Blood, and therefore alcohol, is quickly distributed throughout the body and the brain. This happens faster than the liver can metabolize and eliminate alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant that affects the central nervous system (CNS). However, initially and in small doses, alcohol is a stimulant.
Side Effects of Alcohol and Other Depressants
Alcohol might disrupt cell membranes throughout our body, making them leaky. The depressant effect of alcohol can get worse if you drink to excess. Potentially fatal liver problems and spikes in blood pressure are other really good reasons not to mix these drugs. Both alcohol and antidepressants can make you tired, less alert, and uncoordinated.
Long-Term Alcohol Risks
There is a strong link between alcohol use and depression, a mental health condition that includes feelings of hopelessness, emptiness, fatigue, loss of interest, and more. But does regular drinking lead to depression, or are people with depression more likely to drink too much alcohol? Nearly one-third of people with major depression (or major depressive disorder) also have alcohol use disorder. Research shows that depressed children are more likely to have problems with alcohol a few years down the road. Also, teens who’ve had a bout of major depression are twice as likely to start drinking as those who haven’t. And drinking out of boredom if you start drinking at an early age, your risk of alcohol use disorder is higher.
- If you’ve experienced an overdose, you may experience mental confusion, vomiting, unconsciousness, slow heart rate, low body temperature, bluish skin, and irregular breathing, among other symptoms.
- If a person takes depressants for a long time, they may develop physical dependence and substance use disorder.
- A therapist can help individuals with AUD develop coping skills to reduce stress and manage cravings.
- A person should speak with a healthcare professional to learn more about healthy alcohol use.
- Drunken brains are primed to seek pleasure without considering the consequences; no wonder so many hook-ups happen after happy hour.
- A person should speak with a doctor about healthy alcohol consumption.
If you’ve experienced an overdose, you may experience mental confusion, vomiting, unconsciousness, slow heart rate, low body temperature, bluish skin, and irregular breathing, among other symptoms. The effects of alcohol depend largely on how much and how quickly you drink, along with varying factors such as your personal history, genetics, body size, gender, tolerance, and other key factors. In addition, drinking alcohol quickly and in large amounts can lead to more severe symptoms, such as memory loss, coma, even death. When you drink too much, you’re more likely to make bad decisions or act on impulse. As a result, you could drain your bank account, lose a job, or ruin a relationship.
Binge drinking is on the rise for multiple groups of the U.S. population, according to the NIAAA. Some are safer than others, but all produce lower levels of awareness in the brain and cause the activity in the CNS to slow down. Depressants are commonly known as “downers,” as they typically reduce stimulation.
A common psychoactive drug, alcohol, alters your consciousness, thoughts, and mood. It can be tempting to drink for the “mood-boosting” side effects, but this can lead to alcohol abuse or dependence on alcohol. Though depression is experienced by many, it can often go undiagnosed and untreated.
People who are depressed and drink too much have more frequent and severe episodes of depression and are more likely to think about suicide. Heavy alcohol use also can make antidepressants less effective. The use of medication to treat an alcohol use disorder and a major depressive disorder depends entirely on the individual and their circumstances. Whether you’re experiencing depression or not, it’s essential to evaluate your drinking habits and consider why you drink, when you drink, and how you feel when you drink.
How Depressants Affect the Body
Drunken brains are primed to seek pleasure without considering the consequences; no wonder so many hook-ups happen after happy hour. However, studies have found that the specific effects depend not just on how much someone drinks, but also on whether blood alcohol content (BAC) is rising or falling. While in the process of drinking, alcohol acts as a stimulant, but as drinking tapers off, it begins to act more as a sedative. As one of the most widely used and socially accepted drugs in the world, alcohol is easily abused.
But when the high starts to wear off the buzz can quickly give way to fatigue, confusion and depression — more like the effects of a depressant drug. Binge drinking is “a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent,” according to is ambien better than xanax for sleep the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. BAC, also known as blood alcohol content or blood alcohol, is “the amount of alcohol in your blood,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Is Alcohol a Depressant?
Benzodiazepines, for example, can alter mood and trigger depression, especially if you take them for an extended period of time. The risk of depression is greater for older people and those with a history of depression. Then you already know about the rollercoaster effect alcohol can have on your brain. We looked at how depressants work and the way alcohol relates to that drug (because it’s hella weird).
Does Depression Drive You to Drink Alcohol?
However, alleviating depression does not resolve the alcohol use disorder. In some cases, you may receive a dual diagnosis of a major depressive disorder (MDD) and an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This co-occurring disorder isn’t uncommon, but it can be difficult weed and ecstasy to treat. Alcohol acts on the brain and may increase feelings of relaxation.
Or you might attend an intensive inpatient group a few times each week. Individuals diagnosed with clinical depression should be extremely cautious when it comes to using substances such as alcohol. According to Kennedy, for those taking antidepressants, combining them with alcohol can reduce their efficacy. “In our society alcohol is readily available and socially acceptable,” says Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD, author of Whole Brain Living, explains. “Depression and alcohol misuse are often tied because we take a depressant to counter a chemical depression which only makes it worse.”
Naltrexone, Acamprosate, and disulfiram are also FDA-approved medications that can help curb alcohol cravings. Because of this shared connection, treatment for both should include a diet to improve gut function and reduce endotoxin load that contributes to neuroinflammation. Following a Mediterranean diet rich in omega-3s, for example, might be one recommendation. Depression can also be directly caused by alcohol in the case of a substance-induced disorder. A therapist can help individuals with AUD develop coping skills to reduce stress and manage cravings.