Alcohol use disorder or alcohol addiction is very rampant across the US. As a matter of fact, more than 6% of adults, or roughly 1 in 12 men and 1 in 25 women, have an alcohol use disorder. When people are unable to limit or manage their alcohol consumption, even after experiencing its negative effects, they most likely have AUD.
Everyone knows that the long-term use of alcohol can damage the liver. Cirrhosis, hepatitis, and fatty liver are some of the damages alcohol can cause to the liver. Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption alters the brain.
The brain carries your memories. And those precious memories can be damaged or erased permanently by AUD or alcohol addiction. Yes, you read that correctly. The chances of dementia are high when you have AUD.
Read further to know how alcohol addiction can cause dementia.
How Alcohol Damages the Brain
White matter makes up half of the human brain. They are millions of bundles of nerve fibers that merge neurons in different brain regions to produce body functions.
White matter deteriorates as people age, which is why being forgetful is normal for aging people, but research proves that long-term and excessive consumption of alcohol can accelerate this deterioration in white matter.
Alcoholic dementia is one of the alcohol-related brain diseases. And it can happen mostly at a young age. Excessive alcohol consumption can disrupt and damage the brain because it can cause nutrient deficiencies.
The lack of essential Vit B or thiamine can lead to a wet brain, which includes two overlapping disorders called Wernicke Encephalopathy and Korsakoff Syndrome.
- Wernicke Encephalopathy is where people with it experience chronic fatigue and need help in standing and walking. Aside from coordination, they also experience confusion, involuntary eye movement, and other vision impairment.
- Korsakoff Syndrome or alcoholic dementia. It involves amnesia, hallucinations, behavioral changes, and distressing memory loss.
Alcoholic dementia is a saddening syndrome to experience. Knowing that you might forget about your family, friends, and special memories rapidly is the worst.
How to Prevent Alcoholic Dementia
Excessive alcohol consumption is the cause of alcoholic dementia. To prevent this, get help immediately.
Skyward Treatment is a premier rehab center in Houston, Texas. We take pride in our Alcohol Addiction Treatment that can help beat alcohol addiction. We use scientific-based treatment programs to provide the best and the most effective treatment.
Prevent alcoholic dementia, call us today!