Is alcohol a depressant or a stimulant? Discover the truth here.
Overview
I. Depressant or Stimulant?
II. Biphasic Effect
III. Different Beverages
IV. Resources
I. Alcohol a Depressant or a Stimulant?
Is alcohol a depressant? Or is it a stimulant? Most people find that drinking alcohol stimulates and enlivens them. It makes them happy and can give them a high. It makes gatherings and parties more fun. But they read that alcohol is a depressant. How can this be?
Although alcohol usually makes most people happy, it is also a depressant. But that doesn’t mean that alcohol depress our mood. It depresses or slows down our bodily functions such as heartbeat and breathing.
II. Biphasic Effect
People know that a couple of drinks make them feel good. So they assume that more and more drinks will make them feel even better. They’re wrong. Having a lot of drinks may make them feel worse. This is known as the biphasic (or two part) effect.
People generally feel happier as their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises to about .05. That’s the first phase or part. But if their BAC rises above that, the risk of negative effects increases. That’s the second phase. So it’s clearly smart to stop during the first phase and not progress into the second part. That’s when the risk of hangovers and other problems increases.
III. Different Beverages
There’s no evidence that different alcoholic beverages cause different moods. But there’s strong evidence that our expectations effect how we react to alcohol. If we think that Champagne makes people flirt, we tend to flirt. If we think that beer makes people act silly, we tend to act silly. And so on.
The famous psychologist Alan Marlatt proved this over 40 years ago. People who falsely think they are drinking alcohol tende to act intoxicated. Those who falsely think they are not drinking alcohol tend to act sober. Many other researchers have repeatedly shown this.
So, is alcohol a depressant or is it a stimulant? In reality it is usually both.
IV. Resources: Is Alcohol a Depressant or a Stimulant?
Web
Readings
Cox, W. Why People Drink. NY: Gardner.
Dasgupta, A. The Science of Drinking. How Alcohol Affects Your Body and Mind. Latham, MD: Rowman.
Jung, J. Psychology of Alcohol. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Peele, S. and Grant, M. Alcohol and Pleasure. London: Routledge.
Wallgren, H. and Barry, H. Actions of Alcohol. Amsterdam, NY: Elsevier.