine levels
• Increase aggression and impulsiveness

As you consume more alcohol, it will begin to slow your body down. As your blood alcohol content increases, the depressant effects become more pronounced, leading to symptoms like impaired judgment, lack of coordination, slowed reflexes, and potentially loss of consciousness.

Alcoholic Drinks With Caffeine

People often mix alcoholic drinks with caffeine. Some examples of these are certain liqueurs, mixed drinks involving energy drinks, or cocktails made with coffee.

The reason this mix can be dangerous is due to the contrasting effects of alcohol and caffeine. While alcohol is a depressant, caffeine is a stimulant. Caffeine can mask the depressant effects of alcohol, making drinkers feel more alert than they actually are.

This may lead to the consumption of more alcohol than intended, as the person may not feel as intoxicated as they truly are. It can also increase the risk of alcohol-related harms, such as accidents, injuries, or alcohol poisoning. Furthermore, both alcohol and caffeine can dehydrate the body, leading to worse hangovers.

In recognition of these risks, some countries have regulations limiting the sale of premixed alcoholic energy drinks. However, it’s still important for individuals to be aware of the risks when combining alcohol and caffeine in any form.

What Is the Difference Between a Stimulant and a Depressant?

Stimulants are substances that speed up the body’s processes, including the central nervous system and the brain. They can make you feel more alert, attentive, and energetic, and can increase heart rate and blood pressure.

Caffeine is a common stimulant drug.

Other examples of stimulants include:

• Nicotine
• Amphetamines (such as Adderall)
• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine

Some stimulants are used in medical contexts to treat conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and occasionally depression. However, misuse of these substances can lead to serious health issues, including addiction and overdose.

Depressants, on the other hand, slow down the body’s processes, including the brain and the central nervous system. They can help reduce anxiety, promote sleep, and induce feelings of relaxation and calmness. They also decrease heart rate and breathing rate.

Alcohol is a good example of a depressant.

Other examples of depressants include:

• Benzodiazepines (like Xanax)
• Barbiturates
• Opiates

Like stimulants, depressants can also be used medicinally. For instance, some are used for treating anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. As with stimulant drugs, misuse of depressants can lead to severe health problems like addiction and overdose.

Is Alcohol Addictive?

Yes, alcohol is certainly addictive. Alcoholism is the most common of all substance use disorders in the United States. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 30 million American adults suffered from alcohol abuse in 2021.

Alcohol stimulates the release of various neurotransmitters in the brain, leading to feelings of pleasure or relaxation. Over time, the brain adapts to these changes, leading to physical and psychological dependence.

When someone is dependent on alcohol, they may need to drink more and more to achieve the same effects, a phenomenon known as tolerance. They may also experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking, such as anxiety, restlessness, and in severe cases, seizures or hallucinations.

Can an Alcoholism Treatment Center Help?

If you or a loved one are struggling with alcoholism, you don’t have to face it alone.

We at Aliya Health Group seek to be a beacon, resource, and partner for those struggling with alcohol addiction. We offer affordable and compassionate alcohol addiction treatment, with alcoholism treatment centers all over the country.

After detoxing, proper treatment can begin.

There are several different approaches to treating alcohol addiction, including:

Residential Treatment

After successfully completing medical detox, you’ll transition to residential treatment, also known as inpatient treatment. There, you’ll receive medically-assisted treatment and dual diagnosis treatment to deal with any cravings or co-occurring mental health issues you may be battling.

In addition to individual and group counseling and medication management, you’ll also have access to leisure activities and family support services.

Partial Hospitalization

A step down from inpatient care but with more structure than conventional outpatient programs, a partial hospitalization program offers a good balance for those looking to ease back into normal life. Clients can receive care five to seven days a week for several hours each day, returning to their sober living homes in the evening.

This way, they can recover without putting their daily lives on hold, receiving intense therapeutic interventions like group and individual therapy, skills development, and medication management as necessary.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

Clients undergoing this program participate in intensive therapy sessions, meeting three to five days a week, with each session lasting three hours. This level of care is a step down from partial hospitalization, requiring less time commitment.

IOPs offer participants the ability to continue their employment or academic obligations, receiving support and therapy as needed, as they prepare to reenter society.

Outpatient Care

Finally, there’s outpatient care. Outpatient care allows clients to receive care without neglecting their responsibilities at home. It also tends to be significantly more affordable than higher levels of care.

Start Your Alcoholism Recovery Journey Today

Addiction recovery or mental health treatment is just a phone call away. If you or a loved one in Orange County are thinking of seeking treatment for addiction to alcohol but have questions, call us at 888-965-3085 or contact us here. We can help you get through alcohol withdrawal using one of our treatment programs. Not all rehab centers offer holistic therapy for alcohol detox and alcohol rehab. Our recovery center offers the inpatient and outpatient rehab options you need to end an alcohol dependence. Our highly qualified staff will be happy to assist you if you’re ready to end an addiction to drinking alcohol. Call today and verify your insurance or learn more about addiction recovery. 

References: 

1. Dangers of mixing alcohol with caffeine and energy drinks | CDC
2. SAMHSA Announces National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Results Detailing Mental Illness and Substance Use Levels in 2021 | HHS.gov 

How long does alcohol stay in your system? What are the symptoms of alcohol abuse? Learn more about alcohol abuse and treatment for alcohol use disorders at Aliya Health Group. 

How Is Alcohol Processed in the Body?

After being digested, alcohol travels to the small intestine and stomach, where it is transported to circulation through tiny blood vessels. The 80% of alcohol left is absorbed by the small intestine, with the stomach accounting for around 20% of its absorption. The liver is the site of alcohol metabolism, where enzymes disintegrate alcohol.

Understanding the effects of alcohol requires knowledge of the rate of metabolism. In one hour, the liver can break down one ounce of alcohol. The liver metabolizes alcohol, and the amount of time it takes to break it down depends on how much you drink. It will build up in the blood and bodily tissues until it can be digested. If you ingest more than one ounce of alcohol per hour, your system becomes saturated. The average person will metabolize alcohol at a rate of .05 per hour.

When Will You Start to Feel Drunk?

Mild to severe intoxication symptoms are possible depending on how much of a substance you consume, how quickly you ingest it, and how rapidly your body processes it.

Common signs of alcohol intoxication are:

• Ataxia: Ataxia occurs when an intoxicated person has trouble walking straight. This is known as a walking impairment.
• Lethargy and confusion: People who are intoxicated experience excessive weariness and confusion.
• Euphoria: People who are intoxicated may feel happy and exhibit actions they wouldn’t typically show.
• Loss of inhibitions: After just a few drinks, people may feel more at ease, vulnerable, and uninhibited.
• Poor judgment: Being intoxicated can cause people to make bad choices and participate in unsafe activities, such as drinking and driving.
• Speech problems: Slurred speech and other speaking issues are typical signs of drunkenness.
• Vomiting: Intoxicated people may vomit as their body attempts to get rid of the chemical in their system.

Reduced focus, weakened senses, modifications in mood and temperament, and a relaxed sensation are other indicators of drunkenness. A severe case of intoxication may result in loss of consciousness or even death.

How Long Does Alcohol Take to Leave Your Body?

Everyone metabolizes alcohol at a steady pace of around one standard drink per hour. Your age, gender, body type, and general health are a few of the numerous variables that might affect how long you experience the effects of alcohol.

Your body metabolizes alcohol over a specific time period. One standard drink typically takes one hour to process. With that being said, alcohol can still show up in different tests up to 90 days after consumption.

One factor that affects how long alcohol is detectable in your body is the type of alcohol test used:

• Breath: A breathalyzer reading accurately reflects the alcohol content in your blood at the time of the breath alcohol test.
• Blood: The bloodstream expels alcohol at roughly 0.015 per hour. A blood test can detect alcohol for up to 12 hours.
• Urine: The traditional alcohol test can detect alcohol in someone’s urine for 10 – 12 hours. In contrast, the reliable ethyl glucuronide (EtG) test can detect alcohol within urine for up to three days.
• Hair: A hair follicle test can detect drugs and alcohol for up to 90 days or more.

It’s important to note that high levels of intoxication may take longer than one hour to be processed by your body. So, if you are feeling any signs of impairment, it’s best to wait a few hours before engaging in activities that require alertness and concentration. 

When Will Alcohol No Longer Show Up on a Test?

Depending on your body system and the test used, it can take a long time to detect alcohol in your system. In most cases, alcohol can stay in your system for six to 72 hours, depending on the amount of food you’ve consumed, the type of alcohol you’ve drank, and the type of detection test used. Alcohol may linger in your body for up to six hours in your blood, 12 to 24 hours in your saliva and breath, 12 to 24 hours in urine (72 or more hours with more advanced detection methods), and up to 90 days in your hair. The half-life of alcohol is four to five hours.

How Can I Sober Up Fast?

Unsurprisingly, each person is unique. Height, weight, stress levels, fitness, BMI, and sex — not frequency, but whether you are a man or woman — are a few variables that affect how quickly certain individuals digest alcohol. You can’t change how rapidly your body absorbs alcohol other than waiting it out.

These are, however, some things that can interfere with the length of time it takes for alcohol to leave your body:

• Coffee: Although it may make you feel more awake, caffeine does not assist your body in processing alcohol. You may still be impaired and inebriated even when you feel awake and attentive. 
• Cold showers: Cold showers have little effect on BAC reduction. You may temporarily become aware after a cold shower, although handicapped. Some people mistakenly believe that taking a cold shower will make them lose consciousness. 
• Eating and drinking: Eating before, during, and after consuming alcohol can reduce the rate alcohol enters your bloodstream. Additionally, drinking lots of water can help your body remove toxins and prevent dehydration. 
• Sleep: The most effective method for aiding sobriety is sleep. As time passes during sleep, your body rests and heals. The more you rest, the more you will sober up since it provides your liver time to process the alcohol. 
• Exercise: Exercise may assist you to become more aware and can help your body become more awake. However, there is no factual data to support the idea that exercise helps hasten the metabolism of alcohol. 

Everyone reacts to alcohol differently which includes how long it takes until a person feels sober and how long it takes for alcohol to completely leave a person’s body. Taking precautions like drinking less can help alcohol leave your body faster and which will help you sober up.

How Long Does It Take for Alcohol to Negatively Impact Your Body?

The researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism discovered that as soon as you take your first drink, alcohol starts to enter your system. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is the most common way to measure how intoxicated someone is. BAC is the percentage of alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol) in a person’s blood. A blood alcohol content of 10% indicates that there is 1 part alcohol in every 100 parts of blood in the body.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports a nationwide legal limit of blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%. Anyone operating a vehicle with this BAC or greater would be breaking the law whether they showed outward indications of intoxication or not.  

Alcohol abuse among adults is rising for women but not for men. Over the past twenty years, there has been a significant rise in adult emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and fatalities due to alcohol use. The increases in these outcomes have been greater for women, which is consistent with the evolving patterns of alcohol consumption. According to research, women are more vulnerable than men to alcohol-related liver inflammation, cardiovascular disease, memory loss, hangovers, and several other diseases. There is a need for preventative measures that target rising alcohol intake and specific health hazards for women.

What Amount of Alcohol Can Kill You?

When someone has a BAC between 0.60 and 0.80, the most common result is death. However, there are many circumstances that can affect how much alcohol it takes to kill a person. It’s crucial to be aware of habits that reflect a pattern of binge drinking, which is defined as consuming four drinks for women and five drinks for men in less than two hours. This amount of drinking can result in a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of more than 0.08%.

Alcohol poisoning is a serious medical event with potentially fatal outcomes. It occurs after you consume too much alcohol for your body to process. When there is too much alcohol in the circulation parts of your brain, your body loses its ability to regulate vital processes like heart rate, breathing, and body temperature.

Alcohol poisoning signs and symptoms include:

• Disorientation
• Unconsciousness
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Slow breathing rate
• Sluggish heart rate
• Cold skin
• Low body temperature

Unfortunately, people often assume that someone with alcohol poisoning will be all right after sleeping it off. Not only is this belief incorrect, but it can be incredibly dangerous. As a depressant, alcohol interferes with brain functions that regulate body functions including the gag reflex. Paired with this, drinking alcohol can also result in an upset stomach, nausea, and vomiting. 

When someone consumes enough alcohol to pass out, they are at a greater risk of choking on their own vomit. This is because their body likely lacks the ability to trigger their typical gag reflex while unconscious. Without a gag reflex, the individual may inhale their own vomit. As a result, they may accidentally block their airway which can lead to suffocation and death. People who overdose on alcohol also risk permanent brain damage even if they survive the event.

What Are the Risks of Alcohol Abuse?

Excessive alcohol abuse increases your risk of numerous dangerous health disorders.

Risks of excessive drinking may include:

• Injuries caused by falls, drownings, car accidents, and burns
• Violence, such as homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and violence against intimate partners
• Alcohol poisoning, or a medical emergency brought on by excessive blood alcohol content.

Chronic illnesses and other major issues can also develop over time because of heavy alcohol usage, including:

• Digestion issues, liver maladies, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke
• Cancer of the rectum, liver, colon, mouth, throat, esophagus, and voice box
• Immune system deterioration, which raises the risk of getting ill
• Memory and learning issues, including dementia and subpar academic performance
• Anxiety and sadness are among the concerns with mental health.
• Disorders related to alcohol consumption or dependency