OK guys. I got one for ya. A friend of mine and I had a spirited difference of opinion on whether alcohol is a stimulant or a depressant.
I of course took the side of depressant because that what it IS! Well he was sure set in stone it was considered a stimulant. We asked everyone with half a brain in the bar, including the bartenders, and everyone was in unamimous agreement that it is a depressant.
Well guess what, in the Webster's dictionary under "stimulant", it specifically cites alcohol as a stimulant - An agent that produces a temporary increase in functional activity. After it cites alcohol, it states - not used technically (whatever that means).
Under "depressant", it states the exact opposite - an agent that DECREASES functional activity.
Alcohol sure does decrease functional activity after a bunch! I guess it increases activity at first too! It would seem to fit BOTH definitions. But he is claiming victory in the argument because it specifically cited alcohol under stimulant. I think there is more to this than just dictionary definitions. I think alcohol is MEDICALLY CLASSIFIED as a depressant. I think there is a difference between definitions and classifications.
Cocaine, caffeine, speed, methamphetimines etc, are stimulants in my book. Sleeping pills, pain killers, alcohol, qualudes etc, are depressants in my book too. I just don't see how you can CLASSIFY alcohol as a stimulant!!!
Does anyone have any info on medical classifications of drugs? Maybe something I can print off a website?? What are everyone else's thoughts?
My belief is that it has a dual effect. It can stimulate you for a short duration at which point you do something you might "depressed" about for a quite awhile.
Catz
Well it also depends on how you feel before you start. It makes those feelings stronger so it can be a stimulant. But the end effect is that of a depressant
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At least thats my vote. After one beer all my get up and go gets up and leaves. Not to say I don't enjoy having a few but after one I am done working. I do know a shot of brandy in a cup of coffee will warm you right up. John
Alcohol is a depressant. This means that it depresses, or slows down your nervous system. It triggers a wide range of physical, emotional, and behavioral changes in users, determined by doses and reflected in the blood alcohol levels of the drinker. Alcohol is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, and goes to every organ, including the brain.
In the brain, alcohol affects our ability to process information:
It takes you longer to react to situations.
You have trouble exercising judgement.
You are not as well coordinated.
All body systems are affected by alcohol. Side effects include dilation of blood vessels (which causes flushed skin) and increased gastric secretion. At high doses, side effects include mood swings, unrestrained behavior, and inability to control motor functions.
Alcohol goes directly from the stomach into the bloodstream. It is quickly carried to the brain, liver, and throughout the body. The liver helps the body get rid of the alcohol, but if a person drinks more than the liver can handle, alcohol builds up in the body. The more alcohol there is in thebody, the more impaired a person becomes.
Other effects include blackouts, sleep problems (including impaired REM sleep) and hangovers. Side effects increase in severity with chronic abuse. Heavy drinkers suffer a variety of alcohol related problems, including damage to the brain, stomach, pancreas, heart and liver.
Alcohol is an unusual depressant. At first, drinking makes you feel good. People who say that they like the ‹buzzŠ from alcohol are probably enjoying these sensations. But, alcohol doesn‰t follow the rule ‹the more you drink the better you feel.Š Instead, after a certain point, more alcohol will not make you feel any better.
I consider any type of Alcohol, bad stuff..I had a severe drinking problem years ago, and know how much trouble it can cause to a person, and his or her family...
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I have seen it be real bad for some. But I am in the group that is OK with it. It affects people differently. Penned up emotions sometimes come out and is not a good thing for many.
I strongly support anyone that is alcoholic and do not even let them see it.
Fufu? LOL Stop talkin' bout' zfish like that. Jeff Gordon slammin' the wall, NOW THERES A STIMULANT!! Jimmie Johnson not winning,NOW THERES A DEPRESSENT! Just a rednecks terminalogy- but I,m stickin' to it.
Get r done! LakeRaider
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"Livin' life on the edge. Less crowded,better view!"
Bout fell out of the boat from azima. My little sister can bong a zima. But then agin shes 6foot2 and weighs 275. Come to think about it my little sister aint all that little.
Recordbreaker, 6'2" and 275lbs? Thats my type of lady. I like it when they carry me through the threshhold.
Anyway, back to the original topic, overall alcohol is a depressant because I get real sleepy after I down an 18 pack. But at first it does seem to put some fuel in your motor hence the phrase "beer muscles." And the depressant phrase is known as "whiskey _ _ _ _ ."
And to Tightliner, yeah dude mixing Red Bull energy drinks with Whiskey just doesn't sound safe but people do. But at the same token (no pun), people smoke hash and drink coffee.
Last edited by Sheephead Master; 02-25-2005 at 09:14 AM.
First off a jagerbomb is not a fufu drink. If you don't believe me, then try one. I'll never be having one of those again.
Second, Clyde is right on it. Alcohol is a depressant - period. The monicher (spelling?) is given for what effect the drug has on your nervous system. I went to a high school that hammered this into everyone's brain. Drugs and alcohol are bad...
Alcohol... Stimulant or Depressant???
Alcohol... Stimulant or Depressant???
John
LakeRaider
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