Ethanol Abuse: Health Risks & Long-Term Effects

What Is ETOH Abuse?

ETOH abuse, commonly referred to as ethanol abuse, is a variety of alcohol abuse characterized by excessive consumption of ethanol, which is the major type of alcohol consumed in alcoholic beverages. Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a colorless, volatile liquid used in beer, wine, and spirits. Produced through the fermentation of sugars by yeast, it gives all alcoholic beverages their intoxicating properties.

While it is somewhat agreed that moderate amounts of alcohol are not a problem to many, ethanol abuse involves the consumption of alcohol by an individual in large quantities or frequent consumption leading to intoxication. ETOH abuse is further characterized by increased frequency of binge drinking, lack of control over alcohol intake, and continued use of alcohol despite its negative consequences on personal and professional life. Individuals who are unable to overcome ETOH abuse face huge possibilities of critical health impairments, mental health problems, and physical dependence associated with it.

Below is a Table which indicates the level of drinking as follows:

Drinking Pattern	Definition	Risk Level
Moderate Drinking	Up to 1 drink per day for women and 2 for men	Low risk
Binge Drinking	4+ drinks for women, 5+ drinks for men in 2 hours	High risk for acute issues
Heavy Drinking	8+ drinks per week for women, 15+ for men	High risk for long-term health
Alcohol Use Disorder	Uncontrollable alcohol use despite negative effects	Very high risk for addiction

This table reflects the progression of ETOH abuse, which starts with either a pattern of binge or heavy drinking and escalates into full alcohol use disorder.

Everything from disrupted relationships and lost productivity to legal problems are the effects of alcohol use. One of the critical distinctions of ETOH abuse is continued use despite the recognition of these adverse effects. Over the passage of time, the person becomes dependent on alcohol as an escape mechanism, but eventually, it may become even more challenging to stop without professional assistance.

In most cases, ETOH abuse is a warning for more serious AUDs like alcohol dependence or alcoholism. Genetic predisposition, mental disorders, a history of trauma, and environmental factors such as peer pressure or stress are among the risk factors of developing ETOH abuse.

History of the Term ETOH Abuse

The term ETOH is derived from the chemical short form for ethanol, EtOH. In this abbreviation, “Et” is the abbreviation for ethyl, and “OH” is the hydroxyl group. Ethanol is the chemical name for this class of alcohol consumed in alcoholic beverages. The term ETOH in clinical practice dates back to the early 20th century, when it was primarily utilized by medical professionals as an abbreviation for ethanol while on duty, whether at the laboratory or in the emergency or addiction treatment setting.

The term, with time, became generalized to mean alcohol abuse. ETOH abuse then became the term clinicians, researchers, and health care providers used to describe cases of alcohol abuse where ethanol consumption plays a central role in the adverse health effects and social consequences. Currently, the term is often used interchangeably with alcohol abuse, though it specifically mentions ethanol content in alcoholic drinks.

The term ETOH abuse helps the healthcare professional document and communicate more clearly the patient’s condition. In addition, the term ethanol, though common in many beverages, refers to a chemical compound with precise consequences on the body, and its abusive use leads to serious outcomes.

Ethanol or Alcohol: What’s the Difference?

Ethanol and alcohol are terms very frequently used interchangeably, but a distinction should be drawn that not all types of alcohol are the kind that can be taken into the human system. Only one variant of alcohol, ethanol, can be safely ingested by humans, and that too, only in moderation. All the other variants of alcohol, such as methanol and isopropanol, are toxic and may cause severe damage if ingested by an individual.

Specifically, ethanol is one of the many products of sugars from fruits, grains, and other plant-based ingredients used in fermenting. While ethanol is the alcoholic form in beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits, it is also used in non-beverage applications including hand sanitizers, cleaning agents, and antiseptics. In beverages, ethanol is diluted with water and other ingredients, rendering it drinkable; it is, nevertheless, the main ingredient responsible for intoxication due to alcohol consumption.

Types of Alcohol

Types of Alcohol	Suitable for Consumption	Common Uses
Ethanol (EtOH)	Yes	Beer, wine, spirits, fuel additives
Methanol	No	Solvents, antifreeze, fuel
Isopropanol	No	Disinfectants, cleaning products

The table above demonstrates that ethanol is the only type of alcohol that is both suitable for consumption and is the intoxicating agent in alcoholic beverages. Other forms of alcohol, such as methanol and isopropanol, are extremely dangerous if consumed, leading to severe poisoning, blindness, or even death.

ETOH Abuse Symptoms

Recognizing the symptoms of ETOH abuse can be vital in identifying problematic drinking patterns. The following are some common symptoms of ethanol abuse:

Increased Tolerance: Needing to consume more alcohol to feel the same effects.
Loss of Control: Being unable to cut back on drinking or failing to stop once drinking has begun.
Blackouts: Experiencing memory loss or “blackouts” after drinking.
Neglect of Responsibilities: Prioritizing alcohol consumption over work, family, or other responsibilities.
Social Withdrawal: Isolating oneself from family and friends or engaging in drinking as a primary activity.
Mood Changes: Experiencing irritability, depression, or anxiety when not drinking.
Risky Behavior: Engaging in dangerous activities, such as driving under the influence or unsafe sexual practices, while intoxicated.

It is also necessary to determine that ETOH abuse has even more subtle indicators, which often could be overlooked. As an example, it should be mentioned that people start preferring social occasions where alcohol is served or feeling uneasy where the consumption of alcohol is not provided. Furthermore, hiding one’s drinking from family and friends who are close may become an indication that a person realizes one’s behavior is wrong but cannot or will not stop.

The other symptom of concern is the actual physical withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms of withdrawal can range from the innocuous, such as mild shakiness, to the severe, such as seizures or delirium tremens (DTs), both of which are considered medical emergencies and are treated as such. Understanding and recognizing the scope of these symptoms is critical in seeking help in getting appropriate treatment before the condition might worsen. Some of the most common physical symptoms surrounding ETOH abuse are noted below in the table:

Symptom	Description
Tremors	Shaking of the hands or body, especially in the morning
Nausea and Vomiting	Stomach discomfort, often resulting from binge drinking
Headaches	Frequent headaches due to dehydration and alcohol overuse
Sweating	Excessive sweating, especially during alcohol withdrawal
Weight Loss	Unintended weight loss from poor nutrition and overconsumption

The symptoms can be different depending on a number of factors such as how much alcohol is being consumed, how often the person drinks, and their general health. For instance, a binge drinker may have periods of extreme intoxication followed by periods of attempted abstinence and may also exhibit withdrawal symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, or severe anxiety.

Diagnosing ETOH Abuse

The diagnosis of ETOH abuse typically begins with a clinical assessment by a healthcare professional. Doctors often use criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) to determine whether someone has an alcohol use disorder (AUD), which includes ETOH abuse. Some key diagnostic criteria include:

Drinking more or for longer than intended.
Wanting to stop drinking but being unable to.
Spending a significant amount of time drinking or recovering from drinking.
Craving alcohol or feeling a strong urge to drink.
Continuing to drink despite negative consequences, such as relationship issues or health problems.
Developing a tolerance, requiring more alcohol to achieve the desired effect.
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking.

Differentiation should be made regarding the type of alcohol misuse disorder: mild, moderate, and severe AUD. Some of them just meet a couple of criteria, but in a very short period of time if not treated, it can spiral upwards. Early identification and treatment are aimed at preventing long-term harm and reducing morbidity.

Other diagnostic tests for the abuse of ETOH may also include the utilization of various screening tools, such as the CAGE questionnaire or AUDIT, which will provide the health provider with information on identifying the severity of the patient’s drinking pattern. A physical examination, along with blood tests and other diagnostic examinations, may be used to find out what kind of damage has been done by excessive alcohol intake.

Health Effects of ETOH Abuse

The health effects of ethanol abuse can be devastating and may affect multiple systems in the body. Both short-term and long-term consequences can arise from heavy and prolonged drinking, including:

Short-Term Effects of ETOH Abuse

Cognitive impairment: Difficulty thinking clearly or making rational decisions.
Coordination problems: Lack of motor skills, often resulting in accidents or falls.
Nausea and vomiting: Common side effects of alcohol overconsumption.
Alcohol poisoning: A potentially fatal condition from consuming too much alcohol in a short period.

Long-Term Effects of ETOH Abuse

Liver Disease: Fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis.
Cardiovascular Problems: High blood pressure, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, and an increased risk of stroke.
Cancer: Increased risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast.
Brain Damage: Memory problems, cognitive decline, and an increased risk of developing dementia.
Mental Health Disorders: Depression, anxiety, and increased risk of suicide.
Weakened Immune System: Greater susceptibility to infections.

ETOH abuse also involves some serious social repercussions. The more a person abuses alcohol, the more their relations will worsen with family members, partners, and friends. It is under such conditions of isolation that psychological problems may be deeper and recovery more difficult. Moreover, loss of a job or financial problems could further heighten stress and temptation to continue drinking.

Treatment

Treatment for ETOH abuse is a critical component in helping individuals regain control of their lives. Given the complexity of alcohol dependence and the various factors that contribute to abuse, a multifaceted approach is often necessary. A combination of medical intervention, psychological therapy, and ongoing support plays a key role in long-term recovery. Below, we explore these treatment options in greater detail to illustrate their importance in the rehabilitation process.

Detoxification (Detox)

Most of the treatments begin with detoxification, particularly for those whose ETOH abuse is severe or those who are, in fact, alcohol-dependent. People who go through detox avoid the intake of alcohol and clear their bodies by eliminating all the toxins present within the body due to the use of ethanol. Oftentimes, this phase is followed by withdrawal symptoms, ranging from very mild to extreme depending on the amount of alcohol used. Certain symptoms involve tremors, sweating, nausea, vomiting, anxiousness, and even seizures in more severe cases.

During this period, patients are closely monitored by medical professionals in order to control such symptoms and avoid further complications. Some medications, such as benzodiazepines, could be administered with the purpose of minimizing the risk of seizures and anxiety calming. During this process, detox does not deal with the psychological parts of alcohol dependence; yet, it is a crucial initial step toward physical recovery. After they have undergone the detox process, he or she can be focused on moving on with the next treatment stages.

Behavioral Therapies

Behavioral therapies will address the psychological factors that predispose the patient to ETOH abuse. These therapies target changes in thought patterns and behaviors associated with alcohol use, and developing coping mechanisms with a focus on preventing the recurrence of the behavior. The most commonly used therapies include:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: CBT helps individuals recognize and challenge the destructive thought and beliefs, which contribute to the use of alcohol. Being aware of such a pattern will help an individual act healthily and learn how to deal with stress or triggers without consuming alcohol.

Motivational Interviewing: This is a client-centered approach that empowers clients to find motivation to effect positive changes in their lives. MI explores ambivalence about quitting drinking and encourages the individual to take action toward recovery.

Contingency Management: In this therapy, individuals are rewarded for periods of sobriety. Thus, such tangible incentives will make it worth their while to continue their recovery process.

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)

Pharmacologic therapy can also be significant in the treatment of ETOH abuse. Pharmacologic interventions, in connection with behavioral therapies, have been found to be effective. By definition, MAT includes the use of a medication approved to treat addiction prescribed by a healthcare professional in a treatment program. Drugs may be used to assist in reducing cravings, reducing withdrawal symptoms, or reducing the pleasure associated with drinking. Some of the commonly used medications for ETOH abuse include the following:

Naltrexone: This medication blocks the euphoric feelings of alcohol; thus, drinking becomes less pleasurable. Individuals on naltrexone will not feel the “good” sensation as previously associated with consuming alcohol and therefore have a reduced desire to drink.

Disulfiram (Antabuse): Disulfiram causes unpleasant physical reactions in response to the consumption of alcohol. Such reactions may vary from nausea and vomiting to headache that discourages drinking.

Acamprosate: Acamprosate works by restoring the brain’s chemical balance that chronic alcohol use disrupts. Acamprosate has special value for its ability to decrease symptoms of withdrawal and to prevent relapse in those who have already stopped drinking.

Support Groups and Peer Support

Support groups are very instrumental in the recovery from ETOH abuse. In this respect, organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery provide platforms for sharing experiences, difficulties, and successes in a nonjudgmental atmosphere that is supportive. These groups stress the creation of a community feeling for individuals facing the same problems and help them to stay responsible and motivated in their recovery process.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a self-help organization for individuals with drinking problems. The hallmark of AA treatment includes a 12-step program where the members first admit their powerlessness when it comes to alcohol addiction, then seek spiritual guidance, and make amends for all wrongs committed. A main component of AA’s support system includes regular meetings and sponsorship.

SMART Recovery. While AA puts more emphasis on self-discovery, SMART Recovery takes a more empowering view and a view toward behavioral change. This program really embeds science-based techniques from cognitive-behavioral therapy into its approach, which hypes up an individual’s responsibility in his recovery process.

Take Action Today

If you or a loved one is experiencing ETOH abuse, the sooner you get help, the better. Fortunately, though very dangerous, alcohol abuse is a condition from which one can recover provided there is sufficient support and appropriate treatment. Recognizing ethanol abuse and taking that first step toward seeking help may make all the difference in the world and lead to a much healthier and fuller one. Do not wait any longer; a treatment center, medical professional, or support group can be contacted today to embark on the road to recovery.

This is a serious problem that affects millions around the world. To understand the history, symptoms, and consequences of ETOH abuse can go a long way in addressing the problem and finding effective treatments for those who need it most. Whether for one’s self or for someone dear, the road to recovery begins with awareness and action.

If you’re concerned about your alcohol use or concerned about a loved one, reach out to Silicon Valley Recovery by calling 408-547-4089 to learn about treatment programs that are available in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Addiction in the Elderly: Understanding Risks & Recovery

When we think about addiction or drug and alcohol abuse, we often associate it with younger people. After young adulthood, illicit drug use typically tends to go down, yet there’s a divergent trend happening. More adults who are older are living with substance use disorders.

In 2018, almost one million people 65 and older in the U.S. were thought to have a substance use disorder, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Following the pandemic, that number is likely much higher now.

Why is addiction in the elderly becoming an increasing and worrisome problem?

Multiple factors play a role in rising rates of drug addiction in elderly people. Understanding these factors is important so that we can help older people who are loved ones and also start to make strides in research and medical care.

What are the Reasons for Addiction in the Elderly?

Drug addiction in elderly people can have many reasons. Often older people are affected by more than one of these factors, which can include:

Loneliness and isolation
Medical conditions, including chronic pain
Physical disabilities due to rheumatic diseases like arthritis and other conditions more common in late life
Financial issues
Death of a loved one
Mental illnesses including depression, anxiety disorders, and other co-occurring disorders
Financial strain
Loss of a sense of purpose
Using multiple prescription medications

As we age, our lives change. People retire, so they’re no longer in the daily routines they likely participated in for decades. This is significantly impacting the baby boomer generation right now. They might relocate or downsize, their family may not live near them, and they can experience more loss in their lives.

These can raise the risk of drug misuse and addiction at any age, and the older adult population is no exception. Drugs or alcohol can become a way to self-medicate or cope in the elderly population.

Aging can lead to physical and social changes that increase substance abuse vulnerability.

All the addiction risk factors were present in the older age group before COVID-19, but that situation potentially worsened these factors.

Older people were encouraged to isolate socially, which means they may have gone years without seeing loved ones. That sense of disconnection can worsen physical and mental health problems and substance abuse. There were fewer opportunities for loved ones to check in on the well-being of their older relatives throughout the pandemic.

The Effects of Drugs On Older People

There are many risk factors for addiction prevalent in older populations. These substances can have more significant effects on them, too, increasing the risks.

When we age, our bodies metabolize substances more slowly. Our brains can become more sensitive to the effects of drugs and alcohol. Substances can cause more extreme cognitive impairment in older people.

Older people are more likely to have memory, mood, lung, and heart disorders. Drugs and alcohol can make these conditions worse.

Drugs and alcohol effects, like impaired coordination and reaction time, can lead to falls and car accidents.

Commonly Abused Drugs by the Elderly

There are certain drugs that older people are more likely to misuse. Prescription drug misuse is especially high on that list.

Aging people often have a variety of medications they take for chronic health conditions.

Studies show it’s common among people between the ages of 57 and 85 to mix various prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and supplements. In a study of 3,000 people in this age group, more than 80% used at least one prescription every day.

Opioids

Opioid addiction in elderly people is increasingly more problematic than the abuse of illicit substances.

Opioids are prescription pain medicine. These medicines interact with the brain and central nervous system to reduce pain. At the same time, they slow down the functionality of the central nervous system.

Prescription opioids are highly addictive, and because of the CNS slowdown they cause, they can also lead to overdoses and death due to respiratory depression and brain damage.
When someone has an opioid use disorder, it’s difficult for them to stop using the drugs independently.
Stopping opioid prescriptions cold turkey without a safe detox environment can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms.
Opioid medications are prescribed for medical conditions such as chronic pain, heart disease, and advanced severe pain from cancer.
The effects of prescription drug abuse are similar to heroin, which is also an opioid tied to serious addiction issues.
The risk of overdose with these pain medications can go up when combined with certain other substances like alcohol or benzodiazepines.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines are another prescription drug class.

These medications include Klonopin and Xanax, among others. Benzodiazepines are for the treatment of panic, anxiety, and insomnia.

They are addictive on their own and, as mentioned, increase the risk of overdose when combined with opioids.

Alcohol

Alcohol use disorder rates increased enormously during the pandemic among most age groups, including older people.

Alcohol can have more profound effects on older people and increase the risk of being hurt.

Drinking can also cause many health problems or worsen them. For example, it affects liver health and raises the risk of cancer.

Mixing Medications

We’ve talked about this a bit already, but older people are at an especially high risk of dangerous effects that can come from mixing medications that are part of their daily treatment plan.

Older people are more likely to have complex chronic health conditions requiring them to see multiple doctors and specialists.
These medical providers might not know every medication someone is on, so they could inadvertently prescribe something that shouldn’t be taken with another medication.
It can be harder for a geriatric patient to remember which medicines to take and when.
They might take things together that shouldn’t be or take higher doses than they’re supposed to.

What are the Signs of Addiction in the Elderly?

The signs of addiction in the elderly can be harder to spot than in other age groups because they look similar to symptoms of other co-occurring conditions.

Signs of addiction in the elderly include:

Problems with memory
Different sleep habits
Bruises
Depression or sadness
Unexplained pain
Changes in eating patterns
Isolation
Not keeping up with personal hygiene
Disconnecting from loved ones
No interest in usual activities

What Can You Do?

If you believe your elderly relative could be experiencing a substance abuse problem, there are things you can do.

First, connect with them more and check in when you can.
If you don’t live nearby, you could set up times to use video calls.
If you live nearby, visit frequently and keep an eye on things like their medicine cabinet.
If you can go to doctor’s appointments with your loved one, this will help you learn more about the medications they use, and you can talk about potentially harmful interactions. You can ask their treatment providers any questions you might have.

There are treatment centers and programs for elderly patients dealing with addiction. You can find the right treatment option for their specific needs. Behavioral therapies are an effective treatment, and other options are available too.

The big thing to remember is that just because someone is an elderly adult doesn’t mean they can’t have a substance use disorder. We have to start recognizing this growing problem, which can diminish the quality of life, negatively affect health and even lead to an earlier death.

If you’d like to learn more about drug and alcohol addiction treatment options, including for the elderly population, please reach out to Silicon Valley Recovery today by calling 408-547-4089.

Cocaine Addiction Facts and Statistics

Cocaine addiction occurs because this drug is a powerful stimulant, affecting your brain’s neurotransmitters when you use it. We tend not to think of cocaine as addictive. Unfortunately, people often develop addictions to this drug, affecting their physical and mental health and well-being.

Cocaine is an illicit drug with few other legitimate uses.
Most cocaine is a white crystal powder with a fine consistency.
Drug dealers will mix it with other substances like cornstarch to increase profits.
Cocaine is increasingly being combined with fentanyl, which is a highly potent opioid responsible for many overdose deaths.
If someone buys illegal cocaine and doesn’t realize it has a synthetic opioid like fentanyl, it can be fatal.
Most people use cocaine by snorting it. The drug is also dissolved and injected directly into the user’s bloodstream.
An injectable combination of cocaine and heroin is a Speedball, which is also somewhat common.
Freebase cocaine is smoked. The user heats a rock crystal that produces vapors, inhaling those directly into their lungs. This particular form of cocaine is called crack.

Cocaine Effects

When someone uses cocaine, there’s an increase in dopamine levels in their brain. Dopamine is a natural chemical messenger, and it creates a euphoric high and rush of energy. Dopamine especially affects the areas of the brain controlling reward and movement.

Typically, dopamine recycles back into the cell that initially releases it. The recycling effect turns off the signal occurring between nerve cells. Since cocaine prevents the recycling of dopamine, large amounts build up in the space between nerve cells. This buildup stops normal communication.

There is a flood of dopamine in the reward circuit. The stimulation of the reward circuit reinforces behaviors of drug-taking. Then, as someone continues to use the drug, their reward circuit adapts. They’re no longer as sensitive to the effects of the drug as they once were. Someone who’s adapted may take doses more frequently or use larger amounts to feel the same high.

Signs of Cocaine Addiction

When someone uses cocaine, it doesn’t automatically mean they’re addicted. As with other substances, some people use stimulants and don’t develop an addiction. For other people, addiction can occur relatively quickly. Factors that influence the development of a substance use disorder include genetics and family history, environment, and mental health.

The longer and more often someone uses it, the more likely an addiction develops, and the more apparent the signs of cocaine abuse can become.

Short-term effects of using this nervous system stimulant include:

Excitement
Raised body temperature
Being more alert
Overconfidence
Being social or talkative
Increased heart rate
Dilated pupils
Muscle twitches
Staying awake for long periods
Loss of appetite
Paranoia
Irritability or aggression
Violent behavior
Mood swings

Negative physical symptoms related to health include:

Nausea
Insomnia
High blood pressure
Headaches
Confusion
Seizures
Sweating
Heart problems
Irregular heartbeat
Risk of overdose

The longer and more frequently someone uses the substance, the more likely severe side effects are to develop. For example, over time, abusing cocaine can affect the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and GI system.

Specific long-term effects of use may include:

Heart attack/cardiac arrest
Strokes
Cardiac arrhythmia
Permanent lung damage
Perforated nasal cavities
Decreases in sexual function
Perforation of the intestines and stomach
Ulcers
Rhabdomyolysis

When cocaine addiction symptoms occur, a person is no longer capable of stopping independently. They often need professional treatment to stop.

Cocaine use disorders range from mild to severe, and diagnosis is determined by the effects and consequences the drug has on the user’s life.

Cocaine addiction symptoms include:

Continuing to use the drug even when there are known negative effects associated with it.
Prioritizing using the substance or recovering from it.
Forgoing other interests or responsibilities to use drugs.
Being unable to stop, even when you want to.
Unsuccessful attempts to cut down or quit altogether.
Problems at school or work
Loss of motivation
Neglecting hygiene or appearance
Financial problems, especially due to spending a lot of money to get the substance
Obsessing over the next time you get to use the drug or maintaining a steady supply
Developing a tolerance and needing more to get high
Stealing or lying to get the drug or use it
Compulsive drug use that you aren’t able to stop

How Long Does Cocaine Stay in Your System?

Cocaine effects are short-lived compared to most other substances. The drug can stay in your system for typically one to four days, although detection is possible up to several weeks after using it.

When you take coke, the effects occur fast and hard. If you snort it or put it on your gums, the effects begin within one to three minutes. When you inject or smoke it, you may feel the effects instantaneously.

The high from coke use may last 15 to 30 minutes if you snort it. Smoking it or injecting it may lead to a high lasting 10 to 20 minutes.

Some people feel the effects for as long as an hour.

The detection window may be up to four days in a urine test.
In blood, detection times can be up to two days.
Saliva detection times can be up to two days after use.
In a hair test, detection is possible for up to three months.

Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms

Some people, particularly long-term or heavy coke users, may experience withdrawal when they stop. Withdrawal symptoms include:

Symptoms of anxiety or depression
Changes in appetite
Vivid dreams
Sleep disturbances
Irritability
Problems with concentration
Restlessness
Lethargy

Withdrawal symptoms can occur from a few hours to a few days after the last use and tend to get better within a few days for most people.

Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders

With coke, it’s somewhat common for people to have multiple co-occurring addictions. For example, they may have an addiction to both the stimulant drug and alcohol or opioids. Some people use cocaine to combat the negative effects of the other substance, leading to a more complex addiction.

Getting Help for Cocaine Addiction in the San Francisco Area

Cocaine addiction symptoms are similar to the symptoms of addiction to other substances. The mental and physical health effects of an ongoing addiction to cocaine can be devastating or deadly. There are treatment programs available.

A treatment program should be individualized, with a custom treatment plan for your needs. Everyone is unique, as are their mental health needs, substance use history, and physical needs. We encourage you to contact a team member at Silicon Valley Recovery by calling 408-547-4089 if you’re struggling with cocaine addiction symptoms or someone you love is, so we can create a path to recovery.

What It Means to Have Genetic Predisposition to Addiction

When we talk about addiction, we often want to understand why some people develop substance use disorders and others don’t. A genetic predisposition or family history may be part of the answer, but it’s not the only contributing factor to alcohol use disorders or drug addiction.

While research supports a genetic predisposition to addiction, we always want people to understand that addiction isn’t your destiny. Understanding the scientific links between genetics and addiction is important, but so is the fact that you can change your trajectory.

What Does It Mean to Have a Genetic Predisposition?

A genetic predisposition increases the likelihood of developing a disease based on your genetics. When you have a genetic predisposition, you may have particular genetic variations inherited from a parent.

Genetics contribute to whether or not you develop a disease, but they don’t cause it directly. Some people with predispositions to certain genes will never get a condition, and others will. These differences can happen within the same family.

Some genetic variations have minor effects on how likely you are to develop diseases; others have significant effects.

There’s a lot of research currently that looks at genetic changes and how these affect disease risk. If a person has many small changes in genes, they may be at risk for relatively common diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and mental illnesses.

Along with genetic factors, lifestyle and environmental factors contribute to whether or not someone develops a condition. You can’t change your genetic makeup, but you can change your lifestyle and environmental factors.

Genes are units of DNA. Genes provide information that directs the cellular activity of the body. Researchers are currently working on genome-wide association studies to learn more about genetic variants and the genetic component of many diseases. Future studies will likely focus on protective factors and risk factors for complex diseases and how targeted therapies can prevent or treat them.

The Role of Epigenetics

There’s another term we tend to talk about in genetics, which is epigenetics. Epigenetics is the study of sometimes inherited changes in gene activity and expression regulation.

These changes don’t depend on gene sequence.

Environmental choices or exposure can change the structure of your DNA at the cellular level.

For example, if you use drugs or alcohol, it can “mark” your DNA and increase the production of certain proteins that are common in addiction. In animal studies, researchers find higher levels of altered proteins are associated with drug-seeking behaviors.

Other environmental factors aside from substance exposure can lead to epigenetic changes. For example, chronic exposure to stress can trigger the development of addiction and mental health disorders.

If you have negative environmental factors in your life, like stress, you can combat some of the adverse effects through behaviors and choices. For example, getting physical activity can help create epigenetic changes that prevent developing an addiction.

The Role of Genetics in Addiction

Around half of your susceptibility to addiction to drugs or alcohol may come from genetic factors.

There isn’t one particular gene that’s an addiction gene, though, at least not as we know currently. Instead, when we talk about a genetic predisposition to addiction, it’s more about genes broadly passed from parent to child over generations.

People who have addiction disorders have children who also struggle with addiction at rates 25% higher on average than kids of non-addicted parents.

Other genetic factors can play a role in addiction, aside from having a parent who uses substances.

For example, people with mental health disorders tend to have higher substance abuse and addiction rates than people without. Mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder, can also run in families.
When you’re diagnosed with a mental disorder, you are at least two times as likely to have a substance use disorder.
Our brain chemistry affects addiction. People who have naturally low dopamine levels are more likely to abuse substances because they cause a surge in levels, causing the activation of their pleasure response. If you keep taking the drug, your brain produces less dopamine on its own.
There’s now a chemical response stemming from dopamine deficiency. Naturally, low levels of dopamine could be something you inherit. Researchers found that a certain type of dopamine receptor may predict someday whether someone will become addicted to substances like heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. Based on brain imaging studies, people with fewer D2 receptors are more likely to develop addictions than people who have more of them. How many of these receptors you have is partially determined by genetics.
The same can be true with serotonin deficiency. If you have low serotonin levels, you may be at risk for anxiety disorders. Then, this could make you more likely to self-medicate your symptoms or rely on alcohol or an illicit drug as a way of coping.

There’s another way genetics can affect the potential to develop an addiction, although it’s a less direct connection.

If you have parents who are themselves struggling with substance abuse, this will create a perhaps stressful environment. As a child, you might have faced instability, exposure to substance use and drugs of abuse, and other environmental factors that then increase the risk you’ll develop an addiction.

Through the years, various research, including studies of identical twins, have shown the complex relationships between an addictive disorder and both genetics and environment.

Overcoming A Genetic Predisposition to Addiction

There are so many important reasons to talk about the genetics of addictions and the links with family history.

First, it helps alleviate the stigma. When people struggle with addiction, they tend to view it as a moral failure or weakness. The reality is that addiction is a chronic disease that’s complex and influenced by factors that are often out of your control. The same is true of chronic diseases like diabetes.

Yes, there are lifestyle factors you can consider to reduce your risk, but biological elements of addiction are real and shown by science. The same is true of something like cardiovascular disease.

Helping more people understand this can encourage anyone struggling with addiction to seek treatment because it reduces some of the shame they might feel.

Another reason it’s important to talk about genetics and addiction is that the hope is someday the research being done now will lead to more targeted treatment options or preventative approaches to help people avoid addiction altogether.

At the same time, we never want to talk about a genetic predisposition in a way that makes it seems like you’re destined to be an addict if your parent is or that you can’t recover.

If you do develop a substance use disorder, just as is true for other chronic diseases, treatment is available and is often very effective.

While your genetics may play a role in your history of substance use, you can recover and manage your symptoms. When you get your symptoms under control, you can be productive and thrive in your life. If you’d like to learn more about treatment opportunities in the San Francisco Bay area, we encourage you to contact Silicon Valley Recovery by calling 408-547-4089.

What Does it Mean to Have an Addictive Personality?

In an article in Scientific American written by author Maia Szalavtz, she defines our question as to the myth that it is. She says, “Even when we joke about having an addictive personality it’s usually to justify an indulgence or to signal our guilt about pleasure, even if only ironically.” An addictive personality, some may think, is a person who is more susceptible to developing a drug addiction based on a few character traits that border on obsessing, codependency, impulsivity, and risk-taking. However, many professionals consider there to be no one type of addictive personality. As George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, says, “What we are finding is that the addictive personality…is multifaceted. It doesn’t really exist as an entity of its own.”

What is an Addictive Personality?

The notion of having an addictive personality exists in popular culture as an image that describes a person who is obsessive or guilty of indulging. It is believed to be an indicator in the person who possesses certain characteristics that make him/her destined to become an addict to something. Although the development of addiction is complex and has various contributing factors, having an “addictive personality” is a mix of truth and skepticism.

There is no single personality type that is more prone to develop an addiction than others. There are signs of having an addiction that goes beyond personality traits, as the signs of an addiction are starkly along these lines:

Signs of Addiction:

Always wanting and needing more
Continuation of the behavior no matter the consequences
Not being able to stop
Interferes with functioning in daily life
Obsession and secrecy

There are, however, a variety of personality traits that exist confluently and can be predictors of drug abuse and alcoholism. There is just not in actuality anything that proves there is a single type of personality that is addiction-prone. There are other high-risk traits that can exist in any individual that are a cause for questioning whether addiction is more likely to develop. There may even be a stark difference between addictive personality and character traits that predispose drug addiction.

These traits may be:

Family relations who have addictions
Mental health disorders
Risk-taking and impulsivity
Inability to self regulate
Demonstrates a lack of self-control
Obsessive-compulsive
Disconnected and antisocial

Do I Have an Addictive Personality?

Do you have a difficult time self-regulating? Is your need for reward strong? Do you know your limits and have had accurate insight as to what those are? Are you able to track the quantity of your use and of any repetitive, dependent behavior?

If you are wondering, “Do I have an addictive personality?” look to see if you have insight about yourself for the warning signs of real addiction. Remember that it does not necessarily mean you will be an addict, as there is no character trait that is a single predictor. Be aware of some of these high-risk indicators and whether they exist for you prominently:

Do you know a family member that has been modeling an addiction to you since childhood?
Do you have a history or are currently experiencing a mental health disorder, namely Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Schizophrenia, or Antisocial Personality Disorder?
Do you tend to lean towards a quick fix and engage in any type of self-medicating when you experience difficulty facing an underlying problem?
Have you engaged in the substance use of nicotine or alcohol socially, alone, or when feeling stressed?
What are your main coping methods when you experience distress?

Personality Traits Linked to Addiction

There are other personality types that can lean toward proneness to addiction. An adventurous and risk-taking personality trait may demonstrate that person as having limited impulse control and seeking out risky and dangerous experiences. They can be more likely to try drugs. A disconnected, rigid, or antisocial personality type can seem to be the opposite of the former type mentioned but can be just as susceptible to engaging in substance use. Difficult times in social relationships are a hallmark of this type, as well as the likelihood of depression, anxiety, and isolative tendencies because the person is more likely to want to mask these feelings by self-medicating.

Obsessive-compulsive traits have to do with how someone controls their impulses, even those people who are rigid and overcontrolled or over-controlling. In the presence of ensuing anxiety, stress, and agitation, they may be looking for a way to manage it all. They may swing on the extreme side of a personality and are prone to develop a compulsion as opposed to safer experimentation or single-use.

Another factor in addiction that may exist in the personality is the need for reward and its strength. The feeling that they are never receiving enough of a reward and build up a tolerance to things they once enjoyed or gave them pleasure, needing more and more. While no addictive personality exists, there are addictive traits that a person can experience.

Some of these are:

Impulsivity, with little thought of outcome and consequences
Sensation seeking, with lots of need and spontaneous actions.
Negative affect, reacting to stressors with unpleasant emotions
Neuroticism, who often respond to situations with anger, sadness, and anxiety
Aggression, high hostility, and violent proneness.

Can You Be Addicted to a Person?

Along with the problems of drug use, it’s important to distinguish if that type of addiction can exist in relation to another person. There are indicators that yes, a person can be addicted to another person. There are healthy delineations within relationships as well as those that lie alongside unhealthy codependency and a host of negative emotions. The most unhealthy extreme can manifest into love and sex addiction and codependency.

Signs you may be unhealthily addicted to a person include:

Obsession and dreaming about them constantly
Feelings of incompleteness, emptiness, despair
Sadness and longing
Anxiety and a continual sense of drama
Afraid to be alone or without that person
More obsessive attention is given to the partner than to oneself

Involvement in bad relationships while being addicted to that person can lead to alcohol and drug abuse and even physical illness and suicide.

Getting Treatment for Addiction in the San Francisco Bay Area

So, if you ask yourself, “Do I have an addictive personality?” or wonder “Can you be addicted to a person?” it’s important to distinguish the extremes of what indicates addiction and whether you tend to lean on extremes in your behavior. If you tend to obsess over things in life or about another person, insight and self-awareness are always going to be helpful. Know that an addictive personality can never be reducible to one stereotype. We can learn, however, that addiction is complex and dependent on multiple factors.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, call 408-547-4089 and a care coordinator from the Silicon Valley Recovery team will be happy to answer questions and talk about options for treatment.

Weight Loss Pills: Are They as Addictive as Other Drugs?

Obesity continues to be one of the most prevalent health conditions affecting about 42.4% of the American adult population annually. Some more startling statistics: In 2008 alone, the estimated medical cost of obesity was about $147 billion. Furthermore, obese individuals have to pay $1,429 more in medical costs than people with a healthy weight in any given year. It is not a secret that workout and diet are two of the most well-recognized and research-backed approaches to losing weight effectively. Research and advancements in technology have also brought about several other innovative approaches and techniques to losing weight over the years. Fortunately, all these approaches have universal acceptance. Well, all but one; the use of weight loss “pills” to get lean.

Defining Obesity/Being Overweight:

A patient is overweight when his Body Mass Index (BMI) equals 25 or more. An obese patient, on the other hand, refers to an individual with a BMI of 30 or more. Unlike some ailments that you are helpless against, preventing this condition is mostly under your control. This is because it mainly occurs in people who lead an unhealthy lifestyle. Such people often overeat, eat junk and other unhealthy foods, are physically inactive, and consume many sugary products. However, some uncontrollable factors like genetics and certain medications can also contribute to obesity. Furthermore, eating disorders like Anorexia nervosa, Rumination disorders, Binge-eating disorders, or Avoidance or restriction of food intake disorder (ARFID) also plays a role in a person’s BMI or weight. These are beyond anyone’s control.

Dangers of Obesity

The numerous havocs caused by obesity are well documented. Obesity is linked with several health concerns such as stroke, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, sleep apnea, gout, breathing problems, osteoarthritis, metabolic syndrome, and many others. The best way to prevent obesity from leading to these complications is to lose excess weight and body fat. Unfortunately, this fat can be stubborn. It takes a significant amount of discipline and willpower to endure strict dieting and exercise.

Is There Medication for Obesity?

Researchers listened to the people’s plight and got to work. Soon, different weight loss pills began to appear in the market. However, many people believed the pills were doing more harm than good. Pills are supposed to cure or keep any ailment under control, but many “medical practitioners” were advising against weight loss pills which begs the question, “Are weight loss pills not the same as other drugs?”

Well, the answer is simple. Like every other oral drug, they are broken down by the body into simple molecules, absorbed into the bloodstream, distributed into various body parts (where needed), transformed into a more active form of the drug, performed their duties, and later excreted from the body.

Are Weight Loss Pills Drugs?

Like every other drug, weight loss pills also have side effects. There is no laboratory-formulated chemical entity marketed as a drug that doesn’t have a potential side effect. It’s just that some drugs tend to have more side effects than others. Moreover, side effects differ in severity. Some are mild and acceptable, while others are of enormous concern. In the end, doctors tend to weigh the risk against the benefit. In the case of weight loss pills, typical side effects include nausea, vomiting, restlessness, diarrhea, kidney problem, elevated blood pressure, accelerated heartbeat, nervousness, insomnia, and others.

And finally, like some other drugs, dependence and abuse tend to occur with weight loss pills. Sticking to diet plans and a regular workout schedule is not easy. Most people tend to give up while the problem worsens. As a result, such people put all their hopes on weight loss pills since they are marketed as quick fixes to their condition. As such, they abuse the drugs in the hope of a sudden miracle or quick weight loss.

The Good and Bad of Weight Loss Pills

Most people forget that a healthy diet and regular exercise go hand-in-hand with the pills for optimal outcomes. Using pills to get rid of excess weight isn’t that straightforward. Everything can easily go wrong because weight loss pills function by doing one of three things:

Inhibit fat absorption into the body system.
Suppress appetite by tricking the brain into thinking you are full already.
Stimulate the central nervous system to pump you with euphoria and energy

Taking any weight loss pill that takes any of the last two routes places you at risk of addiction because it modifies the brain’s working system and makes you crave more drugs.

Are Fat-Absorbing Pills the Solution?

Studies have shown that most people will regain the weight they had previously lost when they stop taking the pills, especially if they are not eating healthy and exercising. The relapse maybe doubles the original weight. So, even if you choose from those that inhibit fat absorption, you may end up abusing the drug to maintain your new weight. Meanwhile, these pills are to be stopped after a few months consistently! This group of people will knowingly subject themselves to the drugs’ numerous side effects.

Interestingly, weight loss can also occur while taking some other medications. For example, weight loss is part of metformin’s side effects in diabetes management. Other drug classes that cause unintentional weight loss include anticonvulsants, opiates, antipsychotics, antibiotics, and some others. Sadly, people also abuse some of these drugs, albeit for reasons other than weight loss. An example is opioids like cocaine and morphine.

The side effects of weight loss pills far supersede the transient weight loss benefit they offer. Also, these pills reconfigure the brain such that withdrawing attempts are very intense and tasking. While it’s difficult, people with a strong desire to beat their addiction to weight loss pills always pull it off. A licensed rehabilitation center also helps make the task less daunting. They will also identify and address the underlying medical condition that prompted the abuse or addiction to the pills. So, in the face of potential abuse, addiction, and serious side effects; is taking weight loss pills worth the risk?

Seeking Help for Addiction to Weight Loss Pills

The easy way is not always the best path. Using weight loss pills is not something you should take lightly. It’s not even a decision you should make by yourself because of the many dangers associated with it. Instead, let your doctor decide for you and, if needed, prescribe the pill with the least side effects that best suits you. And no matter what, never forget this: to lose weight, a healthy diet and regular workout are non-negotiable!

However, if you belong in the other zone (already addicted to weight loss pills), please seek medical help right away! Weight loss pills are like other pills in theory, but they come with the potential for serious harm like other drugs.

If you, or someone you love, are struggling with addiction to stimulants, call 408-547-4089 and speak to a Silicon Valley Recovery team member to talk about treatment options in the San Francisco Bay area in California.

Mixing Prozac & Alcohol Risks & Side Effects

Prozac and alcohol interactions can be dangerous. There are also adverse mental health effects that can stem from alcohol. These effects can worsen the symptoms of the condition you’re using Prozac to treat.

It’s important if you take any antidepressant medications to speak with your health care providers about any interactions or adverse effects it may have, including with alcohol consumption.

What is Prozac?

Prozac is a brand-name antidepressant medicine. The generic name is fluoxetine. Prozac is for the treatment of the major depressive disorder. The medication also has the approval to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and off-label treats other mental health conditions such as anxiety.

Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI. Around 1 in 4 women in their 40s and 50s in the United States take an SSRI medication. Approximately 1 in 10 Americans overall take one.

Prozac was approved in the late 1980s and became one of the most frequently prescribed antidepressants. Now, more commonly prescribed are newer SSRIs such as citalopram and sertraline.

While it’s a safe medicine when prescribed, there are rare possible side effects.

First, the FDA requires Prozac to have a black box warning about the risk of suicide in people younger than 25. Taking an SSRI can lead to suicidal thoughts in children and young people.

Other common potential side effects can include:

Sexual dysfunction
Decreased libido and other sexual side effects
Increases in nervousness or anxiety
Strange dreams
Sweating
Diarrhea
Skin rash
Flu-like symptoms
Insomnia
Drowsiness
Sinusitis
Painful digestion (dyspepsia)
Dry mouth
Nausea
Widening of the blood vessels (vasodilation)

People should not take certain medicines with Prozac. These include MAOIs, drugs metabolized by CYP2D6, and tricyclic antidepressants.

While you can technically use them together, people taking this antidepressant should be careful about combining it with drugs affecting the central nervous system. Benzodiazepines like Xanax are an example.

You shouldn’t take this SSRI with antipsychotics, other SSRIs, lithium, or herbal remedies like St. John’s Worth. Someone susceptible to mania or bipolar disorder may also be adversely affected by Prozac and similar antidepressant drugs.

Withdrawal from Prozac

If someone takes an SSRI for some time and suddenly stops without tapering their dose, they may experience withdrawal.

Withdrawal symptoms of this prescription drug and others like it can include:

Confusion
Dizziness
Nausea
Tremors
Flu-like symptoms
Anxiety
Agitation
Irritability
Nightmares
Insomnia
Heart palpitations
Loss of appetite

When someone takes this medication, it works by blocking the absorption of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter. The regulation of serotonin helps brain cells communicate with one another. This communication among brain cells promotes a better mood.

How Does Prozac Work?

Prozac, known generically as fluoxetine, is one of the most widely recognized medications for treating depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. It belongs to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Prozac works by altering how your brain processes serotonin, a hormone closely linked to mood regulation. Serotonin plays a role in various brain functions, but it is generally associated with mood stabilization and feelings of well-being. By increasing serotonin availability in the brain, Prozac can significantly alleviate symptoms of mental illness, as long as it is not combined with alcohol or other mind-altering substances.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 13% of adults in the U.S. take SSRIs. While Prozac and other SSRIs are primarily prescribed for depression, they are also commonly used to treat:

Anxiety disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Eating disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

Side Effects of Prozac

Since its introduction in 1988, Prozac has been extensively studied and is widely considered safe and effective for treating depression and other disorders. However, like all medications, it can cause side effects, which can vary from person to person. Common side effects of Prozac include:

Anxiety
Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
Dry mouth
Weight loss
Nausea
Diarrhea
Sexual dysfunction

It’s important to discuss any side effects with a healthcare provider to ensure proper management and to determine whether Prozac is the right medication for you.

Dual Diagnosis: Alcohol and Depression

If you’re taking Prozac, you likely have depression or another mental health disorder. Alcohol can negatively affect mental disorders like depression.

When you drink, it can make depression worse. Sometimes, people who drink heavily may experience symptoms of depression even when they aren’t diagnosed with the condition.
Symptoms of depression include sadness, feelings of worthlessness, and loss of interest.
There is a relationship between alcohol and substance abuse and depression that can go in both directions.
Many times people with an alcohol use disorder also have feelings of depression. Each disorder increases the risk of the other, and each can worsen the other.
Some people susceptible to alcohol abuse problems are also vulnerable to depression.
Dealing with depression can lead other people to try and self-medicate with alcohol. Over time, this cycle of self-medication can turn into an addiction.
Even without a diagnosable alcohol use disorder, self-medication is associated with increased psychiatric problems, higher levels of stress, and lower quality of life.

A depressed patient who is a heavy drinker is likely to have worse outcomes from their treatment. Even small amounts of alcohol, according to researchers, seems to worsen depression.

Co-Occurring Alcohol Use Disorder and Depressive Symptoms

If someone is drinking while they’re on Prozac, they’re not following the instructions for the medication’s use. This can be a sign of an addiction or alcohol use disorder. Major symptoms of addiction include continual use of the substance even though you know there are harmful consequences.

If you find yourself in a situation where you’re using alcohol in risky ways and have depression, you may need treatment for a co-occurring disorder. A co-occurring disorder means that you have two disorders that are happening simultaneously.

You may need specialized treatment to deal with both conditions and their relationship to one another.

Co-occurring disorder treatment usually begins with detox. During detox, you can go through withdrawal symptoms in a safe, medically-managed environment. You can be more comfortable. Your treatment team might also adjust your medication levels to help even out your mood during this time.

From there, you may begin a rehab program.

Most rehab programs for a co-occurring diagnosis focus on behavioral therapies and medication management. These approaches can help you get your depression under control so that it’s well-managed, which will be helpful as you also work toward ending your alcohol use.

Can I take Prozac with Alcohol? The Dangers of the Combination

If you take Prozac and have alcoholic beverages, there can be adverse interactions between the two. Some of the negative effects may be temporary. For example, a Prozac and alcohol hangover can be more uncomfortable. Sometimes, the results of a Prozac and alcohol interaction can be more serious.

Heightened Intoxication and Unexpected Side Effects

Prozac alters brain chemistry, which can amplify the effects of alcohol. Drinking while on Prozac may intensify the sensation of intoxication, resulting in impaired motor control, poor judgment, and unpredictable behavior. Prozac itself can cause drowsiness, reducing your ability to respond quickly. When combined with alcohol, this effect is magnified, further impairing motor skills and increasing the risk of accidents. Additionally, mixing Prozac with alcohol may lead to a reduced awareness of alcohol consumption, heightening the risk of alcohol poisoning.

Exacerbation of Depression Symptoms

As a depressant, alcohol can lower mood and exacerbate feelings of sadness or hopelessness. For those taking Prozac to manage depression, alcohol can counteract the medication’s benefits, worsening depressive symptoms and potentially increasing the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors, particularly in younger individuals.

Increased Risk of Liver Damage

Both Prozac and alcohol can negatively affect the liver. Alcohol is known for causing liver damage, such as alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis. Prozac is metabolized by the liver and, in rare cases, can cause drug-induced liver injury. Combining Prozac with alcohol increases the strain on the liver, posing a significant risk to liver health, especially in those with pre-existing liver conditions.

Potential for Severe Drug Interactions

The liver metabolizes both Prozac and alcohol, and consuming them together can overwhelm the liver’s capacity, leading to inefficient drug metabolism. This could cause Prozac to remain in the system longer, intensifying its side effects and potentially leading to serotonin syndrome—a serious and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by symptoms such as agitation, hallucinations, rapid heartbeat, and fever.

Overlapping Side Effects

Prozac and alcohol share side effects like drowsiness, dizziness, and impaired cognitive function. When used together, these effects can be magnified, leading to excessive sedation or significant impairment in thinking and motor skills. This can create dangerous situations in daily life, such as driving or operating machinery, and increase the risk of accidents and injuries.

When combined with Prozac, alcohol can exacerbate these effects, potentially worsening the symptoms Prozac is meant to treat, such as anxiety and depression. Additionally, alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness of Prozac, making it harder for the medication to work as intended. Therefore, it’s important to avoid alcohol while taking Prozac to ensure the best possible treatment outcomes.

Getting Help for Co-Occurring Disorders

Because Prozac and alcohol are commonly used substances, people may think they’re safe to combine. The reality is there is an increased risk of side effects when you use Prozac and alcohol together. There are also more mental health risks when you combine the two, and you might be worsening your symptoms or preventing your medication from working.

Contact Silicon Valley Recovery by calling 408-547-4089 to learn more about available substance use disorder treatment programs, including a co-occurring diagnosis. Alcohol addiction is treatable, but it’s likely to continue getting worse without treatment.

Frequently Answered Questions:

Can I drink alcohol if I’m taking Prozac?

While it might not be dangerous for everyone, combining Prozac and alcohol carries significant risks, including intensified side effects and the potential worsening of depression symptoms. It’s always advisable to consult with your healthcare provider to discuss the safety of consuming alcohol while on Prozac.

What happens if I accidentally drink alcohol while on Prozac?

If you accidentally consume alcohol while taking Prozac, you may experience heightened side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, or an increase in depression symptoms. If you feel unwell or notice any concerning symptoms, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Can I stop taking Prozac if I want to drink alcohol?

Stopping Prozac abruptly can lead to withdrawal symptoms, which can be uncomfortable and potentially harmful. If you’re considering stopping Prozac to drink alcohol, it’s crucial to consult with your healthcare provider. They can help you develop a safe plan to gradually taper off the medication.

How long should I wait to drink alcohol after stopping Prozac?

It’s generally recommended to wait at least several weeks after your last dose of Prozac before drinking alcohol. However, the exact timeline can vary based on individual factors such as dosage and duration of use. For personalized advice, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider.

Can mixing Prozac and alcohol lead to alcohol addiction?

While Prozac itself doesn’t directly cause alcohol addiction, the enhanced effects of intoxication when mixing the two might lead some individuals to drink more frequently or in greater amounts, potentially increasing the risk of developing alcohol use disorder.

Is Alcohol a Depressant or a Stimulant?

Whether alcohol is a depressant or a stimulant is a common question people have. Drinking affects your central nervous system. In doing so, drinking affects how your brain communicates with nerves in your body.

A drug like alcohol will affect neurotransmitters; in particular. it affects a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid or GABA; this leads to a slowdown in brain activity.

Below, we discuss how alcohol can affect you and how depressants differ from stimulants.

The Effects of Alcohol on the Body

The effects of alcohol on you begin as soon as taking a sip. At first, when you drink, you might experience a buzzy feeling. You could feel more social, happier, more relaxed, or even euphoric. Those effects are short-lived, however.

Is alcohol a central nervous system depressant? Yes, but you might not feel the depressant or sedative effects right away. These effects tend to be felt more at greater blood alcohol concentrations.

Other short-term effects include:

Changes in mood
Impulsiveness
Slow or slurred speech
Reduced inhibitions
Nausea or vomiting
Drowsiness
Loss of coordination
Problems with decision-making and brain function
Blacking out, which means you have gaps in your memory or lose consciousness

Alcohol’s Effects on the Central Nervous System

Understanding how alcohol affects your central nervous system helps you better understand many of the more specific impacts it can have.

Drinking reduces communication between your brain and body. That reduction in communication leads to negative effects like slurred speech and changes in coordination, balance, and reaction time. Those central nervous system effects are why you shouldn’t ever drink and drive.

Your central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord.
Even moderate consumption affects your central nervous system in both the short- and long term.
Drinking can lead to adverse effects such as interruptions in sleep, depression, anxiety, and even suicidal thoughts or behaviors because it depresses the central nervous system.
Long-term abuse can lead to a higher risk of dementia, neuropathy, and other serious conditions.
Even in the short term, consuming large amounts of alcohol can lead to respiratory failure, coma, or death.
Someone with alcohol poisoning can lose consciousness, have a low body temperature, or it can slow their heart rate to a dangerous level.
Irregular breathing and low body temperature are also signs of an overdose.
Alcohol poisoning is most common in situations involving binge drinking.

Other Effects of Alcohol

Along with what’s above, some of the other many potential effects of alcohol can include:

Excessive drinking can cause inflammation of the pancreas. This inflammation can cause a medical condition called pancreatitis, affecting digestive and endocrine glands.
Your liver helps remove toxins, including alcohol, from your body. Long-term use interferes with your liver’s ability to remove toxins and increases the potential for liver diseases. Often people with alcohol use disorders will develop severe liver issues.
If alcohol causes pancreas damage, it can also affect how your body produces insulin, affecting blood sugar levels.
Drinking can damage the tissues in your digestive tract, preventing your intestines from absorbing nutrients and vitamins, leading to malnutrition and other similar long-term effects.
Circulatory system complications from heavy drinking include high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack. Drinking can also damage your heart and lungs.
Too much alcohol can prevent sex hormone production and lower your libido. It can also increase the risk of infertility.
Heavy or excessive alcohol use reduces your immune system.
You may be at higher risk of developing many types of cancer if you drink a lot.

Alcohol and Mental Health

Alcohol use can cause certain mental health symptoms or worsen existing conditions. For example, we answered the question “is alcohol a depressant” above. The answer is yes, and since that’s the case, alcohol can cause or worsen depressive disorders. Alcohol can also cause or make anxiety worse, and it can lead to sleep disturbances.

Stimulants vs. Depressants

While we’ve covered the fact that alcohol is a depressant, despite the initially intoxicating effects, what is a stimulant?

Stimulants affect the body in the opposite way as depressants. Stimulants increase the activity of the central nervous system. You’ll sometimes hear a stimulant called an upper and a depressant, a downer.

A stimulant might increase brain activity. Other effects of stimulants can include higher blood pressure, breathing rate, and heart rate.

While alcohol primarily affects GABA, stimulants mainly affect dopamine and norepinephrine. Stimulants increase the activity of these neurotransmitters. Dopamine and norepinephrine play a role in rewarding behaviors and regulating certain functions.

When you use a stimulant, you feel a rush of euphoria, known as a high. Other short-term stimulant effects include:

Increased libido and sexual desire
More attention, alertness, and focus
Increases in energy and self-esteem
Feelings of happiness and well-being
Easier breathing and more open airways
Suppressed appetite

While the initial short-term effects of stimulants may seem positive, there are serious and sometimes deadly long-term consequences. For example, stimulants can quickly lead to addiction and dependence.

Regular stimulant use can cause anger, paranoia, and psychosis. These substances can trigger irregular heartbeat, raised body temperature, seizures, and heart failure at high doses.

Other Depressants Aside From Alcohol

Alcohol isn’t the only depressant that slows the central nervous system and has a potential for addiction and dependence.

Benzodiazepines like Xanax and sedative-hypnotic drugs are also depressants.

As prescriptions, depressants may be used to treat anxiety, muscle spasms, and sleep disorders. While some are less risky than others, they all have the same general effects on the CNS.

When someone regularly uses depressants, they may become dependent on them. When you’re dependent on a depressant and stop using it, you may go through withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms from a depressant drug include:

Shakiness
Overactive responses and reflexes
Anxiety
Agitation
Nausea or vomiting
Sleep problems or insomnia
Increased temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate
Excessive sweating
Hallucinations
Seizures

When someone goes through withdrawal from a depressant, it can be potentially severe or life-threatening. Medical detox is recommended because of the possible severity.

Final Thoughts—Is Alcohol a Depressant?

To sum up, is alcohol a depressant? Yes. Since it’s a depressant, alcohol slows the function of your brain and the messaging that occurs between it and your body. Excessive drinking can also trigger or worsen mental health issues like depression.

If you feel like you have an alcohol dependence, it can have serious mental and physical health implications. We encourage you to call 408-547-4089 and contact the team at Silicon Valley Recovery confidentially to learn more about treatment options, including medical detox.

Benzodiazepines: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, and Risks

What are benzodiazepines? Benzodiazepines, also called benzos, are a particular class of drugs with similar effects. Benzodiazepines are controlled substances, available by prescription if you have a qualifying medical condition.

They’re for the treatment of anxiety, insomnia, and seizures. Short-term use is somewhat safe, but long-term treatment or use can lead to harmful effects, including dependence and addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Why Are Benzodiazepines Prescribed?

When you take a benzodiazepine drug, it changes neurons’ activity, triggering anxiety and stress responses. FDA approved uses for benzodiazepine medication include:

Generalized anxiety disorder
Social anxiety disorder
Epilepsy and other seizure disorders
Panic disorder
Insomnia

Off-label uses for these types of medications can include tic disorders, bipolar disorder, and the management of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

Common benzodiazepines include:

Alprazolam for the treatment of panic and anxiety disorders
Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) for the treatment of anxiety symptoms and alcohol withdrawal
Clonazepam, which is for seizure and panic disorders
Lorazepam, that can help with seizures and anxiety and may be given as part of anesthesia
Temazepam for insomnia and sleep disorders
Diazepam for panic attacks, insomnia and sleep disorders, alcohol withdrawal, seizures, and restless leg syndrome

Valium and Xanax are two of the most common brand name drugs in this category.

How Do Benzodiazepines Work?

When someone takes a benzo, it’s a fast-acting medicine to reduce anxiety. There are sedative effects, and these drugs are calming, which is why they’re often for panic attacks and severe short-term anxiety.

Most benzos start working quickly—within around 30 minutes to an hour after taking them. They tend to leave your system reasonably quickly also—the peak effects will wear off within a few hours for most people.

When you take this anti-anxiety medication, it impacts neurotransmitters as the mechanism of action. Neurotransmitters are chemical brain messengers. The action of benzodiazepine increases the effects of GABA, a neurotransmitter responsible for calming brain activity and slowing the central nervous system.

Common symptoms include:

Drowsiness and fatigue
Slurred speech
Confusion
Problems concentrating
Alcohol sensitivity
Vertigo
Feeling lightheaded
Slow movement or muscle weakness
Memory impairment
Muscle spasms
Dry mouth
Blurred vision
Increased risk of falls
Depression, symptoms of other mental disorders, or cognitive impairment

Less common side effects may include low blood pressure, tremors, double vision, and headaches. Some people may experience serious adverse effects, including behavioral changes, delirium, and risk of dependence. There’s also some evidence that long-term use could contribute to cognitive decline, but more research is needed.

Benzodiazepine Addiction and Physical Dependence

Someone who uses benzos, particularly over a long period, may experience physical and behavioral effects of addiction and dependence. As you take these drugs for longer periods, a tolerance may develop. As you become tolerant, you need larger doses to achieve your desired effects.

With tolerance can come both addiction and independence. A substance use disorder diagnosis will include at least two of a possible 11 symptoms within one year. These diagnostic symptoms can consist of:

Taking the drug for a more extended period of time than you intend or taking more than you mean to.
Spending a lot of time obtaining the drug, using it, or recovering from the effects.
If you aren’t currently on the drug, you may have withdrawal symptoms.
The development of tolerance, or needing more to get the same effects, is a diagnostic criterion for substance use disorder.
You continue using the substance despite known adverse effects.
Your performance at home, school, or work is impaired because of the use of the drug.

Behavioral signs of benzo addiction can include withdrawal from friends and family, changes in routine or behavior, and doing uncharacteristic things to get more of the drug, such as stealing.

If you develop an addiction to a drug like Xanax or Valium, using it is no longer in your control. Drugs affect specific areas of your brain that play a role in your reward cycle. When a drug triggers that reward cycle, you experience severe cravings and continue to use it even if you don’t necessarily want to.

Benzodiazepine dependence is a physical situation that often occurs with psychological addiction, but not always. You can be dependent on benzos without having a diagnosable addiction.

When you’re dependent on a benzo, your body needs it to maintain a sense of “normalcy.” If you stop using the drug suddenly, known as going cold turkey, you will experience benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome.

To avoid addiction and dependence, it’s important never to use these substances recreationally. You should only use them with a valid prescription and under the supervision of a qualified medical provider. Even then, there are risks of addiction and dependence, but they’re lower than is the case with recreational use.

Avoid benzodiazepine abuse by doing the following:

Only use these drugs if your doctor prescribes them
Telling your doctor anything else you take, including over-the-counter medicines and supplements, because interactions are possible
Following all of your healthcare provider’s instructions
Not using the drugs any longer than what your doctor instructs you to
Never change your dosage without speaking to your doctor
Not combining opioids or alcohol with the benzos
Don’t take another person’s drugs
Keep all medications out of reach of children

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptoms

There can be a range of mild to severe withdrawal symptoms associated with these prescription medications.

The severity of symptoms you might experience during withdrawal from benzodiazepine dependence can vary significantly based on individual health and characteristics. Other factors impacting the severity of withdrawal symptoms include the dose of the drug you regularly use and how long you’ve been using it.

Whether you use short-acting benzodiazepines or long-acting benzodiazepines can affect the timeline and symptoms of withdrawal.

Possible benzodiazepine withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal effects include:

Rebound anxiety
Panic
Agitation
Restlessness
Dizziness
Tremor
Fatigue
Sleep disturbances
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Muscle cramps
Stomach pain and gastrointestinal problems
Seizures
Hallucinations
Muscle pain
Headaches

If you use daily doses of benzos for more than two weeks, even at therapeutic doses, your chances of experiencing withdrawal symptoms start to go up. Even just using them for three to four weeks can lead to withdrawal symptoms. To avoid withdrawal, you should do a supervised taper rather than abrupt cessation, which can be dangerous.

There are a few phases of the withdrawal process.

The immediate phase of the symptoms of benzodiazepine withdrawal is when rebound symptoms occur. Rebound symptoms are when you may notice the symptoms that you initially took the drug to treat start to re-appear and sometimes are more severe than they were before. For example, you may experience insomnia in the early phase of benzodiazepine withdrawal.

Acute withdrawal usually begins within a few days after the last dose, and symptoms can last anywhere from five to 30 days or sometimes several months.

Another possible phase of withdrawal is protracted withdrawal. Not everyone experiences this, but ongoing symptoms can include depression, mood swings, anxiety, poor concentration, and loss of sex drive.

These symptoms can impact your quality of life, but medications and targeted therapies can help you during the withdrawal period.

Are You Struggling with Benzodiazepine Addiction?

If you’re struggling with addiction or dependence on a drug like Xanax, please reach out to our treatment center by calling 408-547-4089. Members of the Silicon Valley Recovery team are available any time to answer questions you have and help you discover more about treatment plans and programs that will work for you as an individual. This includes the treatment of benzodiazepine withdrawal and comprehensive addiction treatment.

A Person Who Has Been Drinking Will Usually Behave This Way

When we drink alcohol, it affects our brains, bodies, and behavior. For some people, even minimal amounts of alcoholic beverages begin to affect their ability to function normally. A person who has been drinking alcohol will usually seem less coordinated, perhaps have slurred speech, and have lower inhibitions. Excessive alcohol consumption can also impair motor skills, leading to more dangerous situations, especially during activities that require alertness, like driving.

Along with general personality changes, some people might experience especially adverse changes in their behavior. For example, when a person who has been drinking even small amounts, they may become binge drinkers who sometimes become angry or aggressive. Excessive drinking can exacerbate these changes and create more pronounced negative effects.

Is someone an alcoholic simply because their personality changes when they drink? No.

An alcohol use disorder is a diagnosable condition with a set of criteria used in the evaluation, as with other mental health issues. Common signs of alcohol misuse don’t mean someone is an alcoholic or has an alcohol dependency. It can mean that they’re people with alcohol use problems or experience adverse outcomes when they drink. Being a problem drinker is a risk factor for developing a more significant alcohol use disorder, but it isn’t an addiction necessarily. Over time, tolerance to alcohol may develop, leading to increased alcohol intake and more severe health consequences, such as liver diseases or heart disease.

Alcohol abuse can have long-term effects on the body, including brain damage and heart failure, further complicating a person’s overall health. Below we break down some of the ways a person who has been drinking alcohol will usually behave and how drinking can impact our personality. You can also learn about addiction recovery here.

How Alcohol Changes Your Personality

You may have various motives for drinking alcohol. You may drink primarily when you’re socializing to serve as a way to be more outgoing, so it’s a situational factor. Some people drink when they’re happy, to celebrate. Others drink alcohol to relax at the end of the day, and some do so when they’re feeling upset as a coping mechanism.

When someone drinks, especially during a binge drinking session, they may experience changes to their personality. You may have a group of friends you usually have alcoholic drinks with. There may be the sad drunk or the happy drunk within that group. That person’s personality changes are probably similar every time they drink, no matter the environmental factors or outside circumstances.

Our expression of personality can shift when we’re drinking or drunk. Personality isn’t just how we outwardly behave or act in social situations under typical circumstances. Our personalities are complex and include how we feel and how we’re experiencing any given situation.

A reason for the changes is the loss of control you experience. Alcohol intoxication disinhibits the part of your brain that gives you self-control. That’s why you might become more extroverted when you drink, or you could become more angry and aggressive. You’re removing that element of control that you use in your daily life with the addition of alcohol.

Heavy alcohol consumption over an extended period can lead to more severe consequences. In the long term, people with alcohol use disorders may face not only mental health issues but also health risks such as liver damage, high blood pressure, and heart rate abnormalities.

The traits that come out when you drink are already there—they may be underlying. They are just heightened with the addition of alcohol, and especially during heavy drinking sessions.

If you’re someone who has underlying and unresolved anger, you’re more likely to expose that when you drink. If you’re generally happy, then you might experience a more over-the-top version of those feelings as you drink. However, drinking from time to time does not necessarily signal an alcohol problem.

Most researchers believe alcohol begins to affect a person’s abilities to conceal elements of their personality. It doesn’t make you a different person to drink, but rather it enhances underlying issues that might already exist.

Why Does Alcohol Lower Your Inhibitions?

As we’ve touched on, a person who has been drinking will usually do things they wouldn’t otherwise. Chemical reactions happen in your brain when you drink. These reactions also play a role in coordination, as the alcohol begins to affect a person’s abilities, especially in dangerous situations like driving.

When you drink, a few things happen:

GABA levels increase. GABA is a brain chemical messenger or neurotransmitter. When the neurotransmitter goes up, you feel relaxed, and your stress and anxiety go down.
There’s an increase in dopamine in the brain. Dopamine sends chemical messengers that create feelings of pleasure, thus the buzz you get from drinking.
Norepinephrine goes up, which is a stimulating neurotransmitter. This is primarily responsible for excitement, as well as lower inhibitions and increased impulsivity. When your norepinephrine is high, it can make it hard for you to weigh the consequences of your decisions thoroughly.
Alcohol consumption also affects the brain’s prefrontal cortex, responsible for helping you think rationally and clearly. When you drink, it impairs the abilities of your prefrontal cortex, making you more likely to act without thinking. Over time, frontal lobe function can also be damaged, leading to more long-term behavioral changes.

All these effects mean that if you’re already feeling angry or aggressive, that shield of inhibition goes away. You’re more likely to act on those feelings that were already there bubbling under the surface. This is also when symptoms of alcoholism may emerge, such as the inability to control alcohol consumption.

Many of the brain areas affected by alcohol also play a role in mental health issues. For example, if someone has co-occurring disorders like bipolar disorder, the influence of alcohol can also make the symptoms worse.

Alcohol and Aggression

A Person Who Has Been Drinking Will Usually Behave This Way

There are certain people that we see and think, “they’re an angry drunk.” The reasons are due to the factors above. However, even if you’re not inherently angry, you may still get more violent or aggressive than you would otherwise.

For example, if someone were to provoke you after you’ve been drinking, you could be more likely to take the bait and engage with them. In your normal daily life, without the addition of alcohol, you’d probably just ignore or walk away from the situation.

It’s important to note links between alcohol misuse and intimate partner violence. In fact, in one study, 30% of couples reporting intimate partner violence said alcohol was a factor.

When we drink alcohol, it affects our brains, bodies, and behavior. For some people, even minimal amounts of alcoholic beverages begin to affect their ability to function normally. A person who has been drinking alcohol will usually seem less coordinated, perhaps have slurred speech, and have lower inhibitions.

Getting Help

We encourage you to call 408-547-4089 and reach out to the Silicon Valley Recovery addiction treatment team if you’re worried about your behavior or someone else’s. We can help you connect with resources to help to guide you in how to deal with a person who has been drinking.