We don't think of alcohol as a drug, but it is. Alcohol is a sedative/hypnotic because it depresses the central nervous system. Many people think that alcohol is a stimulant because it lowers inhibitions, makes you feel relaxed and, perhaps, take chances you wouldn't otherwise take.
There are two kinds of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol is the kind present in beer, wine, spirits and, liqueurs. Methyl alcohol is completely different and is found in solvents, paint removers, antifreeze and other household and industrial products. It is poison and should never be drunk.
Ethyl or beverage alcohol is the most popular drug in Canada. Eighty per cent of people over the age of 15 drink to some extent. Whether they drink beer, wine or spirits, the basic ingredient, ethyl alcohol, is the same. One 12 ounce bottle of beer contains the same amount of pure alcohol as does one 5 ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of spirits such as whiskey or rum.
The first effect one feels when drinking alcohol is a sense of well-being. This feeling could be accompanied by drowsiness, dizziness, and flushing. After one or two drinks, you may not appear drunk, but you have already lost some of your coordination skills. Driving, although still legal at this point, may be unwise.
Drinking more alcohol will affect your speech. Your balance and vision will probably also be affected. If the wrong emotional defenses are relaxed, hostility or deep depression can also result.
Alcohol is not safe to use when you are taking other drugs. Even a small amount of alcohol can change the effect of another drug.
When a person drinks too much, they often wake up with a hangover. A hangover is actually alcohol withdrawal. Beginning 8 to 12 hours after the drinking has stopped, a headache accompanied by shakiness and nausea is a probable result. Short-term loss of memory (blackouts) can occur after a bout of drinking.
Drinking heavily over long periods of time can lead to serious health problems, including stomach ulcers, sexual problems, liver disease, brain damage, and many kinds of cancer. Having more then 12 drinks per week (and more then 3 drinks on any one day) puts you at risk for these health problems. Drinking more then these amounts will likely affect family and other relationships, careers and social life. Excessive drinking is often responsible for financial and legal problems.
Because no safe level of drinking during pregnancy has been established, most experts recommend no alcohol during pregnancy.
Tolerance is the body adapting to the presence of a drug. When tolerance to a drug increases, more of the drug is necessary to achieve the same effect. Regular users of alcohol may not appear drunk, but that does not mean it's safe for them to drive a car or to do other tasks.
If you abruptly stop using alcohol after a long period of abuse, you may suffer from jumpiness, insomnia, sweating, and poor appetite. More severe withdrawal symptoms can include tremors, convulsions, confusion, and hallucinations, in conjunction with severe pain. These symptoms are commonly called delirium tremens or DTs
It is a good idea to respect alcohol as you do any other drug.