Most of us have overindulged in alcohol at someone point in our lives; however, the bulk of us know that binge drinking isn’t a healthy habit to carry out on a regular basis. This is why most Americans try to adopt moderation when drinking. This could mean having a drink here and there or even one beer to relax at night. While this may seem harmless, a recent study has shown that even moderate drinking can take a toll on our health. The question is where do we draw the line? Do new guidelines and limits need to drawn up in order to educate and inform the public of this new discovery; and how serious are the consequences that accompany even moderate drinking?

Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol Use Disorder is a newly coined term to describe people who participate in the drinking of alcohol. The age old term alcoholism is starting to be used less and less because it describes a more specific group of people. While the two terms can be used in interchangeably at times, they do not always go hand in hand. Alcohol abuse can be seen in many forms.

Alcohol Use Disorder allows the consumption of alcohol to affect aspects of your life. While alcoholism creates a desire and need for alcohol at all times, Alcohol Use Disorder doesn’t always have to be to this extreme. The individual may start to drink more but still in social settings. There can also be an increase in tolerance and a worsening of withdrawal, or hangover symptoms. These can all point to the development of a bigger issue.

One of the more common forms of alcohol consumption is binge drinking. This is the most common form of Alcohol Use Disorder. Binge drinking is the excessive consumption of alcohol over a short amount of time. The amount that it takes to classify binge drinking differs between men and women. Women must consume 4 drinks over the course of 2 hours, while men must consume 5. The effects of this alcohol abuse can be obvious short term; but long term effects are a still a strong possibility. When discussed binge drinking sounds quite severe, however, going out on a weekend night and drinking “a lot “ with friends can be considered almost causal and moderate drinking.

What classifies as a drink:

• 12 oz. of beer
• 8 oz. of malt liquor
• 5 oz. of table wine
• 5 oz. of 80 proof liquor

In 2015, approximately 6.2 percent or 15.1 million adults in the United States ages 18 and older had Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Use Disorder occurs when the urge to drink or the act of drinking too much starts to have an impact on your life. While not every American who drinks suffers from Alcohol Use Disorder, it almost seems as though even casual drinking is going to have to be included in this spectrum now. If even moderate drinking does have an effect on your health then it is possible that it could fall under the umbrella of Alcohol Use Disorder.

Where is the Limit?

There are many arguments about the limitations we should set on drinking. What are the limits that need to be set to protect our physical and mental health? Depending on whom you ask, “moderate” drinking can mean two completely different things.

According to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, moderate alcohol consumption can be ok as long as it is limited to 1 drink a day for women and 2 drinks a day for men. This sounds very moderate, however when the weekend comes around, usually 1 or 2 drinks turns into many more. Another different recommendation that you may come across is one from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The NIAAA states that there needs to be limits set on drinking to prevent a risk of alcohol dependency later in life. According to the NIAAA, this means no more than 3 drinks in a single day or a total of 7 drinks per week for women and no more than 4 drinks a day or 14 total drinks a week for men.

While these guidelines are set out differently, they essentially equal out to be the same. One drink a day set by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines is equivalent to 7 drinks a week as we see in the standards recommended by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. How effective are these guidelines compared to not drinking? Dr. George Koob, the director of the NIAAA believes that the current evidence that is available to us does not show any significant difference between someone who abides by these guidelines and someone who doesn’t drink at all. Some case studies even defend that a glass of wine a day can be beneficial to cardiovascular health.

The Effects of Moderate Dinking

If the above information is not enough to cause you to begin analyzing your own drinking habits or those of someone you love, maybe the results of a 30 year – that’s right, three decades – long study, conducted by the University of Oxford and University College London, both in the U.K. and published in the BMJ, will. The objective of the study was to investigate the link between moderate alcohol consumption and deterioration of brain health and mental function and whether moderate alcohol consumption has a favorable or adverse association or, possibly, no association with brain structure and function.

The study included 550 healthy, nondependent, men and women over a period of 30 years; starting in 1985. The average age of the participants at the beginning of the study was 43. Weekly data was analyzed for alcohol intake and cognitive performance throughout the entire 30 year-long study. In addition, over the last three years of the study, each participant had to undergo regular MRI scans and other brain function tests. The main factors considered in the outcome measures were structural brain measures (which generally measure anatomical connections linking a set of neural elements and are commonly measured as a set of undirected links – including hippocampal atrophy, grey matter density, and white matter microstructure) and functional measures ( which generally are obtained from time series observations, and describes patterns of statistical dependence among neural elements – including cognitive decline over the study and cross sectional cognitive performance at the time of scanning).

The study was broken into phases and designed to focus on alcohol variables which were collected in each phase which included units drunk per week, frequency of drinking a week in comparison to the previous year and the results of screen questionnaires. The standards for analyzing the data were based off of existing literature and the following UK 2016 guidelines on alcohol consumption:

Results:

After assembling 30 years of data and taking additional variable factors account which could have influenced the results of the study, including age, sex, education, social class, physical and social activity, smoking, stroke risk and medical history, the researchers found there is, in fact, a link between moderate alcohol consumption and deterioration of brain health and mental function. Specifically the some of the findings, resulting over the length of the study, included the following:

• Higher consumption of alcohol was associated to increased risk of a form of brain damage which affects memory and spatial navigation known as hippocampal atrophy.
• Participants who consumed over 30 units of alcohol a week were three times more likely to have hippocampal atrophy compared to those who abstained from consuming alcohol.
• Interestingly, there was no significant effect of light drinking over abstinence.
• Higher consumption of alcohol resulted in poorer white matter integrity which is a major and critical to cognitive function.
• Higher consumption of alcohol also resulted in a quicker decline in language fluency.

In summary, the results of the study indicate alcohol consumption, not solely limited to higher levels but also in moderate levels, is linked to adverse brain outcomes. While the authors of the study indicate the nature of the study was observational and therefore no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, their findings without doubt highlight the significant and important health implications associated with high alcohol consumption and the long term, irreversible effects such consumption has on our brain. Which means you can take this next sentence quite literally – start thinking about what consumption of alcohol means to your future before you lose the ability to “think” at all.

“We all use rationalisations to justify persistence with behaviours not in our long term interest. With publication of this paper, justification of “moderate” drinking on the grounds of brain health becomes a little harder.” Killian Welch, consultant neuropsychiatrist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Why it matters:

While most (or possibly some) of us believe and overall truly accept that drinking too much is bad for you – something we may or may not have learned first-hand.  Or this knowledge can be attributed to our government’s dietary guidelines which are commonly known among the general population and state in summary that alcohol can be consumed but only in moderation. As noted herein, in the United States the government defines moderate drinking as one drink a day for women and two for men. This may or may not seem reasonable to you. However, the above study found drinking at these levels – according to our governments established guidelines – consumption of 8 to 12 drinks per week – is directly associated with certain measures of cognitive decline – these results are irrefutable – they appeared on brain scans. It matters! It really matters!

Advertising & Reality

Speaking of rationalizations to justify our behaviors, the advertising industry in America does an excellent job of creating a rosy picture of moderate drinking and its perks. A majority of alcohol ads depict hip and young looking people consuming alcohol with a handful of friends that look like they’re having a hell of a time in a sunny, warm environment. For anyone that has been to enough post-work “happy hour” outings, every once in a while there’s that one person that doesn’t understand the concept of moderation and ends up saying or doing embarrassing things.

Advertising is heavily protected by the First Amendment, which essentially allows people to say something ignorant without legal repercussions. Additionally, alcohol ads depict paradoxical situations where drinking alcohol in them would be objectively irresponsible. Coors Light’s recent “Whatever your Mountain” campaign is the most recent culprit. That particular campaign is a series of video clips of people completing impressive feats of strength and agility. One scene depicts three hikers ascending a mountain that would require a set of lightweight hiking gear and superb physical fitness. I don’t think those hikers have room in their hiking packs for a couple of Coors Light’s.

Everything in Moderation

They say that too much of a good thing can take its toll. While more data needs to be generated to truly understand the effects of moderate alcohol use on our bodies and minds, we can all agree that moderation is key. As with anything in our lives, we need to practice self-control. The argument is not whether we should give up drinking all together or not, but how much alcohol is too much. It seems that the view of “moderation” has become skewed. The goal as a society should be to practice a true moderation according to guidelines created through scientific discoveries. Only through that can we avoid significant negative impacts on our health and the health of those we love. As highlighted herein, the importance of seeking treatment for an alcohol use disorder cannot be ignored. Your health, your brain, quite possibly, your life depends on it.

“I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom.” – Edgar Allen Poe

When things get tough, when it’s hard to cope, when feeling becomes too much – places where we all have been – the need to make it through becomes eminent. As this is something we all can relate to in one way or another, it should be easy to understand why you or someone you love has turned to alcohol to soothe or numb the pain. After all, it’s a quick and readily available solution, right? Well, quick and readily available – yes. A solution – no.

Alcohol is a depressant. This is pretty commonly known, but not properly acknowledged in the way it should be as the immediate effects of a few drinks can feel far from depressing. And if you are drinking as a way of coping when things get hard and you are feeling down, the mood-enhancing effects of alcohol are undeniably tempting. Whether we are aware of it or not this is a form of self-medicating. The unfortunate truth is this behavior results in a downward spiral effect. Individuals who drink heavily are more likely to be depressed or suicidal. It is also commonly known that, drinking lowers an individual’s inhibitions, impairs their ability to make smart decisions regardless of the consequences.  Did you know the use of alcohol also simultaneously increases negative feelings about oneself, thus continuing the cycle of depression and suicidal thoughts?

Alcohol abuse and suicidal behaviors leads to more destructive behaviors. For some, heavy drinking may result in depression (this is not rocket science – alcohol is a depressant after all), but these individuals, once sober the depression goes away. While for others (and as studies show, this may be the majority), drink alcohol excessively as a way to self-medicate against their diagnosed or undiagnosed depression or various other mental health disorders. Whichever category you or a loved one fall into, we are all ultimately trying to achieve the same goal – to find a way to tolerate the pain and find a way through to tomorrow. Seeking help through self-care and education, support systems with family and friends, and professional support will provide you or someone you love with the means to gain new methods to achieve what you need and beat the cycle of abuse – it truly will save your life.

The Facts: Alcohol Increases the Risk of Suicide

Although we all may be pros at fooling ourselves when it relates to something we find difficult to admit, the facts don’t lie. Alcohol abuseeducation is important to understanding what you or someone you love is going through. It is even more important as it relates to individuals who are using alcohol as a way to cope with depression as they might even know how much worse they are making their symptoms and increasing the risk of suicide. Let’s look at the basics:

• Drinking alcohol is generally viewed as a social norm and a way of having a good time – happy hour, weddings, parties, events, fundraisers – you name it. However, as previously noted, alcohol works as a depressant to our systems. What does that mean to you? Alcohol will not make you feel better – maybe in the moment but the moment is fleeting. Simply stated, if you are already feeling down and out, adding alcohol will only make it worse as it will heighten the depression and ultimately lead an individual ending their life.
• As suicide is often considered an impulsive act, of course consuming alcohol will increase the risk of suicide. Alcohol increases impulsiveness and lowers our inhibitions, causing, quite literally, lethal effects.
• Let’s look at the numbers. One in ten people in the U.S. abuse alcohol. Alcohol is involved in 40% of all suicides. What this means is, if you abuse alcohol, you’refour times more likely to die from suicide.

Relationship Between Alcohol and Suicide

There is an undeniable relationship between alcohol and suicide and this relationship is quite literally one of the most toxic combinations in yours or a loved one’s life. TheCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) study in 2009, measured blood alcohol levels post mortem and found that one in four suicide victims were legally drunk.Hence, when alcohol is involved, you are four times more likely to die from suicide. According to the CDCP report, the relationship between alcohol and suicide is described as one which “leads to disinhibition, and it can enhance feelings of hopelessness and depression.”

“Alcohol impairs judgment and can lead to much more impulsive behavior. Any suicide prevention efforts must take that into account and address alcohol and substance abuse as well.”

What are some of the factors contributing to this relationship? Here are a few:

• Heavy drinking only makes mental health issues worse. According to the American Psychological Association, “Alcohol abuse and alcoholism can worsen existing conditions such as depression or induce new problems such as serious memory loss, depression, or anxiety.” Alcohol is only adding to the problem not helping. The limited relief one experiences from alcohol is diminished by the risk one is putting themselves in by consuming it.
• Research has shown that alcohol is often associated with suicidal behavior. Do you believe us yet? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “Alcohol abuse may lead to suicidality through disinhibition, impulsiveness and impaired judgment, but it may also be used as a means to ease the distress associated with committing an act of suicide.” As previously noted, alcohol lowers an individual’s inhibitions – ya know, the ones that might otherwise stop us from doing something regrettable – and in turns causes deadly consequences.
• Alcohol use disorder and depression often go hand and hand. Statistics indicate that at any given time up to 50 percent of people with alcohol use disorder are also suffering from a major depressive disorder. The link between the two is easy to understand as alcohol is proven to be one of the easiest ways to self-medicate. In addition, drinking while taking antidepressants is also a very bad idea as it can worsen symptoms and side effects, cause drowsiness, impair alertness and even potentially cause a dangerous reaction depending on your medication.

Suicide Warnings Signs, Prevention and Resources

Warning Signs

While time might find the warning signs to be quite obvious, other might struggle to understand exactly what it is you should be looking for. We all have to realize that sometimes people will commit suicide impulsively while under the influence of alcohol but that does not always mean there were not any warning signs. Below is a list of somethings you or a loved one could look for to prevent a suicide:

• Talking about suicide openly. Does this sound familiar to you? Do you know someone who threatens to kill themselves? Please know this should always be taken seriously.
• Withdrawal from family and friends. Has someone you loved stopped communicating? Do you notice a change in their behavior? Maybe it is time to get them help?
• Giving away possessions. Pay attention. If someone you love begins giving away their things this is a sign. They may need help. Be there for them.
• Increasing use of alcohol and/or drugs. In no way will increased use of alcohol or drugs aid an individual in recovering and will only make things worse. Please save a life and if you know someone who is self-medicating with alcohol or drugs, get them the help they need
• A sudden period of happiness after an episode of depression. The individual may feel relieved to have found a permanent solution to their problems – this solution could be suicide.
• Making comments to others as if they are not going to see them again. It is so detrimental to recognize these behaviors as they are whether the individual acknowledges it or not, cries for help.
• An obsession with death or actively seeking tools to commit suicide with. It just takes someone who cares to notice when everything is going wrong.
• Increased impulsive acts – this may be directly linked to alcohol use as we are all aware by now, drinking can increase the likeliness of impulsive acts.

Prevention

There is hope as suicide can usually be prevented if the right steps are taken and we act in a timely manner. Whether you or the one you love are struggling and need to take action, educating yourself on recognizing the symptoms and finding the help could prove to be vital in a life or death situation. The following are some helpful aids in suicide preventions:

• First and foremost, if you or someone you love is experiences suicidal thoughts, you should immediately talk to someone about it. If you are not sure who to talk to, please use the National Suicide Prevention Line which offers a free and confidential service on 1-800-273-TALK. If you believe the risk is that eminent, please go to the nearest hospital and seek emergency care. The National Suicide Prevention Line can also offer advice to friends and family of individuals who appear suicidal.

• Suicidal talk should never be ignored or not taken seriously. It is important to not make individuals feel guilty about their feelings as it might only make them feel worse. Let them know you are here to help.
• Although you might have made a promise not to tell anyone, if an individual tells you they are feeling suicidal thoughts or have being thinking about taking their life, tell someone! Get them help! Their life is at risk and they are coming to you for help.
• Encouraged the individual to talk about how they are feeling. Listen to what they are saying without judgement and aid them in seeking help from a medical professional as soon as possible.
• Individuals who abuse alcohol and/or drugs should be made aware of the treatment options available for their addiction. Help them find medical help. Sobriety could ultimately save their lives.

Resources

If you believe that you or a loved one is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is on the verge of suicide, below are several resources available to educate yourself and find a way to help yourself or a loved one before it is too late:

• National Institute of Mental Health
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• SuicideisPreventable.org
• Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Survival: Treatment and Recovery

There have been so many studies that closely link addition and suicide, and it is time to stop overlooking these studies and to start getting you or a loved one the help you need. If you don’t know where to start, go to your doctor. Your primary care physicians will be able to help identify and prevent suicide. Doctors and medical professionals are there to ask the difficult questions about whether you or someone you love has ever considered or attempted suicide and whether you make currently be thinking about or intend to commit suicide. They are also there to let you or someone you love know that they are not alone, that there is still hope, that they are cared for, that they will work together to with the individual and their loved ones to develop a recovery plan that ensures their safety and address the issues that needed to be treated. You are never alone and hope in never gone.
Finally, don’t fear hurting someone’s feelings if they are exhibiting signs of suicidal thought or worse. Not saying something is far worse. We worry about those in our lives that are struggling with addiction for good reason – they are at high risk for death (not just limited to suicide). Prevention, treatment and recovery are all possible when we are brave enough to take the next step.

Why is America home to 18 million alcoholics? Why is one out of every twelve American adults alcohol dependent? Why do 240 US citizens die every single day from alcohol? Why do more than 9,000 people worldwide die every single day from alcohol? Why is $250 billion spent every year on excessive alcohol consumption?  Why, you may ask, have over 85% of Americans reported having drank at least once in their life? Why is a full quarter of global deaths attributable to alcohol for those between age 20 and 39?

The answer is the human brain.

What we commonly call alcohol, when it comes to drinks, is actually ethanol, one of over fifteen types of alcohol. Ethanol is the type of alcohol inside of adult beverages. As a standalone substance, it is non-addictive. What are addictive are the chemical reactions that happen in our brains when ethanol is consumed.

What’s Up with the Brain?

We must first understand the basics of how the brain operates before we can understand the effects of alcohol. As you may remember from high school, all living things are made up of cells. Brain cells are called neurons. There are over 100 billion neurons in the average human brain. Each neuron is responsible for tens of thousands of different connections, which enable every single thing we do.

The brain is the control room of the body. Every function you can think of is controlled by the brain. Movement, emotions, our five senses, thought, blinking, breathing, heartbeat, pain and pleasure are all controlled by and made possible by the brain. The chemicals responsible for all of this are called neurotransmitters. They deliver messages that tell the body what to do.

There are two basic types of neurotransmitters: inhibitory and excitatory. Inhibitory neurotransmitters slow down overall brain activity, allowing for rest, ease, balance, peace of mind, and general calmness. Excitatory neurotransmitters speed up brain activity, allowing for focus, attention, alertness, possible unease, and nervousness.

Alcohol creates changes in the brain. Three different types of neurotransmitters are affected in particular by alcohol: GABA, dopamine, and endorphins. For non-problematic drinkers and for those just beginning to drink in their lives, alcohol creates pleasurable effects in the brain, which we called being buzzed or drunk. However, excessive drinking over time causes the brain to adapt to these changes.

Eventually, the brain cannot function without alcohol, and we call this alcoholism.

Let’s take a look at how alcohol affects these three neurotransmitters. Then let’s discuss potential brain conditions that are caused by alcohol. Finally, let’s talk about how to treat and/or prevent such alcohol-caused brain conditions.

The Three Neurotransmitters

1. GABA

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is the brain’s principal inhibitory neurotransmitter. Its main function is to reduce activity in the brain, such as when we are concentrating, sleeping, resting, or attempting to calm down, or even maintaining a normal overall bodily balance. Alcohol increases the flow of GABA inside the brain. If this sounds bad, that’s because it is.

Alcohol-caused increases in GABA explain why drunk people have trouble with their motor skills. Off-balance walking, slurred speech, and poor memory of time spent drinking are all results of increased GABA. Essentially, the overflow causes mild sedation of the brain. This happens every time alcohol is consumed, a GABA increase, and will happen more and more intensely over time, as long as there is drinking.

In response to increased GABA levels, the brain creates more glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. Glutamate counteracts the over-calming effects of GABA. However, the more alcohol one consumes, the more GABA produced, and the more glutamate produced in order to keep the balance. This chemical chain reaction is what causes a tolerance to alcohol.

2. Dopamine

Most of the entire reward system in our brain is due to dopamine. This neurotransmitter is released whenever we feel pleasure, whether it be from eating, sleeping, having sex, using the bathroom, exacting revenge, lifting weights, scoring the winning shot in your YMCA basketball league, or any other moment we consider pleasurable. Dopamine is released as a reward for pleasure, allowing us to physically feel good when something pleasurable happens. Dopamine, however, has no morals. It’s released in excess by the consumption of alcohol, as well as from most other drugs.

Because some of the initial effects of alcohol are pleasurable, the brain considers alcohol use to be rewarding, and reinforces this by releasing dopamine. Too much dopamine causes an imbalance in the brain, but being the amazing animals that we are, the brain actually adapts to this imbalance, considering it normal. We mentioned this previously. However, with dopamine, there’s more:

Prolonged alcohol abuse physically wears down the brain’s dopamine transporter and receptor sites. Scientists recently conducted a test on brains of deceased alcoholics and consistently found the damage. According to the scientists, long-term drinking will “ultimately interfere with the brain’s ability to use dopamine, and subsequently inhibit the individual’s ability to feel pleasure.”

Repeatedly flooding the brain with dopamine eventually decreases overall dopamine levels. Think of it like over-milking a cow. Eventually the well runs dry. Tolerance builds with increased drinking, but the inability to feel pleasure without dopamine is what actually causes increased drinking.

3. Endorphins

You may have heard of these pleasure-givers. Endorphins are basically neurotransmitters for nerve cells – they are called neuropeptides. The word ‘endorphin’ is actually a blend of two words: ‘endogenous’ and ‘morphine’. Something endogenous originates from within an organism. Morphine is a strong opioid painkiller. Endorphins are morphine-like molecules produced by the central nervous system, released by the body to counteract physical pain. Endorphin release can also create a feeling of euphoria.

Endorphins are produced naturally in response to pain, but are also produced by human activities such as working out and laughing. Alcohol abuse also releases endorphins. Different parts of the brain release endorphins according to different responses, and alcohol releases endorphins in two different parts: the nucleus accumbens and the orbitofrontal cortex, which control addictive behavior and decision-making, respectively.

With so many neurotransmitters being released when we drink, along with endorphins, it’s almost no wonder alcohol is so addictive. Not only does alcohol trick the brain into thinking that drunk is the normal way to be, alcohol also releases several pleasure-inducing chemicals. The brain becomes used to this rush of pleasure, and problematic drinking begins its course.

When alcoholics stop drinking, the increased GABA, glutamate, and dopamine levels cause withdrawal symptoms, such as hallucinations, tremors, convulsions, and even delirium tremens, a condition lasting 2-3 days which includes shaking, shivering, irregular heartbeat, sweating, high body temperature and/or seizures.

Alcohol is addictive because the brain becomes used to it in order to function properly. The neurotransmitters and endorphins reward the brain for drinking. There is a cruel irony here… we are being ‘rewarded’ for creating potential brain conditions and/or illnesses.

Brain Damage from Alcohol

Aside from being addictive due to brain changes, excessive drinking can lead to several different brain diseases or conditions. We will leave out the obvious: fatigue, hangover, headache, dehydration, irritability, slurred speech, blurry vision, slower reactions… It’s obvious that alcohol affects the brain. It’s scary just how much.

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

If you are an alcoholic, your brain has become completely used to the presence of alcohol. Stop drinking all of a sudden and you are at risk for alcohol withdrawal syndrome, or AWS. Also, anyone who drinks heavily for an extended period of time and then stops altogether is at risk for AWS. Symptoms are plenty, and if severe, a medical emergency is at hand. About half of those at risk will become affected.

Symptoms of AWS include nausea, vomiting, headache, sweating, anxiety, tremors, sleeplessness, nightmares, increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Severe symptoms include heavy confusion, extreme irritability, fever, hallucinations, and in the most dangerous cases, seizures. Delirium tremens, known as DT, can be deadly, and consists of full body convulsions.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

WKS occurs most often among alcoholics, and encompasses two closely related conditions: Wernicke’s encephalopathy (WE) and Korsakoff’s syndrome. WE consists of lesions in the central nervous system, causing ataxia, paralysis of eye muscles, and overall confusion. Korsakoff’s syndrome consists of a lack of vitamin B1 in the brain, caused by alcohol abuse. Symptoms include severe memory loss, inability to form new memories, confabulation (inventing memories), and apathy. Both WE and Korsakoff’s syndrome are neurological disorders.

The two often co-occur in alcoholics, and together form WKS, a memory-impairing, vision-affecting, seizure-causing brain disorder. The more one drinks, the more at risk they are. WKS is a multi-symptom form of amnesia, and up to 2% of the population is afflicted. This may seem low, but 2% of America is almost six and a half million people.

Neuroinflammation

Swelling of the brain, or neuroinflammation, can occur from many things. Infection, injury, aging, and toxic metabolites are among the causes. When alcohol is metabolized by the liver, a chemical called acetaldehyde is left over. Acetaldehyde is a toxic metabolite, so harmful that it can cause cancer.

Neuroinflammation is one of the primary causes of Parkinson’s disease, and can cause a multitude of other issues, including Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis. Excessive drinking can cause neuroinflammation by creating too much acetaldehyde.

Impaired Development in Minors

A study done by the University of Eastern Finland shows that alcohol dramatically impairs brain development in teenagers. “The maturation of the brain is still ongoing in adolescence and until the twenties. Our findings strongly indicate that alcohol use may disrupt this maturation process,” said Noora Heikkinen, lead researcher.

This is a problem, considering up to 20% of Americans aged 12 to 20 reported themselves as drinkers in the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Underage alcohol abuse can cause schizophrenia, OCD, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, autism, and damage to the insular cortex, a part of the brain responsible for perception and motor control among other things.

Underage alcohol abuse can also cause increased levels of GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, in teens. High GABA levels can cause shortness of breath, high blood pressure, increased heartrate, and night terrors, among other disorders. Yet another disorder caused by underage drinking is cortical thinning. This is when the cerebral cortex loses mass, causing a reduction is cognitive ability. Normally, cortical thinning only occurs with old age.

Alcoholic polyneuropathy

Also known as “alcohol leg,” polyneuropathy is a brain disorder which causes nerves throughout the body to function improperly, causing loss of mobility. Paresthesias, or feeling pain without cause, also occurs with alcoholic polyneuropathy. In its early stages, alcohol leg is reversible, but in mild to severe cases it could be permanent.

Liver-related Brain Disorders

Hepatic encephalopathy, also known as HE, can occur as a result of severe alcoholic hepatitis, a disease caused by heavy drinking. Symptoms include extreme confusion, altered levels of consciousness, coma, and even death. Treatment includes removal of toxins directly from the intestines.

Also, liver cancer can cause severe brain disorder, and can be caused by heavy drinking when cirrhosis is occurring.

In Conclusion

Alcohol causes an absolute plethora of brain disorders, diseases and damage types. Please drink responsibly. If you are alcohol-dependent, or feeling like you’re close, please seek professional treatment today.

If someone called you an alcoholic, would it bother you? If you believe you aren’t an alcoholic, would you be willing to be evaluated by a Substance Abuse Counselor? Most people aren’t aware of what classifies someone as an alcoholic. Is it the drink consumption? Is it only when you drink alone? Is it when you depend on alcohol to cope?

What about sanctioned alcoholism that has, in this day and age, come in the form of bar crawls, frat parties, fundraisers, drinking games, open bars at weddings and any other venue or event that will allow alcohol? Are we forgetting that alcoholism is a disease? Alcoholism, as the late Mitch Hedberg said, is the only disease you can be yelled at for having.

According to Jerry Nelson, a Substance Abuse Counselor, it is this very question we ask ourselves that may classify us as being alcoholics. When asked by clients ‘Am I an alcoholic?,’ Nelson’s response was “Do you think ‘normal’ drinkers ask that question?”

Nelson goes on to say that “Only alcoholics understand what ‘normal’ drinkers are. They’re the ones that walk into a bar, order a drink and leave an hour later with half the drink still in the glass.” Does this sound like you? Or do you stay and have a couple more leaving nothing in your cup? Do you think this is normal? Nelson would say no.

Alcoholism has many faces and we can’t ignore the health effects of alcoholism being more prominent in individuals of low socioeconomic status. That’s just one statistic from one study so please don’t ignore that alcoholism is everywhere. Alcoholism is not just the fall down scruffy looking drunk guy in a bar and it’s not a group of laborers that just finished their day at a local factory. Alcoholism is not exclusive to Frank Gallagher of the hit Showtime series Shameless. The Institute of Alcohol Studies actually suggests that individuals in high-income earning managerial positions are more likely to drink regularly and above recommended levels during the week.

Let’s put it to the test…

If you use alcohol enough, you’ve probably been ‘yelled at’ for something alcohol related. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-related accidents costed $44 billion in the United States in 2014. Have you ever stopped to ask yourself if you depend on alcohol, or if your alcohol use has become problematic? The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders would find reason to believe you have Alcohol Use Disorder if you meet 2 of the 11 following criteria:

1. Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer than you intended?

Ever go to a happy hour with co-workers for just one drink and find two hours later… a few drinks in… you’re still there? It is easy to tell ourselves that this is normal and we aren’t the only ones. And that is likely correct, you aren’t the only one. But does this behavior become acceptable because you are surrounded by others doing this same thing?

2. More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn’t?

Let’s say you’re meeting an old friend for a drink and to catch up on old times. You’re friend orders you both one of your favorite glasses of wine. You’ve already told yourself that you’re just going to have one or two drinks as you have been drinking a lot lately and are trying to stay on the wagon. While your friend sips on their first glass you have already finished and are ready for the second. You wait painfully for your friend to finish ordering another. Is this normal behavior?

3. Spent a lot of time drinking? Or being sick or getting over the after effects?

Many of us can probably say we have spent more time drinking than we like to admit at certain times in our lives. We rationalize with ourselves – what is a lot of time? Is it two days? Three? What it may come down to is how it’s affecting us? Do we get sick? Does it affect our relationships? Our work? It is important to take the time and recognize what drinking is doing to our lives.

4. Experienced craving — a strong need, or urge, to drink?

Think of it like cigarettes – do you have to stop what you’re doing to have a drink? Is there an urge that is nagging you so much you can’t get through the day without a drink? Alcoholism is an addiction and cravings go hand and hand with addictions. Asking for help is the first step.

5. Found that drinking — or being sick from drinking — often interfered with taking care of your home or family? Or caused job troubles? Or school problems?

While all of these questions are important to our health and our future when it comes to our alcohol intake, please take some time as you answer question number five. No one likes to think they are out of control and it is difficult to admit when we are. Once our drinking starts affecting our livelihood it is time to admit that we may need to make a change.

6. Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?

As mentioned above, when our loved ones begin to notice a problem, let them in. Let them help. Sometimes as much as we want to stop we just can’t. It may seem impossible but know that it is not.

7. Given up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to you, or gave you pleasure, in order to drink?

Are you someone who used to play a sport but gave it up? Did alcohol have anything to do with why you gave it up? Did it start with stopping at the bar with teammates to celebrate a victory and then spiral from there?

8. More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (such as driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or having unsafe sex)?

Drinking and driving. It is well known that alcohol lowers our inhibitions and as such we are not as likely to make the sound and responsible decisions our sober selves may have made. If you answer yes to this question please seek help before you hurt yourself or others.

9. Continued to drink even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious or adding to another health problem? Or after having a memory blackout?

According to the New York Times, “Alcoholism is not a form of depression, but both are quite common, and there is plenty of overlap between the two.” Sometimes it is hard to tell what is causing what. Is the depression causing the drinking? Is the drinking causing the depression?

10. Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want? Or found that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?

Drinking to get drunk. Is this you? Have you ever uttered these words? You just don’t want to feel anymore. One drink isn’t going to do it. Is two? Three? Four? How much does it take to get to the desired state of mind?

11.Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, restlessness, nausea, or sweating? Or sensed things that were not there?

The most common psychiatric disorders that co-occur with alcoholism are depressive disorders and bipolar disorder, which are both under the mood disorder umbrella. Depressive disorders affect 6.7 percent of the United States population. Instead of walking you through another dry set of criterion for a depressive disorder, it’s safe to say if you are experiencing a recurring depressed mood, have lost interest in pleasurable activities and are drinking alcohol to excess, you may benefit from a formal evaluation.

Now What?

Moving away from the psychiatric disorders, don’t you want to know if you’re an alcoholic? The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) made a nifty questionnaire to help you take your first step toward a definitive answer. Some of the questions include:

-Do you drink heavily when you are disappointed, under pressure, or have had a quarrel with someone?

-Have you ever been unable to remember part of the previous evening, even though your friends say you didn’t pass out?

-Do you often want to continue drinking when your friends say you’ve had enough?

-Have any of your blood relatives had trouble with drinking?

The questionnaire is sure to disclaim that they are not giving official diagnoses but they sure did a great job of highlighting events that we’ve come to be comfortable with in movies, sitcoms and other portrayals of human interaction. I dare you to watch a major network on television for 2 hours and not see a depiction of one the above questions. We see signs of alcoholism in society everyday but we minimize it through statements such as ‘blowing off steam’ or ‘celebrating’.

In summary…

Don’t panic if you think you’re an alcoholic because you had one too many last night, or made a poor decision after a late night of drinking and showed up late to work the next morning. It’s possible you’re experiencing an underlying psychiatric disorder and you’re using alcohol to cope with that disorder. It’s also possible that you’re perfectly fine and simply drank irresponsibly.

Either way, you may have to improve your ability to cope with stressful life events. If you want to go to a professional, he or she can charge by the hour and sift through your mental health status and history, alcohol consumption, genetics and additional life domains and still end up with a chicken or egg situation. However, regardless of the cause, a trained professional can help you evaluate your drinking habits and assist with extinguishing the abuse.

Even when we think we are alone, there is always someone there to help. Sometimes it takes us being honest with ourselves to make the first steps towards getting help. It is never too late to make the healthy choice and always know you are not alone. You are not the first person who answered yes to two or more of the above questions and you certainly won’t be the last. As scary as it may be at first it’s your life, don’t you want to live it?