How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain? Consequences and Recovery

Alcohol is socially consumed on a large scale, yet its impact on the brain is usually underrated. Alcohol, either in moderate volume or in the binge pattern, may cause severe impairment of the brain in the long term. It is essential to understand alcohol’s impact on the brain so that alcohol use disorder and its long-term health problems can be detected.

In this article, we are going to analyze how alcohol influences brain cells, and the central nervous system, and the risks of alcohol misuse. We will also clarify how treatment, and being able to stop drinking, reverses the impact of such abuse.

Effects of Alcohol on the Brain

Alcohol, when consumed, is quickly absorbed into the blood and produces effects within the brain. As a depressant, it slows brain activity and, consequently, mental functions like memory, judgment, and reaction time. It also impairs coordination and motor functions; in extreme cases, it even induces unconsciousness.

Alcohol affects different regions of the brain, such as:

• Cerebral Cortex: It is the brain region that deals with thinking, decision-making, and sensory information processing. Alcohol interferes with these very essential functions and makes individuals think irrationally and make incorrect decisions.
• Cerebellum: The cerebellum regulates motor coordination and equilibrium. However, alcohol use affects this region, which results in uncoordinated movements, slurred speech, and impaired motor skills.
• Hippocampus: This is the memory storage, and it is susceptible to alcohol. Moderate use is enough to cause forgetfulness and produce blackouts.
• Medulla controls involuntary functions, including respiration and the control of body heat. Excessive alcohol inhibits vital functions, and they have undesirable effects, including defective respiration or unconsciousness.

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How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain and Central Nervous System?

Alcohol affects the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Alcohol slows down the rate at which information is transmitted from one nerve cell to the next. This alters the way the brain communicates with the rest of the body. This is most likely to cause a chain reaction of physical effects, which are:

• Slower Reaction Time: Alcohol slows down your reaction time quite significantly, and it is difficult to react fast during emergencies or when driving.
• Loss of Consciousness: Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol within a short period leads to alcohol poisoning, which can lead to unconsciousness or, in severe instances, death. Binge alcohol consumption is responsible for the majority of alcohol-related fatalities.
• The Higher Risk of Head Injury: Excessive consumption of alcohol increases the risk of injury because impaired coordination and judgment lead to accidents and falls.

What Goes on in Your Brain With Chronic Alcohol Use?

Long-term alcohol use can lead to irreversible damage to brain tissue and even death of brain cells. Long-term alcohol use can lead to brain atrophy, especially in areas such as memory, problem-solving, and emotional response. Some of the long-term effects including the following.

1. Shrinkage of the brain occurs due to long-term use, resulting in a loss of gray and white matter within the brain. Gray matter is the brain tissue that processes information, and white matter plays a crucial role in relaying messages from other parts of the brain. Thus, this shrinkage causes a slowdown in processing and a loss of coordination.
2. Cognitive Impairment: Excessive drinking over a prolonged period can impact brain areas involved in concentration, memory, and learning. This, in turn, can result in difficulty in verbal expression, loss of memory, and the inability to process information.
3. Alcohol-Induced Dementia: Chronic alcoholism may result in alcohol-induced dementia, a state of mental impairment, confusion, and loss of memory.
4. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: This disease, related to thiamine deficiency in chronic alcoholics, leads to confusion, memory loss, and disrupted motor coordination. It leads to irreversible brain damage if left untreated.

What Does the Brain Do With Alcohol and Dopamine?

Alcohol has a dramatic effect on dopamine, the same neurotransmitter that is involved in pleasure and our sense of reward. First, this cocaine-like injection of dopamine creates feelings of euphoria and relaxation, which in turn causes people to drink more alcohol. Later, however, the brain becomes increasingly less responsive to dopamine, and therefore, natural brain chemical levels decrease. This adjustment can lead to the following conditions.

1. Increased Risk of Addiction: Since the brain gets dependent on alcohol to release dopamine, the individual becomes more susceptible to alcohol use disorder. This condition indicates that they will be forced to consume more to get the same amount of pleasure, thereby making them more vulnerable to addiction.
2. Tolerance and Dependence: As an individual keeps on consuming alcohol, the body slowly develops a tolerance, and more is needed to achieve the same effects. This ongoing process can result in alcohol dependence, with the brain becoming dependent on alcohol for normal functioning.

The treatment for alcohol use disorder includes:

• Detoxification: Clinical detoxification assists patients in healthily overcoming alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
• Behavioral therapy includes counseling patients to address the underlying cause of alcohol use disorder and to give them coping mechanisms to sustain abstinence.
• Alcoholics Anonymous and other support groups provide a support system for the recovery journey of alcoholism.

Washington State’s Local Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Center

If you or a loved one is undergoing alcohol use disorder, you need professional help. We Level Up Spokane Valley, Washington, offers holistic treatment programs tailored to meet your needs. With extensive knowledge of alcohol’s effects on the brain and central nervous system, we are dedicated to helping you achieve recovery.

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Conclusion

The impact of alcohol on the brain is immediate and permanent. Drinking alcohol can severely damage mental functioning and even result in brain damage, with terrible consequences for one’s mental state. Fortunately, one can recover and have their cognitive skills restored with proper care and support.

If you have alcohol use disorder, it is never too late to seek help. Reach out to We Level Up Washington for professional and compassionate care, and start your recovery journey to reclaim your life and health.

Summary

Call today to speak with our team and learn more about our programs. We Level Up Washington: (509) 348-4077. Your next step starts here.