Is Alcohol Really a Drug?

As one of the most universal and legal substances available, it is easy to see how alcohol may be perceived as a fact of life rather than a dangerous drug that has the potential of abuse and addiction. You may have found yourself wondering “is alcohol a drug?” If you or someone you know is struggling to come to a firm decision on whether or not it is, the following goes into detail about the drug that is alcohol.

When alcohol use becomes uncontrollable and affects your health, relationships, or career, call 866.294.5306 today. Start your recovery with alcohol detox programs in South Florida.

What Makes Alcohol a Drug?

Alcohol falls into the depressant category of drugs. Due to these effects, alcohol is definitively a drug.

Depressant substances slow down vital processes in the body, including coordination and speech. When misused, alcohol abuse causes many short and long-term health issues. Side effects of alcohol include:

Blackouts and memory problems
Dizziness
Agitation
Lack of restraint
Nausea or vomiting
Delirium
Slurred speech

There are many severe consequences of alcohol some of which are explored below.

Causes of Death from Alcohol Abuse

On its own, alcohol contributes to over 100 thousand deaths per year. This is over five times the amount of all other drugs combined. Processed through the liver, alcohol abuse often leads to one of three types of liver problems–alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, and fatty liver disease.

While fatty liver disease can heal itself when drinking stops, alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis can lead to serious complications, liver failure, or death. Where other drugs have negative effects within a short period of time, it’s over the long-term that alcohol abuse can prove it is just as deadly.

Alcohol Lowers Inhibitions

Outside of poor decisions such as unnecessary physical altercations, alcohol abuse often leads to drunk driving. Alcohol impairs judgment to the point of not realizing that your drunk actions can cause death in an instant. In recent years, more than 10 thousand individuals died as a direct result of alcohol-impaired driving crashes annually.

This accounts for almost one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. Alcohol takes the lion’s share as well, with only 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths being attributed to any other substance.

Alcohol Addiction

Excessive alcohol use from binge drinking or over five glasses a day can quickly lead to alcohol addiction. Addiction is a chronic disease that has to be treated with alcohol addiction treatment programs and therapies.

Alcohol Rehab Is Needed for Recovery

While drinking alcohol is itself not necessarily an issue, drinking too much often leads to a wide range of consequences. Unfortunately, the simple fact is that hundreds of thousands of individuals each year struggle with alcoholism.

For these individuals, seeking professional treatment offers the absolute best chance at achieving sobriety. Professional detox and rehab centers ensure individuals seeking treatment are kept safe. Patients also build the skills they need to maintain their sobriety.

Look for the best facility for alcohol addiction recovery by checking for the following programs:

Contact Serenity House Detox & Recovery Today

Serenity House Detox & Recovery is one of the premier alcohol treatment centers available for residents of Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter where detox is concerned. Whether you’re self-admitting or admitting a loved one, the staff at Serenity House Detox & Recovery are fully prepared to offer physical and emotional support.

Serenity House Detox & Recovery specializes in providing the following substance abuse detox programs:

Alcohol is a drug that requires professional treatment from detox to rehab and therapy sessions. Don’t allow your addiction to control your life any longer.

Contact us by picking up the phone and calling Serenity House Detox & Recovery at 866.294.5306. Start the discussion about how you can begin to distance yourself from the alcohol addiction in your life.