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Thread: Benzos and alcohol

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    Post Benzos and alcohol

    Why are benzodiazepines and alcohol so bad for you?

    On a brain chemical level how does it intensify the effects of alcohol? I really couldn't find much online about how it chemically effects the brain.

    I was reading all these links on mixing them. Not that I plan on doing so...oh no.
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  2. #2
    zxcire
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Some drugs are synergistic, meaning that together they magnify the effects of other drugs. Alcohol and benzos have this effect together, both enhancing the depressive and respiratory depressing effects of the other.



    I don't know exactly how it works on a chemical level.

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    Senior Member Tara_SW's Avatar
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    wow, the title of that first story should be enough to stop anyone from mixing the two!

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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Yes, I've read the stories. But I'm asking how mixing the two chemically effect the brain. Its hard to understand most of the scientific mumbo jumbo online. heh
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
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  5. #5
    Pamela
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Deadly combo. Alcohol make any Benzo more potent than it already is. Both are not stimulants but depress the system actually. Toxic combo.

    It's VERY hard to kill yourself on a Benzo. binge alone, (has been done however) but add some alcohol and the effects of the benzo have gone way up. The two don't mix. Brain chemicals are going haywire due to the effect, which usually signals the body to 'rid' of this combo. by way of vomiting, etc.

  6. #6
    Pamela
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Read down, this will help, how alcohol breaks down with Benzos.

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    Member Cypress Shade's Avatar
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Mixing downers is the most likely drug combination that results in fatality. Its also very dangerous to mix GHB (ruffies, but some people do it recreationally) and alcohol. I know of someone who died taking cocaine and heroin.

  8. #8
    zxcire
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by Cypress Shade View Post
    Mixing downers is the most likely drug combination that results in fatality. Its also very dangerous to mix GHB (ruffies, but some people do it recreationally) and alcohol. I know of someone who died taking cocaine and heroin.
    Actually ghb (Gamma hydroxybutyrate) is a different drug than roofies (rohypnol). They have a similar action in the body but have different chemical structures.

  9. #9
    Pamela
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by zxcire View Post
    Actually ghb (Gamma hydroxybutyrate) is a different drug than roofies (rohypnol). They have a similar action in the body but have different chemical structures.
    I agree with the other poster about mixing drugs, hell people will mix any drugs it seems.

    But more common is taking Crack to get high for an event for example, and taking Heroin to come down and sleep....oh how dangerous.

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    God/dess Bella21's Avatar
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    *hangs head in shame because she didn't know what a "benzo" was*
    If you think school is hard, try being stupid.

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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    TigersLily, I think you're overthinking the issue... it's not like there is some combonation explosion that happens in the brain when you mix benzos and booze...the fact is, they are both depressants. Alcohol slows your reflexes, your heart rate and breathing, etc. So do benzos. So when you take both, the alcohol is affecting you and the benzos are affecting you the same way. It's also hell on your liver.

    I occassionaly indulge in the mixing of benzos and booze...but, I know that I'm doing and I don't do it often. It is fun....but you really have to watch it and be drug savvy.

    That said, I like errowid and think it's cool, I don't know if all the info is accurate on their if you know what I mean. Hope that helps!
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Not a good idea. I don't know the exact technical chemistry of the mixture if that's what you are asking for. Anyway, you could end up passing out from the mixture then when your body attempts to rid itself of the toxins via vomiting you could possibly aspirate.

    The two together enhance each other's effects.

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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by VegasPrincess View Post
    TigersLily
    Please don't confuse me with TL. lol Don't know if you were around for that trainwreck. Bad thing to confuse me with. [no intended mean sarcasm just so you know]

    Quote Originally Posted by VegasPrincess View Post
    Hope that helps!
    It does help. All your responses help.

    Although I'm specifically looking for a neuron, GABA, brain receptor type response. I already know mixing alcohol and benzos are very bad from reading the articles. Or maybe someone can help break this down for me?
    Or this?
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
    -Kenpachi



  14. #14
    Pamela
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Other than these two sites, i have a book Benzo Blues which goes in depth about Alcohol and Benzos mixed.

    This is a question that may best be answered by a Scientist in this field.

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    Banned All Good Things's Avatar
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Not sure you need a specialist in the field, but anybody with scientific training and some translation skill should be able to help you.

    Let's see if this makes sense.

    Benzos are suppressants of the central nervous system. The principal mechanism for transmission of signals in your central nervous system is electrochemical, through neurons. The neurons in your brain and cortex which carry these electrochemical signals are separated by minute gaps called synapses.

    The way nerve impulses get across those synapses is via small amino acids called neurotransmitters. The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter is GABA (gamma-aminobutric acid). Each neurotransmitter has a molecular form that lets it bind on the right location on the other neuron so nerve impulses get through.

    Still with me? GABA has been specifically identified as the neurotransmitter regulating anxiety. The benzos work on the GABA levels by binding to GABA receptor sites, increasing the efficiency of synaptic transmission of GABA, thereby reducing the transmission of neural impulses (GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter). It slows them down. The way it does this is indirectly, by increasing the flow of chlorine ions, but that is probably too much detail.

    Alcohol does exactly the same thing. It binds directly to the GABA receptor and other receptor sites and in effect magnifies considerably the inhibitory effect on nerve impulse transmission. It turns down your brain several notches (about 40% of the synapses in the human brain work with GABA).

    Mixing the two is a bad idea because it dramatically reduces the ability of your central nervous system to function normally because more of the receptor sites in your synapses are bound to these molecules, e.g. they are packed with molecules that are all supercharging the GABA levels, thereby greatly magnifying the inhibitory effect.

    Did that make sense?

    Disclaimer: As I write this, I have ingested 6 mg of Ativan and consumed about a half bottle of wine. With a great deal of practice, you can find where you cross over into the abyss. As I've said elsewhere in this forum, my psychiatrist is amazed anything can slow down my brain function at all. She says most of the time it actually looks like I am physically vibrating.

    Mixing the two gets dangerous when you are out at a party or away from safe havens and you get carried away in one direction or another. If you cross over, I guarantee you that you will have memory blackouts. Bad ones. Specifically, you will forget pretty much everything you said to anybody, or anything you did, or how you got where you are. This is not a good thing.
    Last edited by All Good Things; 12-29-2007 at 01:38 AM.

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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    ^Interesting stuff! No wonder booze is referred to as "social lube".

    EDIT: So, I guess the bottom line here... Slowing down and extra slowing down of the brain which equals issues? I'm sure it doesn't make your liver happy, either.
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    Default Re: Benzos and alcohol

    Quote Originally Posted by The Other Owner View Post
    Alcohol does exactly the same thing. It binds directly to the GABA receptor and other receptor sites and in effect magnifies considerably the inhibitory effect on nerve impulse transmission. It turns down your brain several notches (about 40% of the synapses in the human brain work with GABA).

    Mixing the two is a bad idea because it dramatically reduces the ability of your central nervous system to function normally because more of the receptor sites in your synapses are bound to these molecules, e.g. they are packed with molecules that are all supercharging the GABA levels, thereby greatly magnifying the inhibitory effect.
    I guess thats why people have blackouts on benzos. Benzo+alcohol is essentially like two drinks for every one drink thus making the person feel "drunker" faster. Then that leads to blackouts since when adding alcohol in the mix there is no sure fire way after that to control the GABA levels. Thanks for the explanation.
    you live like an ivy vine
    you can only survive by clinging onto trees
    that's your flaw
    put down some roots so you can stand on your own
    -Kenpachi



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