You can buy it at any grocery store. Even so, it can lead to dependency and far-reaching medical problems. Is alcohol a drug? If it hooked you, what are your options?
Is Alcohol a Drug?
At the New England alcohol rehab center, therapists frequently work with clients who wonder, is alcohol considered a drug? Its easy availability gave them a false sense of security. Therefore, they started using it. Gradually, use turned into abuse.
Alcohol’s a drug because it acts as a nervous system depressant. It directly targets specific neurotransmitters in the brain. Moreover, it has short and long-term effects on human behavior. These are all results that would classify the substance as a drug.
Is Alcohol a Drug with Medicinal Value?
There are conflicting studies that make it difficult to ascertain whether drinking small quantities could be useful for you. Is alcohol considered a drug that’s healthy when you have a little bit? Some studies suggest a small glass of wine could be good for you. However, other experts state not to start drinking alcohol in the first place.
How Alcohol Works
Is alcohol a drug that stimulates or depresses? The seemingly conflicting results you get from drinking make it challenging to figure it out. Initially, the drug acts as a stimulant. You talk more and louder.
For people with some types of anxiety, it’s a way to deal with people. They think the alcohol loosens them up. However, there comes a tipping point. Suddenly, the depressant properties kick in.
You feel tired. You’re no longer talking a lot. It’s difficult for you to focus, formulate words, and react to stimuli appropriately. If you keep drinking, you might experience a blackout.
Dealing with an Addiction to Alcohol
The drug can hook you, as is the case with any other one. One day, you wake up to alcohol withdrawal symptoms. You don’t know exactly when it happened. However, now, you need to drink to make shakes go away.
It’s time to get help. This type of assistance starts with detoxification. It’s the process that ends the physical dependence on alcohol. The goal is for the body to regain equilibrium.
This means that neurotransmitter production works normally again. Besides that, you no longer wake up with the shakes. If you had hallucinations, they’re now over. Therefore, you can focus on rehab after detox.
Entering Rehab
At the rehab center, you work with therapists who help you deal with a psychological addiction to alcohol. Possible modalities include:
- Group therapy as a tool for peer encouragement and reinforcement of your decision to quit drinking
- One-on-one counseling that gives you a chance to talk through persistent triggers
- Dual diagnosis treatment, which empowers you to manage depression or bipolar disorder
- Trauma therapy as a way to work through situations from the past that create today’s triggers
- Behavioral counseling, which helps you identify dysfunctional patterns you can change
So, is alcohol a drug? Yes, it is. And Granite Recovery Centers offer treatment. Call 855.712.7784 today to schedule an appointment.
