Light to Moderate Drinking Can Still Cause Changes to the Brain

The authors suggest that, given the difficulty of quitting entirely, cutting back alcohol consumption may be a more doable goal for some than complete abstinence. So even though you may have spent years working to destroy
brain cells, your brain can still heal, so long as it’s given the opportunity
to do so. Learn what might be behind your lack of focus, mental fatigue or cloudiness. Brain fog describes the inability to focus, remember things, use logic, or solve problems. Conventional medicine views psychological stressors as independent from the rest of the body.

They should seek mental health services and pursue therapy that deals with all of their conditions at once. During cognitive-behavioral therapy, a person will work with their therapist to identify the thought patterns that trigger their anxiety and alcohol use. If someone experiences brain fog in the weeks after their withdrawal, they may have a mental health problem.

How much can people drink safely?

In sleep, a lot of the toxins that our brain produces through normal activity are cleared when you’re in sleep,” Torres said. One of the first things to do is slowly begin to exercise, doing things like a recumbent bicycle, pool exercises and other gentle things to start moving the body and stimulate the brain. “If you’ve ever had a fever, and felt like it was hard to think and felt slowed down because you had the flu, you could put that into the category of brain fog,” Torres said. People with a history of alcohol misuse may not be able to consume alcohol safely. In these cases, the best strategy is to avoid alcohol altogether. Once you identify the underlying cause, you can begin fixing the problem.

• All these times of drastic hormone changes are causes of brain fog.
• Other drugs a healthcare provider might prescribe include anxiolytics , vitamins, and suboxone.
• It can be caused by a number of different factors, including alcohol addiction.
• I will discuss more about how you can get rid of brain fog later in this article.

It’s important to treat both disorders to ensure the best possible addiction recovery outcome. Dual diagnosis treatment is the best approach to tackle these issues. Comorbidity is a repeated https://ecosoberhouse.com/ theme within addiction treatment, considering the symptoms of mental health are influenced by substance use and vice versa. Alcohol can cause brain fog, especially during the detox process.

What Are the Symptoms of Alcohol-Related Brain Fog?

Some people with a history of excessive alcohol use develop nutritional deficiencies that further damage brain function. Most of these effects are caused by a spike in blood-alcohol content over a short period of time, said Ray. Taking breaks between drinks—and being sure not to imbibe on an empty stomach—can help reduce your risk of experiencing them yourself. Untreated alcohol misuse can lead to a number of severe health problems, including brain damage and cognitive impairment. While brain fog from alcohol is temporary and reversible, chronic alcohol abuse can lead to permanent cognitive impairment.

• The most common symptoms of dementia include memory loss, problems with language, and difficulty with planning and decision-making.
• A person should check themselves into an alcohol detox program and receive medication to wean themselves off drinks.
• Over time, excessive alcohol consumption can damage both the brain and liver, causing lasting damage.
• Or maybe you’re caught up in conversation when suddenly you have trouble remembering that darn word or detail that just slipped out of reach.
• Alcohol is both a stimulant and a depressant, which significantly impairs cognitive functioning.

This is especially true in people with diabetes if their body creates too much insulin. Sometimes, you can even experience low blood sugar levels alcohol brain fog after having a meal. So, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what’s causing the brain fog — COVID-19 or these other closely related symptoms.