Is alcohol considered a stimulant or depressant?

Is alcohol considered a stimulant or depressant?

Alcohol is classified as a Central Nervous System depressant, meaning that it slows down brain functioning and neural activity. Alcohol does this by enhancing the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA.

What kind of substance is an alcohol?

In chemistry, alcohol is an organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl functional group (−OH) bound to a saturated carbon atom. The term alcohol originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is used as a drug and is the main alcohol present in alcoholic drinks.

What is alcohol in pharmacology?

Alcohol works in the brain primarily by increasing the effects of a neurotransmitter called γ-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. This is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, and by facilitating its actions, alcohol suppresses the activity of the central nervous system.

Is vodka a depressant or stimulant?

Alcohol is a depressant with some stimulant effects. In small doses, it can increase your heart rate, aggression, and impulsiveness. However, in larger doses, alcohol typically causes sluggishness, disorientation, and slower reaction times, as it decreases your mental sharpness, blood pressure, and heart rate.

What kind of drug is alcohol and why?

Alcohol (drug) Alcohol, also known by its chemical name ethanol, is a psychoactive substance that is the active ingredient in drinks such as beer, wine, and distilled spirits (hard liquor). It is one of the oldest and most common recreational substances, causing the characteristic effects of alcohol intoxication (“drunkenness”).

What are the names of the different types of alcohol?

There are four types of alcohol: methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, propyl alcohol and butyl alcohol. Ethyl Alcohol, or ethanol (C 2 H 5 OH), is the type used in the production of alcoholic beverages. The other three types, methyl, propyl and butyl alcohol, if consumed can result in blindness and death, even in relatively small doses.

What kind of medications are used to treat alcoholism?

Medications Used to Treat Alcoholism 1 Antabuse (Disulfiram) as a Drinking Deterrent. Antabuse (disulfiram) was the first medicine approved for the treatment of alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. 2 Naltrexone for Alcohol Cravings. Naltrexone is sold under the brand names Revia and Depade. 3 Campral (Acamprosate) for Discomfort. …

Which is the only type of alcohol that is toxic?

Alcohol (drug) Ethanol is a type of chemical compound known as an alcohol, and is the only type of alcohol that is found in alcoholic beverages or is commonly used for recreational purposes; other alcohols such as methanol and isopropyl alcohol are toxic.