Alcohol

[Jackeh]

I haven't finished it and I'm hoping some other people are able to come and help or else there will be a few blank parts, but here's something to put on the Wiki if you want to since I realised the alcohol page was blank.

The Basics

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Introduction and Basic Description

Alcohol is a recreational substance used for its CNS depressant properties as far back as the year 10,000 BC.

SOURCE: http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/1114796842.html

Timeline of Experience

Onset: 15-30 minutes
Come Up: 15-20 minutes
Plateau: 30-90 minutes
Coming Down: 45-60 minutes
After Effects: 1-2 hours
Day After: 1-36 hours

SOURCE: http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/alcohol/alcohol_effects.shtml

Effects

Alcohol is a CNS depressant, due to this property many people will use it to relax or cheer them up and some also use it to make them more sociable, especially during parties or at bars and nightclubs.

Along with this it also affects motor co-ordination and reduces inhibitions, both of which can lead to users doing things they wouldn't usually do and possibly result in embarassment the next day. After engesting too much, many users may also feel nausea which could result in vomiting.

SOURCE: http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotion...n_alcohol.shtml#short-term_effects_of_alcohol

Dosages

Method of administration

Inhalation
Oral
Capsules
Intravenous

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_beverage#Routes_of_administration
NOTE: Haven't added links or specific information in ROAs

Problems

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Contraindications and Overdose
Alcohol is a GABA agonist, therefore care should be taken when mixing with GABA reuptake inhibitors or other GABA agonists. GABA antagonists such as saclofen may reduce the effects of alcohol.

Engesting too much alcohol may be fatal, up to a 19% BAC (blood alcohol content) may result in unpleasant effects, going as high as 40% will likely result in death. If a lethal BAC is reached the user may feel nausea and black out. Their breathing may also stop and they could go into a coma.

SOURCE: http://partysmart.osu.edu/blood_alcohol.asp

Negative Short-Term Side Effects

Lowered inhibitions may result in doing things that the user may feel embarassed about the next day. The day after a heavy session of engesting alcohol the user could feel nauseous, lethargic, depressed and thirsty. This is usually causes by the alcohol being metabolised to toxic products such as ethanal and acetic acid.

Negative Long-Term Side Effects

Long term users of alcohol may result in a thiamine deficiency which could cause brain disorders such as Wenicke-Korsakoff syndrome which consists of mental confusion, occular paralysis, impaired co-ordination, and memory problems. Alcohol may also cause cirrhosis which scars the liver and may result in it not functioning correctly.

SOURCE: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm

Addiction and Withdrawal Issues

Prolonged use of alcohol can result in physical addiction, which when suddenly stopped may cause withdrawal symptoms. Drugs such as benzodiazepines may be used when slowly tapering off alcohol to help reduce withdrawals. Alcohol withdrawals may include headaches, nausea, insomnia, tremors, fever, visual hallucinations, and convulsions.

SOURCE: http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/withdraw/a/aa030307a.htm

Harm Reduction

NOTE: Don't know too much about HR for drinking, hopefully someone else can give suggestions for this section

Legal Issues


Background and Chemistry

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History of Drug


Chemistry and Pharmacology
Ethanol acts primarily as a positive allosteric modulator at GABAA-receptors, but with a binding site distinct from the benzodiazepine binding site in the receptor complex. Consequently, ethanol shares many immediate effects and neurological consequences of regular use and addiction with benzodiazepines and similar sedatives. The withdrawal syndrome is similar too. However, alcohol has a wide array of auxiliary effects, from nmda-receptor antagonism (as seen with dissociatives like ketamine, albeit much weaker) to nicotinic agonism (possibly partially explaining experienced synergy with nicotine) to selective serotonergic agonism (among other activities). Due to the complexity of its activity, our understanding of ethanol remains incomplete, despite quite possibly being the longest-studied psychoactive drug.

The corresponding wikipedia page on ethanol's pharmacology is pretty good: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol#Pharmacology

Preparation

Mechanism of Action

Trip reports and links

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Trip Reports

Links

 

[Vaya]

Here it is, Jackeh Thank you SO much for your efforts AND your inclusion of sources (i <<<love>>> that)

Be well,

~ Vaya

 

[manman]

In term's of 'HR',
The human body (liver) can metabolize '1' drink per *hour.
If one consumes alcohol this way they wil most likely avoid a hangover.
According to the medical community, since alcohol is a diuretic, your supposed to follow each alcoholic drink with a glass of water.
Some people claim you don't get drunk, if you consume alcohol this way. Personally I find that if I can consume alcohol this way I can still enjoy the anxiolytic and mood lifting effects, without all the nasty side effects.

 

[Vaya]

In term's of 'HR',
The human body (liver) can metabolize '1' drink per *hour.
If one consumes alcohol this way they wil most likely avoid a hangover.
According to the medical community, since alcohol is a diuretic, your supposed to follow each alcoholic drink with a glass of water.
Some people claim you don't get drunk, if you consume alcohol this way. Personally I find that if I can consume alcohol this way I can still enjoy the anxiolytic and mood lifting effects, without all the nasty side effects.

I, too, have found this to be the case. The "water rule" most Definitely helped me on many drinking occasion!

~ Vaya

 

[Jabberwocky]

Harm Reduction:
- Eat food. Before drinking & during drinking.
- Drink water and milk.
- Do not mix with any other drugs/etc.
- Know your limit.

 

[HCL]

Harm reduction:

Frequent use of alcohol as an anti-anxiety agent or antidepressant is likely to result in tolerance, making a larger amount necessary to acheive the same effect. If a user repeatedly raises their dose at this point, they could eventually face severe, widespread organ damage and life-threatening withdrawals. For this reason, it is inadvisable to rely on it for any sort of emotional relief.

Occasional breaks are fine, but it should not be used as a substitute for effective coping skills and actual problem-solving.

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As far as general structure, there are two main things that occur to me at the moment.

1) At non-stupefying doses, alcohol can have some stimulatory properties, such as excitement and activation. I feel like that would be worth mentioning.

2) "Physical addiction" should instead say "physical dependence", because, although the two often compound each other, they can occur independently. Addiction is at its core a mental issue. Physical dependence is physical.

 

[Vaya]

1) At non-stupefying doses, alcohol can have some stimulatory properties, such as excitement and activation. I feel like that would be worth mentioning.

Whereabouts, do you feel?

Your other changes have been implemented - Thanks so much!!

Edit: added your name to credits, too

 

[ebola?]

I added a bit to the section on chemistry and pharmacology.

ebola

 

[HCL]

Whereabouts, do you feel?

Your other changes have been implemented - Thanks so much!!

Edit: added your name to credits, too

Probably in effects.

"While its overall profile is that of a depressant, alcohol has some properties—excitement, talkativeness, and increased activity—that are more in line with a stimulant's. These effects tend to occur at relatively low doses."

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11462712_Assessing_the_stimulant_effects_of_alcohol_in_humans/file/72e7e515d4d8408799.pdf

Citation leads straight to a pdf download. Not sure if that's a problem.

 

[Vaya]

Probably in effects.

"While its overall profile is that of a depressant, alcohol has some properties—excitement, talkativeness, and increased activity—that are more in line with a stimulant's. These effects tend to occur at relatively low doses."

http://www.researchgate.net/publication/11462712_Assessing_the_stimulant_effects_of_alcohol_in_humans/file/72e7e515d4d8408799.pdf

Citation leads straight to a pdf download. Not sure if that's a problem.

I don't think so; I'll post it anyway Thanks!

Edit: posted!

 

[ebola?]

This type of paradoxical reaction is common to all gabanergic sedatives, as they remove behavioral inhibitions (those inhibitions maintained by glutaminergic circuits of various sorts).

ebola

 

[Vaya]

This type of paradoxical reaction is common to all gabanergic sedatives, as they remove behavioral inhibitions (those inhibitions maintained by glutaminergic circuits of various sorts).

ebola

Indeed; the relationship between GABA and glutamate in the brain is very much like a see-saw at times...

 

[Heli Hanson]

Very Well done.Thnak you so much for you information,I really appreciate.

 

[Shamemee2]

Blood thinner. Alcohol thins blood better than many prescribed anticoagulants.

 

[PotatoMan]

Just cause I'm on the tail end of a stim high and bored at work lemme tell you how to never get a hangover.

I spent the last Monday&Tuesday playing carnival. For those who don't know it is basically half naked people drinking publicly, half fucking and running around the downtown area in Trinidad. I was able to come to work today without feeling any effects from the alcohol I drank the days before. The only problem I had was walking cuz I had been "jumping up" for 2 days straight and then into the after party Tuesday night.

GOLDEN RULE - Never mix alcohol with coke/sprite/ or any sugary drink. There already about a Kg of sugar in 1 bottle of booze.
Club Soda/Soda water/Water or juice if there's absolutely nothing else.

Anyway.
1st rule- On the day of any plans of drinking. Eat something high in fiber, have fruits and lots of water so that when you reach the setting to start drinking, you're already pissing like if you necked a couple beers.

2nd rule- For every drink you have, also have a bottle of water (355ml) will do. Do not get another drink till your water is done.

3rd rule- Repeat 2nd rule until sufficiently buzzed and then switch completely to water and try to have something to eat before you switch. ( I usually smoke weed cuz when I'm drinking and socializing the anxiety n such negate my appetite. The weed makes me eat and then I switch to water.

4th rule- (optional) Always drink something WHITE. or WHITE and High proof'd(High proof'd white rum (150 proof) has NEVER given me a hangover or fucked up drunk as it is so pure (I compare it between the vape high and smoked weed high. One is always cleaner and doesn't get you as groggy) even when I don't focus on my water intake, it is by far the superior liquor to drink to avoid hangovers. I use it whenever I have responsibilities to wake up for in the AM(obviously consume all psychoactives substances in moderation along with suffice H2O.). If not then you'd always get a slight hangover. But with anything white there is less impurities in the drink as the barrell used to store Rum/Whiskey/etc. causes the brown colour.

5th rule- NEVER mix alcohol. NOT because the mix will get you drunker as I believe that is not the case but when mixing alcohol one tends to drink more than if one was to simply sip on their own quantity throughout the time. Hey, I'm not saying that you CANNOT have a couple shots. I treat shots like a bong toke, I know my limit to those and with the limit of my other indulgence with regular drinking etc..

6th rule- When you're done with the night, go home, eat something high in carbs and drink about a litre of water.

7th rule- (optional) Wake up feeling like a daisy, smoke a fatty J and reflect on all the beautiful ass you saw the night before .

Swim Safely . The pool can get very deep... Binge drinking is the 2nd worst form of drinking in terms of liver damage tmk. Never over-indulge.


Also no matter what anyone tells you, if you do manage to reach home and you know you'd be hungover or something, take Ibuprofen for any headaches or body aches the next day or even the same night.. Acetaminophen is dangerous to be in the liver at the same time as alcohol and it's by-products. I mean you can do it once in a while but never make a habit of it.

EDIT: You should not smoke weed (without a decent tolerance) after drinking copious amounts of alcohol as it can easily cause the spins and a heavy movement (Not suitable for parties).

Don't forget to piss & dance.

 

[Erikmen]

^ Great post!

 

[tabbycat65]

With the alcohol I suggest that you eat a good hour to an hour and a half before starting to drink also drink a glass of water after every drink if you're drinking beer I would say a glass of water after every two years something salty like potato chips or popcorn during drinking also helps to eat a full meal while drinking because you would definitely throw up if you happen to have Phenergan for medical reasons that will also help also helps the feeling that you get from being an outlaw but definitely do not eat a full meal while drinking and I'm telling you this from my experience eat lightly if you're going to eat while you're drinking like I said just like chips peanuts popcorn something like that but eating an hour to an hour and a half before also helps your stomach to keep you from throwing up hope it helps

 

[Clutchingatstraws]

Just thinking out loud, but I did not see anything about organisations which could assist people who think alcohol is taking over their life. AA stands out, also organisations to help partners/ dependents of alcoholics. Sorry I don't have all the answers to my own observation, and these will differ by country/ region anyway. Also alcohol and religion perhaps, such as Muslims do not (?) drink it.