Re:Ask HN: High functioning alcoholism – anyone?
by supahfly_remix on Saturday November 25, 2017 @07:11PM
(#15778717)
Isn't alcohol a depressant? Was drinking worsening or alleviating the problem?
Re:Ask HN: High functioning alcoholism – anyone?
by tabletiptop on Monday November 27, 2017 @04:10PM
(#15791429)
Depressants don't necessarily make you depressed. The term depressant just means that they depress the nervous system, as opposed to stimulating it like coffee or cocaine. There's a link between depression and drug use because many drugs, depressants and stimulants alike, provide a short-term release of neurotransmitters such as Dopamine and GABA, which makes you feel happy and relaxed.
Re:Ask HN: High functioning alcoholism – anyone?
by nikdaheratik on Sunday November 26, 2017 @08:34PM
(#15784183)
The effects of alcohol are interesting in that it slows down your central nervous system which makes it a depressant but it also can reduce anxiety and trigger the release of dopamine and other chemicals in the brain that make you feel good. So, it's not a simple question since depending on the brain chemistry of the person, it does both.
Looking back, I realize that I could hardly function without it. I was hiding scotch in the closet and taking occasional swigs in secret just to “get by”.
One day, I went to a new doctor for one thing and ended up leaving with a prescription for an antidepressant because of a questionnaire he asked me to fill out. The effects of the antidepressant were not subtle at all. Suddenly, I had no more need for alcohol. Cheap wine tasted bad. I could still have a drink, but I didn’t need it to function.
That was ten years ago and I’m still on antidepressants. I still drink, and sometimes to excess, but I don’t need it to function. There’s a huge difference.
I would strongly recommend a visit to a doctor or psychiatrist if you feel like you’re addicted. You may be trying to self-medicate your clinical depression.