Alcohol on the Brain
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord, both of which need to be in strong, working order for a person to function at his or her full capacity. Unfortunately, however, severe alcohol abuse can take its toll on the central nervous system. In fact, even moderate consumption of alcohol negatively affects the central nervous system, so it’s easy to imagine what full-blown alcoholism can do to this sensitive system. Alcohol, even in small to moderate doses, can temporarily impair memory, in addition to making sound reason and/or judgment more difficult. Those who drink very large amounts may completely black out and not remember details from the period of time during and after drinking.
Those who have recently ingested alcohol also experience:
- Delayed reaction times
- Poor coordination
- Impaired vision
- Impaired hearing
- Inability to drive effectively
Other unpleasant effects of drinking include sleep interruptions, depression, anxiety, feelings of panic, and even suicidal tendencies. Long-term alcohol abuse or alcoholism can even lead to the development of neuropathy, dementia, and serious conditions known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis. Alcoholism is a medical disorder, and it can have disastrous health consequences. Learn more about the medical treatments available through Futures today.