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Is Alcohol a Drug?
To ask if alcohol is worse than other drugs is to address the elephant in the room.
Yes, alcohol is indeed a drug.
It is classified as a highly addictive central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Excessive consumption can slow the brain’s neurological activities, reducing body functions.
When we say excessive, we mean a large amount of alcohol consumed faster than you can process. On average, the liver can only process one ounce of liquor per hour. The excess accumulates in the blood, causing many of its negative effects. Then the depressant factor kicks in, which causes an array of issues like cognitive impairment, slurred speech, unsteady feet, reduced inhibitions, and in some people, even sedation.
Adversely, it can be a stimulant in small amounts. It’s often present at parties, or you’ll hear the term “liquid courage” as it can reduce inhibition. However, overuse of alcohol can lead to many of the adverse effects associated with other drugs.
Alcohol is the most common addictive substance in the US. It’s estimated that over 17.6 million people suffer from alcohol use disorder (AUD). Anything that impacts the brain and body can be considered a “drug” and, because of the social constructs around alcohol, it may be the most dangerous drug of all.
What Happens to the Brain When You Consume Alcohol?
Alcohol disrupts specific pathways in the brain, making it more challenging to control your body. Furthermore, it is both physically and psychologically addictive.
Alcohol use releases endorphins which trigger the neurochemical dopamine. Dopamine is your brain’s way of rewarding and helping you feel good. We get it from achieving big goals, having sex, food, and exercise. Dopamine is also related to the development of addiction as you begin to chase that euphoric feeling. Drugs, including alcohol, are like a shortcut or cheat code that cuts straight to that sort of euphoria without the “work.” Notice that the “work” includes natural, healthy activities that ultimately are related to survival and thriving. In that way, alcohol and other drugs “hijack” our reward system that otherwise exists for our health and wellness.
Over time, alcohol use will not provide the same dopamine hit, and more will be required. This can lead to a physical dependence on alcohol, even if it knowingly affects your social life, professional life, and health. This is a severe form of AUD. Additionally, the younger you are, the more susceptible you are to the effects and likely to develop AUD, as it affects the developing brain.
Alcohol Versus Other Drugs – What Do the Numbers Say?
There is more to alcohol than meets the eye. For starters, alcohol kills 3 times more people per year than all other recreational drugs combined. It is also rated 3 times more harmful than tobacco or cocaine. Even more shocking with these results is that even some drugs classified as illegal are less harmful to the body than alcohol.
According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is responsible for over 2.5 million deaths, inclusive of suicides, cancer, vehicle accidents, and liver disease.
Finally, in a study on substance abuse, a scale of between 0 and 100 was used to rate the impact of various substances on the body and the brain, with 100 being the most extreme impact and 0 being the least. Interestingly alcohol was ranked 72, while crack cocaine and heroin were rated 55 and 54, respectively.
This begs the question…
Why Is Alcohol Considered Safer Than Other Drugs?
Alcohol has been around for thousands of years and is socially acceptable, lending to its popularity and use in culture. Unlike many other recreational drugs, it’s also legal to use. Legal and social backing makes the general public believe alcohol is less harmful and safer than other drugs like cocaine or heroin.
Unfortunately, the substance is more dangerous, and more people are physically dependent on alcohol. Yet, no prescription is needed, and it is easy for anyone – even those under age – to get their hands on it.
Alcohol is also heavily marketed well. Over 6.7 billion is spent selling alcohol yearly. Your favorite celebrities and influencers drink or now have a liquor brand. Iconic scenes in movies involve liquor, and it sponsors some of the biggest sports and events worldwide.
As a result, 60% of American adults consume alcohol, and of the total population, 7.2% are diagnosed with AUD. About 3% of the population abuse other drugs like heroin, cocaine, or opioids. Overuse of these drugs has a higher risk of death. However, alcohol is on course to surpass even these dangerous substances. The simple truth is from a social, scientific, and psychological level, alcohol is the most devastating of all these drugs.
What Happens When You Abuse Alcohol?
Alcohol abuse can lead to severe physical, emotional, and financial harm. It shortens your lifespan and negatively impacts the people around you. It has been linked to 7 forms of cancer that put even moderate drinkers at risk. Alcohol can affect your liver, causing fatty liver disease or cirrhosis. It can also contribute to other lifestyle diseases like diabetes, infertility, heart disease, stroke, and many others.
Heavy drinking also impacts how you absorb nutrients and oxygen. You can end up with vitamin or mineral deficiencies which affect brain functions and structure over time. Then there are the indirect effects like car accidents, DUIs, and toxic relationships with friends and loved ones.
If you have more severe alcohol use disorder and decide to quit, withdrawal symptoms can also be life-threatening. If you quit cold turkey, the effects include anxiety, shaking, nausea, vomiting, and insomnia. More severe symptoms are seizures, hallucinations, delirium, racing heart, and confusion. That’s why quitting is best using a graduated method, especially if a person has severe alcohol use disorder.
What Can You Do?
What makes alcohol addiction so difficult to shake is that it’s in the very fabric of society. You can’t run away from it, even if you tried. You can, however, develop a healthier relationship with alcohol. First, find out if you may be suffering from alcohol use disorder.
The DSM-5 has a list of 11 criteria that signal AUD (and its many names like alcoholism, alcohol dependence, and so on). If 2-3 of the 11 criteria apply to you, it’s mild AUD. Up to 5 signals moderate AUD.
Your next step is to seek help. This could come in the form of group sessions, behavioral therapy, inpatient therapy, medication, or a combination of these. And, new strategies, like the Sinclair Method are becoming a more sustainable option for treating alcohol addiction. With this method, for instance, you live an everyday life while weaving the use of the drug naltrexone into your drinking pattern, to cause a medical process called extinction. Practically, that means that your body will start to re-acclimate and cravings and the strong desire for alcohol will steadily dissipate.
The drug limits endorphin activity which suppresses dopamine release, which breaks down the body’s dependence on alcohol. Using naltrexone while drinking trains the body and brain that excessive alcohol use is not enriching, so you eventually drink less. Over time, you develop a controlled relationship with alcohol and, if you choose, can quit altogether.
The Sinclair Method can be managed virtually and even be self-paced. Services like Alcure provide online prescriptions with guided content to implement the method optimally and help you regain control of alcohol.
If you occasionally binge drink and AUD does not apply to you, it would help to begin developing mindful drinking habits. Mindful drinking promotes being intentional about your drinking, being aware of what, how much, and why you drink, without judgment. You become more aware of how each drink serves you and if there’s a deeper reason for your drinking. Once you begin exploring mindful drinking, you’ll find ways to manage your drinking without imposing on yourself hard and fast restrictions that can backfire. Mindful drinking is a great compliment to the Sinclair Method, as you can still be a mindful drinker while weaving in naltrexone with your drinking pattern.
Beware of Alcohol, the Drug
When the conversation about alcohol changes, so will its general use. Alcohol may not have the immediate impact of other drugs. However, the impact is wide-ranging and has caused more deaths than other drugs combined. If you have trouble managing alcohol use or want to drink more mindfully, try the Sinclair Method through our platform. A combination of prescription naltrexone, guided videos, and coaching can help you control this drug before it controls you.
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