What is alcohol
Alcohol (and we are referring here to beverage
alcohol, also known as ethanol or ethyl alcohol) is a substance that acts on
the central nervous system. Therefore, the site of action of alcohol in the
body is the brain. It depresses the activity of certain functions of the brain.
As such, alcohol is classified as a central nervous system depressant. Some of
the processes that alcohol depresses are heart rate, respiration, pulse,
reaction time and coordination of muscles. There is a common misconception that
alcohol is a stimulant because people feel more energetic after a drink or two.
This occurs because the initial depressant action of alcohol is to depress
inhibitions. This generally creates a “feel good” state that can encourage
people to consume more alcohol to prolong the feeling or to enhance it. But as
more alcohol is consumed, the depressant effects become more apparent.
The
effects depend on the amount of alcohol that is in the blood. As this amount
increases, the effects become more noticeable and severe, with the most severe
consequence being death due to respiratory depression.
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