Continuous use of drugs and alcohol severely damages major parts of our body. Several regions of the brain are affected when we consume drugs and alcohol. Prolonged consumption leads these regions to damage causing problems such as brain fog, memory loss, etc.
Thus, to ensure good mental health, it is important to know how addiction causes memory loss and how can it be treated.
Addiction and Memory Loss
Addiction severely affects some of the most vital regions of the brain such as:
- Brain stem
- Limbic system
- Cerebral cortex
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus
- Cerebellum and prefrontal cortex
- Neurotransmitters
Once addiction takes over, it severely damages these areas leading to memory loss. Here’s how memory loss can occur:
- Addiction prevents the brain from creating new memories correctly. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to blackouts. This is the phase where the brain is unable to process new memories. This leads difficulty to in recalling recent events. Such a condition is known as short-term memory loss.
- Addiction also negatively impacts the brain’s memory storage system. Chemical compounds in addictive substances tend to distort the messages sent to and from the hippocampus. Since these messages aren’t clear, the hippocampus fails to store them as short-term and long-term memories. As a result, we can forget important dates, birthdays, directions, historical events, and other facts.
- Addiction increases the risk of developing memory-related disorders like:
- Delay in completing familiar tasks
- Losing the sense of direction in a familiar area
- Misplacing everyday items
- Mixing up common words
- Repeatedly asking the same questions
- Forgetfulness
If you too are observing similar memory-related issues in yourself or your loved one, then it’s a sign to seek help from medical experts.
Seek Help from Taylor Recovery
If neglected addiction can damage other regions of the brain leading to other issues. Thus, seek treatment on time. Visit Taylor Recovery to help yourself or your loved one overcome addiction.
Our treatments are available for the residents of Fort Worth, Texas. Contact our team today!