Addiction Recovery Basics

by Bill Urell 

There is no mystery to the fact that alcohol has an effect on our brain function, common immediate effects include blurred vision, slurred speech, and impaired co-ordination, challenged memory recall and slowed reaction times. Typically, these effects subside after a time, although excessive binge drinking may result in lasting damage and even death. Continued alcohol abuse hampers our ability to recover and leads to permanent brain functional disability.

 

Alcohol dependence damages the frontal lobes of the brain and even causes a reduction of physical brain size.

Excessive consumption of alcohol causes both immediate consequences and possible permanent brain damage. 

Apart from the obvious dangers intoxication presents by an individual placing themselves in potentially harmful situations, blackouts and memory lapses are a common result of large quantities of alcohol being consumed quickly. While it is alarming enough to be aware of the fact that a blackout or lapse of memory is the result of some brain dysfunction caused by intoxication, many who have suffered from blackouts often learn that the period of time they are unable to recall is typically retold of with the individual participating acts of serious self neglect and uncharacteristic behavior.

Unfortunately, the damage alcohol has on our brain is not confined in the moments of intoxication. It does have long lasting effects; continued alcohol abuse may lead to medical conditions and brain damage that an individual may not simply sober up to fix.

Alcohol abuse staves our brain of essential thiamine, which in fact leads to other serious conditions such as Wernicke's Encephalopathy and Korsakoff's Syndrome. The symptoms of Wernicke’s Encephalopathy include confusion, impaired memory and a lack of coordination. Korsakoff's syndrome is evident by permanent disorientation apathy and even amnesia.

Wernicke’s encephalopathy is caused by a deficiency of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. The symptoms may resemble intoxication with difficulty in the coordination of movement especially walking, loss of sensation in the hands and impaired reflexes, confusion and drowsiness.

Korsakoff syndrome is a common evolution of Wernickes encephalopathy if the condition is left untreated. Korsakoff syndrome is evident by severe memory loss most significant the short term memory is affected; the sufferer develops an inability to retain new memories. Korsakoff syndrome sufferers also become disorientated and lethargic with life. Confusion experienced by Korsakoff syndrome sufferers is extreme to the point where they may develop altered perceptions of the world around them.

While it is generally accepted that excessive consumption of alcohol results in liver damage or disease, it should also be noted that liver disease can lead to a brain condition known as hepatic encephalopathy. Damaged liver cells allow toxic ammonia and manganese to develop which have a damaging effect on the brain.
This condition results in sleep disorders and personality or mood changes. Hepatic encephalopathy also produces more serious psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety, shortened attention span and coordination inability.

Certainly alcohol has an effect on the developing brain of an unborn child. Babies born to mothers who consumed large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy are reported to have lower volume brains fewer existing brain cells and often present with learning difficulties and behavioral problems.

It is now a known fact that our brains have not completed a growing cycle before birth, it continues to grow and develop right through our lives.

Scientific research has found that our brain is constantly growing new cells or neurons; the consumption of alcohol inhibits our brains ability to complete the generation of cells effectively hampering its ability to function at its full potential.

There are a variety of likely brain damaging conditions presented here, this by no means indicates that all alcoholics will suffer all of the symptoms and conditions discussed. Scientific research has shown that our brains do have the ability to recover from damage as noted by the brains ability to constantly replace cells and neurons, abstinence from alcohol will aid in the achievement of positive repair.

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