Alcohol (Liquor, Booze)
Alcohol is probably the best known sedative in the world and little is needed to be said about its potency if abused. Alcohol is a depressant drug that reduces social inhibitions and relaxes. In moderation it can be a pleasant 'social ice breaker'. Alcohol is absorbed very quickly into the blood stream from the stomach lining, in as short a time as five to ten minutes. The effects can last for several hours depending on the amount and how quickly it was consumed. Women absorb alcohol more quickly because their bodies contain less water. The water dilutes the alcohol and so the same amount of alcohol will produce a higher concentration in the blood.
Heavy drinking can leave one in a sensory haze, with reactions, speech and agility all being impaired. The heavy drinker can often experience personality changes and behavior can be dramatically altered. Physical and psychological dependency can occur. Deaths from suicide, accident and cirrhosis of the liver are common among heavy drinkers. The greatest danger from alcohol consumption is injury due to the reduction in physical and mental performance. Sudden withdrawal from heavy drinking produces sweating, anxiety and trembling and in some cases can cause delirium and convulsions. The alcohol addiction rate in Ireland is very high affecting work performance, study and in numerous other areas of daily living. The situation is not helped by the non-admission of dependency by many.