Is Alcohol a Narcotic?

On average, people in the United States will drink almost 500 drinks a year. One in four of these people will drink more than five alcoholic beverages in one sitting – which is defined as binge drinking. And when this cycle of regular alcohol consumption starts to get in the way of a person’s daily responsibilities and personal health, they have developed an addiction to alcohol.

Over 14 million Americans age 12 and older will struggle with alcohol use disorder this year. And less than 10 percent of those people will get the addiction treatment they need to achieve sobriety and reclaim their life from addiction.

If you or your loved one is currently struggling with alcohol abuse, you probably have a lot of questions. You may be wondering what type of treatment program will be most beneficial to help you achieve sobriety. Or maybe you want to better understand your struggle with alcohol abuse first.

Read on to learn about whether alcohol is a narcotic – and how you can start overcoming your battle with drinking alcohol.

What Does Alcohol Addiction Look Like?

Alcohol addiction is one of the most common and least treated forms of substance use disorders in our world today. Alcohol is a legal substance for those over the age of 21 in America, and recreational drinking is common and even encouraged in social settings. Unfortunately, this means a person struggling with alcoholism can often hide in plain sight. In short, alcohol is a legal drug, which can make regulating its use hard.

The main physical symptoms you should look for when trying to name alcohol misuse include poor critical thinking skills and impaired motor function. You might also notice signs of slurred speech and issues with memory retention. Long-term alcohol abuse can also permanently impact a person’s liver and heart health.

A person has developed a problem with alcohol use when they can no longer focus on work, family, or their social life without the opportunity to drink. They also might try to hide their regular alcohol consumption or engage in risky behavior while drinking, such as drunk driving.

What Is a Narcotic?

Narcotics have served several different purposes over the years.

Dating back to the times of Ancient Greece, the term “narcotic” was originally used to describe any substance that was used for the medical purpose of sedation or pain relief in a patient. But more recently, narcotics are the legal name for illicit drugs such as opiates and opioids that are used recreationally to dull senses and release addictive endorphins in a person’s brain.

In short, a narcotic functions as a stimulant when used outside of supervised medical environments.

Is Alcohol a Narcotic?

There has been quite a bit of debate over the years about whether it also should be categorized as a narcotic.
Based on the historical definition of narcotics, alcohol can also cause drowsiness and pain relief in a person who ingests it. Both narcotic drugs and alcohol can also make a person experience physical impairment and even paralyzation. But this broader definition of narcotics would also then include other substances like tobacco and prescribed anti-anxiety medications like benzodiazepines.

The main reason why the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency does not consider alcohol a narcotic is, while alcohol and opioids may seem to cause the same results in their users, alcohol doesn’t impact a person’s brain chemistry in the same way as the illicit use of opioids does. Opioids are all the natural and synthetic substances that are made from the opium found in poppies. These include codeine, oxycodone, morphine, and heroin.

Also, alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows down brain functions in those who consume it. Natural opiates and synthetic opioids do the opposite to a person’s brain than alcohol does, especially when used recreationally or as part of regular substance abuse. This means opioids speed up brain functions when used outside of prescribed medical settings. A person develops a dependence on opioids because of the endorphin rush that can come with regular use of the drug. It’s also important to note that, when used together, alcohol and opioids can be fatal.

Addiction Treatment and Alcohol Abuse Recovery

If you or your loved one is in need of addiction treatment for your dependence on drugs or alcohol, it’s never too late to ask for help. But it’s also important to note that serious alcohol abuse should not be addressed alone.

Choosing to quit drinking without professional medical help can be painful and even deadly. This is because your body’s chemical dependence on alcohol will cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms as soon as six hours after your last drink. These symptoms can be as mild as headaches and an increased heart rate. But they can also quickly escalate to more severe physical symptoms such as seizures and hallucinations.

You can avoid all of this by calling an addiction treatment center like Skypoint Recovery Ohio today. With one phone call, we can help you better understand your insurance coverage and what type of individualized treatment plans we can offer to help you safely begin your road to recovery.

Traditionally, alcohol addiction treatment begins with a medical detox. This process is monitored by an addiction specialist who can help ease your withdrawal symptoms and reset your physical body to a natural state free from all harmful toxins. From there, you will work in individual therapy sessions, which are designed to help you better understand the internal mental health problems that have led to your battle with substance abuse.

Lifelong sobriety is achieved when you can apply your internal processing to better behavioral health decisions in place of addiction. This could include exercise and daily meditation. But most importantly, it also includes asking for help and regularly attending support groups in your area such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.

We know that battling addiction can be isolating. But with the help of the right treatment services at Skypoint Recovery, you never have to face your substance abuse alone again.

The Skypoint Recovery Difference

As one of the largest cities in the state of Ohio, Akron is known for its diverse art scene and beautiful historic buildings. But when you choose the road to a sober life at Skypoint Recovery, you will get to enjoy the quiet and peaceful side of Akron culture.

At Skypoint Recovery, we will help you get away from the noise and chaos of your daily life so you can focus on your individual mental and physical needs. It starts with a phone call, and then we help you through every step of your addiction recovery process. We are even there for you after you transition back to your daily life outside of addiction treatment through services like our sober living community and job placement program. Through it all, our main goal of Skypoint Recovery substance abuse treatment is to help you take control of your life again!

Contact Skypoint Recovery today to learn how we can best help support you on your journey toward rehabilitation.