Soma is not a narcotic but rather a muscle relaxant that’s otherwise known as carisoprodol. This medication is used to treat pain caused by muscle spasms. While Soma has some medical benefits, it’s also a popular drug of abuse, especially because of its sedative side effects that kick in quickly and last several hours. The Drug Enforcement Administration lists Soma as a Schedule IV drug, meaning its prescription and use are managed to prevent it from being sold illegally in the black market. However, drug abuse is difficult to completely abolish, and Soma and alcohol are often combined in an attempt to increase the effects of this medication and produce an intense high.
How Does Soma Make You Feel?
Soma alleviates pain caused by muscle spasms by affecting communication between nerves in the central nervous system. It doesn’t directly act as a skeletal muscle relaxant but rather a metabolite of Soma called meprobamate that produces sedative effects to reduce pain, as well as physical stress and agitation caused by pain.
According to research, Soma is also shown to impact GABA function in the central nervous system. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces neural communication. When taken as a supplement or when a medication that impacts GABA levels is used, the brain utilizes more of this chemical to reduce nerve cell communication, which leads to calm and sedation.
When used alone, Soma makes you feel relaxed and sedated. It alleviates pain like other muscle relaxers while mitigating any physical or mental stress caused by the physical pain. In addition to calm, other common side effects of Soma include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Impaired coordination and increased clumsiness
- Headache
- Increased heart rate
- Upset stomach
- Nausea and vomiting
- Skin rash
Some may use this medication to experience a carisoprodol high. When taken in higher doses than prescribed, side effects may include:
- Euphoria
- Disorientation
- Agitation
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Tachycardia or irregular rapid heart rate
- Hypotension
- Irritability
- Depression
- Weakness or fatigue
- Slurred speech
- Temporary loss of vision
- Blurred or double vision
- Dilated pupils
Users who are determined to get high on Soma may also mix with alcohol and other substances. What they don’t realize is their increase in both immediate and long-term adverse side effects.
Effects of Soma Mixed with Alcohol
Mixing muscle relaxers and alcohol is common among people who are dependent on drugs like Soma. Warnings on carisoprodol imply that you cannot mix Soma and alcohol, as their combined consumption can lead to various negative side effects. Many doctors even advise patients to avoid drinking alcohol altogether while taking Soma for their pain.
Additionally, while recreational use is done in hopes of experiencing a Soma and alcohol high, the combination is more likely to cause users to pass out. Both drugs act on GABA and reduce activity in the brain and nervous system. Together, they produce extreme sensations of drowsiness to the point where the person loses consciousness.
Overall, side effects of carisoprodol and alcohol include:
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Tremors
- Headache
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping
- Blurred or double vision
- Depression
- Nausea a vomiting
- Impaired judgment
- Loss of consciousness
- Calmness
- Relaxation
- Euphoria
- Difficulty concentrating
- Reduced breathing
- Hypothermia
- Memory problems
- Seizures
- Coma
While the euphoria and sedation caused by mixing Soma and alcohol seem enticing enough at the moment, the long-term effects of this combination aren’t worth the risks. In addition to the loss of consciousness, taking two depressants together can also lead to slowed or depressed breathing. This can prevent enough oxygen from getting to the brain, which can result in brain damage.
Both alcohol and Soma are addictive, and abusing them individually and/or together comes with the risk of developing a substance use disorder. Individuals who get to this point often require professional care like our medical detox in Delaware.
Help for Alcohol and Carisoprodol Addiction
While Soma can be an effective form of pain treatment for people with various injuries and diseases, it does have the potential for abuse. Mixing with alcohol only increases the risks of Soma abuse, including addiction. Fortunately, our Milford rehab offers drug and alcohol addiction treatment that can help.
In addition to treating alcoholism, our facility also offers prescription drug addiction treatment that addresses disorders like Soma addiction. Starting with medical treatment to help patients safely detox from drugs to individual and group sessions with our licensed therapists to assist with psychological healing, our Milford treatment center offers various levels of care to help you achieve long-term sobriety.
For more information about our Delaware addiction treatment, call Banyan Treatment Center today at 888-280-4763.
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