Can Prolonged Heavy Drinking Cause Brain Damage?

There are far more to being an alcoholic and having a “party” lifestyle than a beer belly and constant hangovers. Binge drinking can lead to permanent brain damage. Alcohol has a zero health benefits when drunk often. It regularly can damage the majority of ones organs and our central nerves, most notably our brain. Sustained chronic drinking can result in a multitude of nuerological damages even severe cognitive depletion

There are grave consequences from having an overindulgent lifestyle as alcohol is a toxin like poison to the brain.

Brain Shrinkage

One terrible side effect of too much consumption of alcohol is brain shrinkage. It is true that our brains do dedecline in size as we age, however drinking alcohol greatly accelerates this process with a direct correlation between the amount of alcohol consumed with the amount our brains shrink. The volume of brain that declines is indicative of cognitive declines and this effect is more obvious and common amongst females.

Alcoholic Neuropathy

Alcoholic Neuropathy is another effect from alcohol on the brain. Long-term heavy drinking can harm nerve tissue in the body and lead to the condition alcoholic neuropathy. Symptons most common to the alcoholic nueropathy are burning or tingling sensations in the feet and these can last for years. There are alternate symptons such as pins and needles, muscle weakness, erectile dysfunction and incontinence and nausea.

In order to prevent even more serious and further nerve damage those with alcoholic nueropathy must stop drinking immediately. Although completely giving up alcohol (going cold turkey)can lessen the severity of the symptons and prevent any more damage being done .The already damaged nerves will never repair, the effects are permanent.

Dementia

Furthermore, chronic drinking can can also be the cause of alcohol -related dementia. Alcohol- related dementa effects cognative abilities more widely, impacting a lot more than just ones memory. What is more, the effects other than memory loss of alcohol related dementa include; changes in personality, altered judgment, lesser social skills and a loss of coordination.

If one is lucky enough to catch the problem, with abstinence from alcohol the symptons can be greatly reduced and alleviated.

There is always a price to pay when someone has a history of chronic alcohol consumption or abuse. Most serious cases lead to terrible cognative decline and early death.

Get Help Before Its Too Late

Due to the awful effects alcohol can have on our nervous system and brain it is imperative for those who are heavy drinkers to greatly diminish the amount they are drinking in order to avoid the inevitable problems in the future. If you or a loved one cannot or are finding it unnecessarily difficult to cut down their drinking. Seeking help is important. Entering a 12 step rehabilitation programme will greatly help with the quest to give up alcohol and has the best success rates of helping those with alcohol abuse problems.

Know more about the impact of alcohol addiction.

Call the Haynes Clinic on 01462 851414