Brain recovery after alcoholism

Alcoholism is a disease that few people manage to cope with. But even those people who were able to put an end to their addiction do not always remain healthy, full-fledged members of society. After all, alcoholic beverages destroy brain cells, which leads to the degradation of personality. Such changes are often irreversible, so the sooner an alcoholic stops drinking, the more likely he will be to return to a normal lifestyle.

Factors affecting the degree of brain damage

Those who have managed to get rid of addiction should seriously think about the question of how to restore the brain after alcoholism. The duration and effectiveness of rehabilitation measures depends on how much harm the addiction has already done to the brain cells. The severity of the injury may depend on the following factors:

• Gender and age;
• Strength and volume of drinks consumed;
• Genetic inheritance, frequent use of alcoholic beverages by a pregnant woman during childbearing;
• The length of time of abuse, as well as the age at which addiction arose.

The effect of alcoholic beverages on the brain

Alcohol adversely affects the processes responsible for the production of regulators of the nervous system. As a result, the psyche of the alcoholic begins to loosen at a progressive rate. Under the influence of ethanol, a huge number of neurons are destroyed, which are necessary for a person to maintain normal mental activity. So, just 100 g of vodka can easily destroy up to 8 thousand brain cells.

Depending on which part of the brain has undergone the destructive effects of ethanol, the following types of disorders are distinguished:

1. If the occipital part is damaged, coordination of movements is disturbed.
2. In the case of the destruction of the cells responsible for behavior, the alcoholic has a dulling of the sense of shame, he behaves cheekily and even vulgarly.
3. Memory lapses, poor memory of events also appear due to damage to the corresponding brain cells.
4. The occurrence of hangover headaches is due to the process of decomposition of dead cells. In order to get rid of the hangover syndrome as soon as possible, it is recommended to take as much liquid as possible - this will allow the decay products to be removed through the body's excretory systems.

Studies have shown that the consequences of chronic consumption of alcoholic beverages are more severe in women than in men. Alcohol affects the cells of the brain and other female organs more aggressively. Accordingly, the processes of damage to organs and systems proceed faster.

Alcoholism treatment

It is most difficult for chronic alcoholics to take the first step and break forever with an addiction. If you cannot cope with such a task on your own, then you should contact a professional drug treatment center.

Treatment in such centers is carried out in the following order:

1. Detoxification of the body - specialists carry out measures to purify the patient's blood from ethanol and alcohol. This procedure can be carried out both voluntarily and involuntarily.
2. Diagnosis - is carried out in order to identify lesions of organs and systems caused by alcohol intake.
3. Drawing up a treatment plan based on the results of the study. At this stage, the patient is prescribed medications, psychotherapy sessions are held.
4. Rehabilitation. A full course of rehabilitation, as a rule, takes a lot of time. During this period, the patient must strictly follow all the recommendations of the doctor.

Until recently, it was believed that brain cells affected by alcohol do not recover. However, recent studies have shown that with properly conducted complex treatment, new functional neurons are formed in patients.

Brain recovery methods

Recovery of the brain after alcoholism is possible only if you refuse even low-alcohol drinks. 1-2 months after stopping alcohol intake, the process of producing new neurons and other life-supporting cells will start.

In addition, a former alcoholic will need to adhere to the following recommendations for a long period of time:

• Take medications prescribed by a narcologist. Medicines are necessary to normalize blood flow, the state of blood vessels and relieve headaches. In the presence of serious damage to the liver or other organs, the patient is prescribed appropriate treatment.
• Eat only "healthy" foods, as well as vitamin complexes.

Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome

Impaired brain function in chronic drunkards often occurs due to liver damage. According to studies, about 80% of all alcohol-dependent people suffer from a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1). Such disorders occur due to malnutrition and impaired metabolism.

Lack of thiamine can cause the development of Wernicke Korsakoff's syndrome. This disease is characterized by two stages of the course:

1. Short-term exacerbation (Wernicke's encephalopathy).
2. A calm but debilitating syndrome for the body is Korsakov's psychosis.

Wernicke's encephalopathy

The condition is characterized by clouding of consciousness, problems with motor coordination, and paralysis of the optic nerve. At the same time, some patients experience the simultaneous manifestation of these symptoms, while others have only one or two of them.

Psychosis Korsakov

This condition is chronic and is characterized by problems with remembering new information, as well as memory lapses. Such patients are characterized by loss of self-control, depression, forgetfulness. One of the most remarkable signs of Korsakoff's syndrome is retrograde amnesia, in which the patient cannot reproduce even the simplest information. Also, patients with this disease very often suffer from anterograde amnesia, in which there are significant difficulties in assimilating new information.

The above pathologies are formed due to dysfunction of the cerebellum. Deficiency of vitamin B1 leads to the defeat of this particular part of the brain.

Thiamine is effective only in the treatment of the initial stages of the disease. In the case of an advanced disease accompanied by serious brain damage, treatment is aimed at maintaining the existing level of brain activity. Complete recovery of the brain after alcoholism, as a rule, is no longer possible.

Accompanying illnesses

In the vast majority of chronic alcoholics, not only the death of brain cells is observed, but also the development of severe liver pathologies. With prolonged abuse, progressive cirrhosis can develop, which, in turn, often causes hepatargia and hepatic encephalopathy. These pathologies are characterized by the following symptoms:

• Sleep disturbance.
• Frequent depression.
• Sudden mood swings.
• Deterioration of perception and memorization of information.
• Violation of coordination of movements.

Lack of timely treatment of these conditions can lead to hepatic coma and death of the patient.

Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy and hepatargia should be carried out using modern medical equipment designed to maintain the normal functioning of the affected organ. Also, the treatment is aimed at restoring normal levels of ammonia in the patient's blood.

In severe cases, when the restoration of the affected organ is no longer possible, a liver transplant operation is performed. This method of treatment is considered one of the most effective, however, due to its high cost, not all patients have the opportunity to use it.

It must be remembered that in addition to short-term euphoria, alcohol provokes the development of conditions that are very dangerous for health and life. If you experience an irresistible craving for alcohol-containing drinks, you should seek help from a narcologist as soon as possible. An experienced specialist will not only help you get rid of addiction, but also explain how to restore the brain after alcoholism correctly.

How to restore the brain after alcoholism - video