Alcohol is a powerful substance. Though it is consumed like any other beverage, it still has the potency to cause addiction. Once addicted, alcohol then begins to disrupt several functions of your body. One of the major systems that are affected by alcohol is the brain. Along with multiple physical health issues, alcohol also causes several mental health problems.
Let us focus on how the brain is affected by your alcohol addiction.
Effects of Alcohol on the Brain
The brain is the most powerful part of our body. It makes all the important decisions, right from regulating bodily functions to taking other important life decisions. However, consuming alcohol disrupts brain functions.
Alcohol is a depressant by nature. Thus, it slows down the brain’s ability to send and receive messages. Though you might feel energetic and joyful when drunk, those feelings are temporary. But what lingers long after that is mental illnesses. Prolonged consumption of alcohol can give rise to multiple mental health conditions.
Signs of Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol addiction might be tough to identify at first. However, it needs to be detected in time to avoid health consequences.
You can look out for the given signs of addiction:
- Your drinking has negatively impacted your family
- You frequently find yourselves in dangerous situations
- You are unable to stop drinking despite the consequences it has already caused
- You need more amount of the substance to feel the usual effects
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking
- You’re unable to quit drinking even though you wish to
- You have lost interest in your favorite hobbies
- You are drinking despite its negative effects on your mood
If these signs are seen frequently in you, be sure to consult an expert for alcohol addiction treatment. Ignoring the symptoms can lead to greater issues like mental health illnesses.
Co-Occurring Disorders
“Co-occurring disorders” is the term given to a condition that refers to addiction and co-existing mental health disorders. Mental health conditions could be both, a cause and result of alcohol addiction. Some of the common mental health conditions likely to occur due to alcohol are anxiety and depression. Both these disorders can lead to severe side effects, as dangerous as suicidal thoughts.
Thus, it is necessary to overcome alcohol addiction in time. You can visit a rehab like Taylor Recovery in Houston, Texas for expert treatment.
Contact us now to know more!