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Alcohol is an inseparable aspect of American society and, for many people, a significant part of their daily lives. Alcoholic beverages are considered the main attraction at many social events and the primary profit-makers at a variety of recreational and entertainment venues. Although an extremely powerful, billion-dollar advertising industry relentlessly promotes the underlying message that alcohol consumption is normal, appealing, and even sexy, in reality, it is a neurotoxin and remains the world’s most widely abused substance. Once touted as a relatively harmless and potentially beneficial beverage if consumed in moderation, recent scientific findings have shattered this myth. According to the Global Burden of Disease Studies that concluded in 2016, no amount of alcohol is deemed safe for human consumption.
To put the devastating scope of alcohol consumption into proper perspective, one must first consider evidence that contradicts previous claims of its potential benefits. For example, the following statistics underscore alcohol’s total socioeconomic burden, threat to mortality, impact on mental health, and assault on quality of life:
Alcohol’s effect on cognition is devastating. Like other mind-altering substances, alcohol disturbs the delicate balance of brain chemicals and distorts perception. GABA and dopamine, for example, are two neurotransmitters located in the brain and throughout the central nervous system (CNS). Excessive alcohol consumption unleashes a surge of these naturally occurring chemicals that is initially perceived as highly pleasurable to users. However, in addition this fleeting high, alcohol simultaneously causes elevated blood pressure, shortness of breath, accelerated heart rate, delusions, hallucinations, depression and, in many people, aggression— all of which distort the clarity and reliability of cognition.
When used immoderately, alcohol leads to erratic behavior, dangerous impulsivity, and a generally muddy, distorted mindset that inevitably creates problems. Social difficulties, professional problems, chaotic and even violent family or personal relationships, criminal activity, and a loss of satisfaction and meaning in life are all hallmarks of alcoholism. The following blood alcohol content measurements provide a clear window of insight into the cognitive decline triggered by excessive alcohol consumption:
Over time, the effect of alcohol on brain tissue and function becomes debilitating. A 2008 study published in the Archives of Neurology revealed that excessive alcohol consumption eventually leads to brain atrophy. According to the findings, people who consumed more than 14 beverages per week over a 20-year period had smaller brains than those who did not by a margin of 1.6 percent. The study also revealed accelerated cognitive decline and premature memory loss— neither of which are reversible.
There is a cyclical relationship between alcohol and depression. Although alcohol may not be the original cause of a user’s depression, it almost always exacerbates it by depleting the body and mind of vital nutrients. For many people, alcohol represents a temporary escape from anxiety, trauma, relationship problems, major life stressors, and personal insecurities. We’ve all heard the terms “he’s out to sea,” or “taking a trip to Margaritaville,” sayings which aptly characterize alcohol’s escapist charms. But in an all too common scenario, the same people who abuse alcohol to temporarily escape from life’s problems find themselves clinically depressed and unable to make it through a day or week without a drink—and more frequently—a binge drinking session.
Once someone becomes alcohol-dependent, that fact alone often drives them into the depths of depression. Assuming it doesn’t, the sheer chemical burden of the brain changes associated with their excessive drinking eventually results in the same outcome. As the overall poor mental health condition of contemporary society shows, drinking is not the answer to people’s problems, but rather a serious detriment to lasting health and happiness. Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with the following varieties of depression, all of which are considered clinically significant:
Alcohol’s artificial manipulation of brain chemistry and assault on the body produces a multitude of diseases, many of which are chronic and relapsing (permanent), and all of which are serious. The presence of these conditions, in turn, leads to a far greater likelihood of corresponding mental health problems including anxiety, panic attacks, personality disorders, and a variety of other psychological issues. Many alcoholics have a prematurely aged complexion and obvious cognitive glitches that are the result of years of bodily abuse and a deteriorated mental condition.
Of all the anguishing diseases that result from alcoholism, perhaps none are more widely feared than Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS)—a debilitating neurological condition common in late-stage alcoholics. “Wet brain,” as it is commonly known, is the result of progressively damaged neural pathways and deteriorated brain structure. Although the effects of wet brain can be managed when caught early and treated aggressively, once the disease progresses, it is generally considered irreversible and impacts every level of behavioral and physical functioning.
Although alcoholism is an extremely difficult disorder to treat once fully developed, recovery is entirely possible, and there are more treatment options than ever before. Despite the barrage of abuse that psychological and physiological processes suffer as a result of alcoholism, the body demonstrates a remarkable capacity for self-regeneration and healing. Even in cases where treatment is delayed, significant benefits can be expected from following a strict treatment program in the context of a medically managed setting.
If you or someone you love are suffering from alcoholism and in need of help, call a substance abuse professional today. The sooner you take action, the greater your chances are of making a full recovery and living a happy, healthy lifestyle.
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