• brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    In the context of alcohol, depressant doesn’t mean it makes you sad. It’s a depressant as it decreases heart heart, respiration, response times, etc.

    The opposite being a stimulant which increases those functions.

    Nothing to do with mental health.

    • Ranvier@sopuli.xyz
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      1 year ago

      Well that’s true the word in that context is referring to more a drug’s effect on level of arousal than mood, just for anyone that’s confused alcohol does contribute to depression and other mood changes. The relationship of alcohol and mood disorders is more complicated than its effect on those simpler functions, but depressed mood is certainly one possible thing it can do.

      https://www.psychdb.com/mood/substance-medication

      https://www.academia.edu/download/45317269/Alcohol_and_depression20160503-23243-jt8nme.pdf

      https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6799954/

    • protist@mander.xyz
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      1 year ago

      Nothing to do with mental health.

      This is absolutely not true. Alcohol has significant effects on neurotransmitter activity and your limbic system. Even one-time intoxication can cause emotional dysregulation that may lead vulnerable people to attempt suicide or self-injure where they would not if sober. Chronic heavy use can absolutely lead to depressive episodes due to long-term changes to neurotransmitter activity in your brain, not to mention the depression caused by the psychosocial toll of heavy alcohol use

      Not judging alcohol use here, I drink pretty regularly, but also let’s not kid ourselves about the real risks

      • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’m not discounting it’s impact on mental health.

        I’m only saying that when it’s described as a depressant that it is the effect on the sympathetic nervous system that is being described. That’s the use of the term when applied to drugs and medications.

        • protist@mander.xyz
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          1 year ago

          Your sympathetic nervous system has profound impacts on your mood