How Heavy Alcohol Use Damages Memory Function

Aside from avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol, people can take a few measures to prevent alcohol-induced blackouts. It can be helpful to stay hydrated and eat a meal before starting to drink. Avoiding rapid intake of alcohol and pacing the rate of alcohol consumption is also recommended.

• Some of those effects, like slurred speech and diminished memory, can be quite clear; others, like long-term cellular damage, may not be as obvious.
• For most people, binge-drinking large amounts of alcohol causes them to black out.
• If you’re concerned about your loved one’s memory issues as they transition into a senior living community, call us today to discuss our memory care program.
• Some people who have fragmented blackouts may be able to remember things using clues or reminders.
• Blackouts can also produce alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) or alcohol related dementia, and ARBD is a condition that causes irreversible cognitive impairment.

With the rate of dementia and Alzheimer’s diagnoses, the way alcohol intake affects brain health is more than a cause for concern, the results are alarming. There is a correlation between long-term alcoholism and binge drinking – memory does not remain the same. Long-term, excessive alcohol use can directly damage brain regions involved in cognitive function. It can also cause damage to other organ systems and indirectly impair cognitive brain regions. Chronic alcohol use can lead to brain damage, resulting in a permanent or long-term inability to form new memories.

Explicit memory

Throughout his tenure at The Freedom Center, he has strategically built relationship with referring providers, hospitals and local government leaders. Corey has continued to grow The Freedom Center brand, educate his local community on Substance Use Disorder and become a pillar of the local recovery community. Corey’s mission is to provide quality behavioral health care to local community members who reach out in need, regardless of their financial situation. Outside of The Freedom Center, Corey enjoys playing golf, hiking and most of all being the best father to his three young boys. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.”Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome Information Page.” NINDS, March 2019. The Association for Addiction Professionals represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada and abroad.

Bunmi is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a concentration in Human Services. She joined The Freedom Center team to provide counseling for substance use disorders and related mental health issues on an individual basis, facilitate group sessions, provide assessments, and provide support to the clinical staff. Bunmi is dedicated to helping her clients reach their full potential and build their toolkit of resources to support their long-term recovery. The reason for alcohol-related memory problems is due to the effects of ethanol (contained in alcohol) has on certain areas of the brain. Blacking out, which is a form of amnesia or memory loss, occurs when alcohol is altering the activity of the hippocampus in the brain.

Hippocampus volume loss due to chronic heavy drinking

Blackouts represent episodes
of amnesia, during which subjects are capable of participating even in salient,
emotionally charged events—as well as more mundane events—that they
later cannot remember (Goodwin 1995). Formal research into the nature of alcohol–induced blackouts began in
the 1940s with the work of E.M. Jellinek’s initial characterization
of blackouts was based on data collected from a survey of Alcoholics Anonymous
members.

Long-term use of alcohol can also cause a physical dependence on alcohol that may be severe enough to result in an addiction. A veteran of two branches of the U.S. military, Max is continuing his education in healthcare administration. Max began his career in the addiction field working as a group facilitator and teacher, developing and delivering a successful faith-based curriculum in a long-term residential treatment setting. Deirdre graduated in 2012 from Pace University and completed her bachelor’s at Columbia University in New York and has her Master of Science in Family Nurse Practitioner. Deirdre has extensive experience in mental health and treating substance use disorder related issues.

About Korsakoff syndrome

Over the years he grew into becoming an advocate for people in recovery or seeking recovery from substance use disorders. James is a CCAR Recovery Coach and believes in developing meaningful relationships, and providing highly individualized therapy and client care. In 2017, James had the opportunity to combine his business experience and passion for recovery to start The Freedom Center.

She excels at problem-solving and takes pride in delivering tailored solutions. Mary builds strong client relationships, ensuring satisfaction with each interaction. Mary goes above and beyond to exceed expectations and is dedicated to outstanding service. In autumn and winter, the days get shorter, and skies are often cloudy, depriving us of natural sunlight and unleashing all sorts of mood disturbances in many people. This is often known as seasonal depression, winter depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD)…. The sooner you start taking steps to recover from cognitive impairment, the better your chances of recovering fully.

The relationship between alcohol and memory loss

«Your sensory uptake has been dulled, so you’re not going to be taking in new information as well,» said Pagano. The mental challenges of alcohol detox often cause people to return to drinking. However, starting psychotherapy can ease cravings and the mental struggles that lead them to drink. Chronic misuse of alcohol stops the brain and the body from absorbing this much-needed vitamin. Without proper treatment, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome can lead to dementia and may even be fatal.

Heavy alcohol use, whether over one night or several years, can cause memory lapses. This could include having trouble recalling recent events or even an entire night. If you think you’ve experienced 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House a black out, talk to friends that you were with about what happened. If you made an unsafe sexual decision, talk to your doctor about being tested for a sexually transmitted disease.

In addition, to being a certified Addictions Counselor, Erin is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS), and a Registered Peer Supervisor (RPS). June is recognized as Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a crucial time specifically dedicated to raising awareness of the unique mental health challenges faced by men and boys across the globe. The first is called a partial blackout, and this can happen with just a relatively small amount of alcohol. You may forget things like the names of people or information that you would ordinarily be able to easily recall. By some accounts, popular culture makes light of the memory problems that can result from alcohol consumption. Songs such as Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Perry[66] and Last Name by Carrie Underwood[67] also depict characters waking up and not remembering the night before due to alcohol consumption.

• James works alongside the clinical director and administrative team to help ensure that every client benefits from a customized treatment plan and holistic approach that offers freedom from the grips of addiction.
• According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), «wet brain» is technically known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, and it’s a type of dementia caused by a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1, in the brain.
• When these regions of the brain are slowed down, a person might feel dizzy and stagger when walking, have blurred or double vision, and have difficulty paying attention to things going on around them.
• James Scribner holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.