Is Alcohol A Drug?
A drug is any substance that enters a living organism and has the ability to modify one or more of the organism’s functions. Alcohol fits this definition, and it is therefore a drug. Although when many people think of drugs, it is not alcohol that they imagine. Several individuals classify pills and injections as drugs, and alcohol as something else. This misconception of alcohol as a drug is most likely what leads to its abuse in most cases.
Is Alcohol A Drug?… YES!
Alcohol has the ability, when it enters into our bodies, to alter and modify many of our body’s functions. Alcohol is a depressant. It slows the function of the central nervous system. Alcohol has the potential to block some of the messages that our brain attempts to relay to the body. This can cause altering of a person’s perceptions, emotions, vision, hearing, and movement. Individuals who drink alcohol are more likely to be sexually active and are also more likely to be unsafe during sexual practices. This can lead to unwanted pregnancies and the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases of infections. Use of alcohol also increases the likelihood that a person will be involved in a car wreck, violent act, or homicide/suicide. Organs at risk when a person consumes too much alcohol or abuses the drug frequently include the liver, brain, and heart. Alcohol is most certainly considered a drug, and if used improperly can damage the body and brain as greatly as other “drugs” that carry more negative connotations associated around its use. If you or a loved one is suspected to be abusing alcohol, seek treatment immediately.
