Is alcohol a stimulant?

Alcohol has certain stimulating effects, but it is not classified as a stimulant. The stimulating effects (like increased heart rate or a sense of energy) only last during the initial stage of intoxication.

Then, sedative effects begin to set in. Since alcohol ultimately slows down the body, it is categorized as a depressant, not a stimulant.

Is Alcohol A Stimulant or Depressant? 

It’s well known that alcohol affects your mind and body. Some people think of alcohol as a stimulant because it causes increased heart rate or a sense of energy, but these symptoms only last during the initial stage of intoxication. Then, the sedative effects of alcohol begin to arise. Since alcohol ultimately slows the body down, it’s categorized as a depressant. 

Alcohol As a Depressant

Alcohol is classified as a depressant. How alcohol will affect your body will depend on: 

• Your alcohol tolerance 
• Your age and sex
• Your body weight and chemistry 
• The amount of alcohol consumed 

Even low doses of alcohol can increase the levels of dopamine release in the brain. This happens because ethanol, the main ingredient in alcohol, acts on the neurotransmitters in the brain. 

This interaction decreases the amount of GABA in the brain, which raises the amount of dopamine. Through these interactions with the CNS, alcohol slows heart rate and breathing and dulls reflexes and response time. In other words, it depresses multiple systems in the body that rely on communication with the CNS to function properly. Alcohol can cause slurred speech, disturbed perceptions, and an inability to react quickly.

What Are Other Depressants?

In addition to alcohol, the following substances are also considered depressants:

• Opioids (including heroin)
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, etc.)
• Ketamine
• Certain inhalants
• GHB
• EtOH

Why is Alcohol Not a Stimulant?

The classification of a drug is based on the dominant effects. With alcohol, depressant effects are dominant, so it is considered a depressant. 

When determining if a substance is a stimulant or a depressant, doctors look at how it impacts the central nervous system.

• Stimulants, also known as uppers, speed up the processes of the central nervous system.
• Depressants, also known as downers, slow these processes down.

Alcohol is interesting because it does both, speeding up and slowing down the CNS at different stages of intoxication.

The myth that alcohol is a stimulant began because of its ability to loosen people up and reduce social inhibitions. 

Ongoing research theorizes that alcoholics experience either greater stimulant effect or less depressant effects compared to peers.

What Is a Stimulant?

Stimulants are substances that increase central nervous system activity. This can induce symptoms such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, greater alertness, boosted energy, and general feelings of well-being. For a substance to be classified as a stimulant, these effects must be the dominant effects produced by the substance.

Common stimulant drugs include:

• Caffeine
• Adderall
• Methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin)
• Methamphetamine
• Cocaine
• Bath Salts

What kind of stimulant effects does alcohol have?

The most commonly reported stimulant effects of alcohol are:

• feelings of increased energy
• increased heart rate
• rapid respiration
• feelings of aggression

While these effects can be seen in anyone consuming alcohol, they tend to present more strongly in men than in women. The reverse is also true; women tend to experience the depressant effects of alcohol more than men.

Is Alcohol Causing My Mental Health Disorder?

The classification “depressant” doesn’t mean alcohol causes mental health issues such as depression. 

Instead it describes alcohol’s effects on the central nervous system. However, alcohol abuse and depression are closely linked.

• Alcohol addiction increases the likelihood of experiencing a major depressive disorder by 3.7 times compared to non-alcoholics.
• Having preexisting depression is known to put people at risk of developing a problematic relationship with alcohol.
• Neither disease has one singular cause, but the triggers leading to both diseases are similar, like certain genes, trauma, and social isolation.

Labeling alcohol as the cause of depression is an oversimplification of complex diseases. But, alcohol will never make depression (or any other disease) better. Problem drinking makes depression worse. You are stuck in a negative cycle of depression and drinking until both diseases are properly treated.

There is good news, though. Getting sober will make it easier to address your depression, and addressing your depression will, in turn, help you stay sober. It will also prevent life-threatening consequences of alcohol, like alcohol liver damage and wet brain.

JourneyPure helps people from across the country tackle both of these problems at the same time at our alcohol rehabs that take insurance.

What are other depressants?

In addition to alcohol, the following substances are also considered depressants:

• Opiates (including heroin)
• Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, etc.)
• Ketamine
• Certain inhalants
• GHB
• EtOH

(See the Is alcohol a drug? article).

Are stimulants or depressants more dangerous?

Both stimulants and depressants are dangerous for different reasons.

Stimulants

• Ramp up systems in the body, basically forcing the body into overdrive.
• Over time, having an increased heart rate and higher blood pressure can cause put unnecessary strain on the body.
• Overdose on stimulants can cause arrhythmias, heart attacks and other problems by overworking the organs and causing seizures and heart attacks

Depressants

• Slow the body’s processes down in some cases to the point that respiration and cardiac activity cease.
• During an overdose, the body’s automatic processes, like breathing, and heart rate, start to slow down and eventually stop altogether. For obvious reasons, this is extremely dangerous and often deadly.

Combining stimulants and depressants is dangerous. While some users mix uppers and downers thinking it balances the negative effects of each, it actually increases the risks of both.

How can I stop using stimulants or depressants?

Although stimulant and depressant drugs have opposite effects, both are physically and mentally addicting. And, long-term substance abuse (including drinking) can cause permanent damage to the brain.

If you’ve tried to stop in the past, but ended up drinking or using, that’s clear sign you need professional help.

Here are the top local places to turn to:

• Alcoholism treatment in Tennessee – Rated as a top two alcohol rehab in the country (verify here)
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