Alcohol is a Depressant – Not a Stimulant

Alcohol is not a Stimulant

It is easy to think that alcohol is a stimulant since you experience a sense of well-being after drinking. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and loosens up most people who drink. They feel happy and relaxed.

Contrary to what most people think, alcohol is a depressant, not a stimulant.

The word depressant doesn’t mean that it causes people to feel depressed. A depressant means that it depresses the central nervous system.

When you drink, alcohol initially relaxes you and puts you at ease. It produces a feeling of pleasure. This feeling of pleasure or award is why it is so common to think that alcohol is a stimulant.

It is, however, exactly how depressants work. They help reduce anxiety and muscle tension. Physicians often use depressants for treating pain, insomnia, acute stress reactions, panic attacks, and seizure disorders.

Immediate Effects of Alcohol Use

Because a depressant slows you down and puts you at ease, it affects coordination and your reaction time.

It takes longer for you to be aware of and to react when something happens around you. The ability to make split-second decisions necessary for safe driving disappears. As the amount of alcohol in your body increases, your skills decrease.

Alcohol also affects your judgment. It makes you feel good and more confident. At the same time, alcohol makes you less alert, which can cause you to take chances while driving that you usually wouldn’t take. Since you are not always fully aware of your surroundings, you may not realize that you are speeding, running a red light, or that passing is not allowed.

In addition, alcohol hurts your vision. Relaxed pupils don’t constrict or dilate correctly. It makes it harder to detect contrasts between different colors and shades. You will also have trouble judging distances accurately. Your sensitivity to light, like oncoming headlights at night, is also affected.

Relaxed eye muscles can cause distorted or double vision.

Long-time Effects of Alcohol Use

Be aware that alcohol is highly addictive, and when abused long-term, it can eventually lead to symptoms of depression.

Long-term effects of alcohol abuse also include an increased risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases.

Liver conditions may lead to greater difficulty in absorbing vitamins. It may increase the risk of developing eye conditions that alter your vision and cause permanent damage. A vitamin B1 deficiency can lead to a disorder characterized by amnesia, apathy, and disorientation.

Learn More

• National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline 1-800-662-HELP
• Does Alcohol Uncover Your True Self?
• Impaired Driving on U.S. Roads
• Only Time Will Sober You Up
• What Helps You Sober Up?
• What is a Standard Drink?
• DUI Conviction if BAC is Below the Legal Limit?
• What is Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) – How Does it Work?

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National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline

Use the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline 1-800-662-HELP for information on alcohol and drug abuse, local treatment options, support through hotline counselors about to speak with about alcohol, drug or family problems.