Alcohol is widely consumed around the world. However, there’s still a lot of confusion about its effects on the body. For instance, many people wonder, is alcohol a stimulant?
This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the structure and effects of alcohol, including whether it actually has stimulant effects on the body. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to drink safely, prevent long-term negative effects from it, and understand how to identify alcohol use disorders in someone you care about.
What is Alcohol?
Before learning if alcohol is a stimulant, it’s important to understand its properties and chemical composition. When we talk about alcohol, the main form is the kind that comes in drinks, such as:
- Beer
- Wine and spirits
- Hard liquor (whiskey, tequila, vodka, etc.)
The name for alcohol in drinks like these is ethanol or ethyl alcohol. Ethanol is created when yeast ferments the sugars in fruits, vegetables, or grains.
For instance, wine is typically made from grapes that are crushed, fermented, pressed, and filtered. Or whiskey is made from grains like wheat, barley, or corn that are malted, mashed, fermented, and distilled.
While alcoholic beverages are made from natural ingredients, it’s still considered a drug and can be toxic, dangerous, or addictive when consumed in high amounts. Therefore, you should consume it carefully to avoid negative consequences.
How Alcohol Affects the Body
When you drink alcohol, it has both immediate and long-term effects on the body.
What Happens Immediately After Drinking an Alcoholic Beverage?
Immediately after drinking alcohol, your body will begin absorbing and processing it. That process goes as follows:
- The first 2 minutes: Your stomach absorbs about 20% of the alcohol. It then enters the bloodstream and heads toward the brain.
- After 5 minutes: Alcohol first reaches the brain and starts disrupting neurotransmitters that send “chemical messages” to the rest of your body. At first, this effect can make someone feel happier and less self-conscious. However, over time, as more alcohol is absorbed or consumed, it slows down thoughts and movement.
- After 20 minutes: Your liver starts processing the alcohol. This is how most of the alcohol is eliminated from the bloodstream. That said, it’s a slow process, and the liver only processes one ounce of alcohol each hour. So, if someone keeps drinking, it can significantly intensify the alcohol’s physical and mental effects.
What Are the Long-Term Effects on the Body from Alcohol Abuse?
In the long term, alcohol use disorders (AUD) and frequent binge drinking can have many negative effects on the body.
AUD is defined as someone who continues drinking frequently despite experiencing negative consequences in their life. They might feel like they can’t function normally without alcohol or have tried to quit and couldn’t stop.
The NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) defines binge drinking as consuming 4 or more drinks for women or 5 or more drinks for men in a span of 2 hours.
The long-term negative effects on the body of untreated AUD or continuous binge drinking include:
- Significant changes in the way the brain looks and works. This could contribute to a lower mood, memory problems, decreased coordination, or mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
- Damage to the heart that can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeats, or cardiomyopathy (stretching or drooping of the heart muscle that decreases function).
- Liver damage or inflammation, including steatosis (fatty liver), alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or fibrosis.
- Swelling or pain in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion.
- Increased risk of cancer in the head, neck, esophagus, liver, and breast.
- Lowered immune system. Chronic drinkers can be more susceptible to illnesses like pneumonia and tuberculosis.
Is Alcohol a Stimulant?
Now that you have a good understanding of the composition and effects of alcohol, is it a stimulant? In short, alcohol is not a stimulant. It’s actually a depressant. Here’s why:
Stimulant drugs speed up messages traveling between the brain and the body. These substances make someone feel more alert and awake. Some stimulant drugs may also cause hyperactivity or make someone feel like they can’t sit still, especially when taken in high doses.
When someone first drinks alcohol, they might feel like it has stimulating properties. Many people start to feel themselves loosening up or like they can let go and have fun after a drink or two. However, this is a common misconception.
As mentioned earlier, alcohol’s effects on the body actually slow things down instead of speeding them up by disrupting the brain’s chemical messaging system as it processes the alcohol.
Drugs that slow down the central nervous system and the brain’s chemical messaging are called depressants. They can decrease alertness, slow cognitive processing, and reduce coordination.
Misconceptions About Alcohol
To provide further information about why alcohol isn’t a stimulant, let’s debunk some common misconceptions.
- Misconception #1: Alcohol must be a stimulant because it releases dopamine.
- Clearing it up: While a release of dopamine (the happy hormone) in the brain will make you feel good when you have your first drink, alcohol still isn’t a stimulant since it has an overall slowing effect on the brain and body as it’s processed. Many other depressants also release dopamine, such as cannabis, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates.
- Misconception #2: Irrational behavior after drinking must mean alcohol is a stimulant.
- Clearing it up: Even though alcohol might lower inhibitions and lead to taking more risks, that doesn’t mean it’s a stimulant. Lowered inhibitions from drinking are actually caused by alcohol slowing cognitive processing.
- Misconception #3: Alcohol raises your heart rate, so it must be a stimulant.
- Clearing it up: When you have your first drink, alcohol can briefly raise your heart rate since new chemicals are entering your body. However, as your body starts processing alcohol and more of it enters your bloodstream, it will lower your heart rate over time.
Health Risks and Safety Considerations
Along with the several negative impacts on the body from alcohol abuse discussed earlier, here are some further health and safety considerations you should be mindful of when drinking.
In the short term, alcohol will lower your cognitive processing and coordination. It’s important to avoid driving after drinking to prevent accidents and serious injuries. Having a designated driver who remains sober in your group for the night can help ensure everyone gets home safely and avoids making bad decisions.
When someone over drinks, there’s also a risk of alcohol poisoning. Symptoms of alcohol poisoning include vomiting, falling unconscious, and loss of memory.
If someone is experiencing symptoms like continued vomiting that won’t stop or trouble breathing, it might be a sign of more serious complications that require hospitalization, so call 911 immediately.
To remain safe and prevent the harmful effects of alcohol, it’s always best to drink in moderation. The CDC defines moderate drinking as 1 alcoholic beverage for women and 2 alcoholic beverages for men in a day.
It’s also perfectly fine to not drink at all. Never let anyone pressure you to drink if you don’t want to or to drink more if you feel like you’ve already had enough.
Conclusion
While alcohol can have some initial mood-boosting effects, it isn’t a stimulant. Alcohol is a depressant that will slow the functions of your mind and body. Those effects in the short term can lead to poor decision-making or accidents, so practicing safe drinking and having plans for transportation is crucial.
Alcohol is also a drug and can become addictive, especially if you frequently drink large amounts of it. Untreated alcohol use disorders can lead to many harmful effects on the body.
Therefore, if you or someone you know is showcasing symptoms of alcohol addiction, such as trying to quit drinking and not being able to, feeling strong cravings to drink, or having it affect their work and social life, there is treatment available that can help.
We can help you get back on track at the United Recovery Project with drug and alcohol detox and luxury residential care. All our programs are tailored to your needs with the help of our friendly and knowledgeable medical team. Contact us today for more information.
