People drink alcohol for various reasons, including relaxing, unwinding, and being social. Many people enjoy the stimulating effects of drinking small to moderate amounts of alcohol, such as being more talkative or energized. This may lead you to believe that alcohol is a stimulant, but on the contrary, it is classified as a depressant or downer. So why is alcohol a depressant rather than a stimulant? The lines may seem blurred when it comes to alcohol, mainly because the effects a person feels from drinking depend on how much they drink. When a person consumes excessive amounts of alcohol, it can be detrimental to both their mental and physical health and will exhibit more of the depressant qualities of the substance. You must seek help from an alcohol detox center if you begin noticing a relationship between your alcohol use and mental health conditions.
At Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston, we understand that alcohol and mental health struggles often go hand in hand. Our alcohol detox center can help you safely get through alcohol withdrawal with medications and around-the-clock monitoring. Because we stand behind the comprehensive, evidence-based treatment, we also incorporate behavioral and holistic therapies into our practice. Call us today at 866.516.8356 to learn more about healing from dependence on alcohol and mental health disorders at our Houston-based facility.
Examining the Varying Effects of Drinking
Some people drink to loosen up in social situations; if they have a glass or two of an alcoholic beverage, it is easier to talk to other people. Others enjoy the energy boost they get from a drink because it spurs them to take action that they might be too inhibited to make without it.
Because of this, you might believe that alcohol is a stimulant. After all, once you have a drink or two, you are having a good time and ready to party all night. You may feel a sense of camaraderie with everyone around you.
The main reasons people choose to consume alcohol include:
- Wanting to have a good time
- Managing social anxiety
- Forgetting about their problems
- Relieving tension
- Fitting in with others
As you can see, the top two purposes behind drinking alcohol are socialization and relaxation, which show a contrast between energizing and calming effects. Most people achieve those effects from moderate amounts of alcohol. However, that can easily lead to heavier consumption over time, which overrides alcohol’s stimulating or relaxing effects and leads to more emotionally charged consequences.
Is Alcohol a Depressant?
Despite the stimulating feelings that you may experience if you have a moderate amount of alcohol, it is still classified as a depressant. Although alcohol dependence often goes hand in hand with depression, its effect on a person’s mental health is not what puts it in that category. Experiencing depression with alcohol addiction will require addiction therapy services as part of dual diagnosis treatment to fully recover.
Depressant drugs — and alcohol is a drug — slow down the body’s nervous system. This quality makes you feel relaxed when you have a drink or two, and it is also what causes delayed reaction times, one of the characteristics that make drinking and driving so dangerous.
The more a person drinks, the more the depressant effects are felt, including:
- Slowed respiration
- Loss of coordination
- Poor judgment
- Lack of inhibitions
- Unconsciousness
- Blackouts
Understanding what depressants are and how they function makes it easier to see why alcohol is a depressant.
Overcome Addiction at Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston’s Alcohol Detox Center
Whether it is alcohol, opiates, or another substance you want to break free of, Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston offers drug and alcohol detox that can help you heal. Our facility is ready to give you the fresh, clean start you need for a sober future. Before the rest of your recovery journey can begin, you will have to go through detox. Instead of doing this alone, partner with our quality alcohol detox center that provides a safer, more comfortable process. We offer programs such as:
- Medical detox program
- Individual therapy program
- Men’s detox program
- Women’s detox program
- Group therapy program
Help is available for those ready to overcome alcohol dependence, so if you or a loved one needs help transforming your life from alcohol addiction, call us today. You do not have to face an uncertain future with addiction. You can experience sobriety and healing by reaching out to Serenity House Detox & Recovery at 866.516.8356. Decide to get addiction help today.
