Psysiological Effects of Alcohol/abuse and Treatments

Alcohol affects the central nervous system as a depressant. It directly affects the production and function of neurotransmitters, (molecules that act as messengers between one cell and another) by slowing down their activity. When ingested in small amounts alcohol depresses the part of the Frontal Lobes responsible for judgment and decision making. This is why a person will open up, talk more freely and lose inhibitions. Taken in larger amounts, alcohol starts affecting movement, speech and short-term memory. When the Temporal Lobes and Cerebellum are affected the effects are impaired hearing, emotional changes, problems with language comprehension, balance control, coordination, reflexes and memory for simple skills. Blackouts (loss of memory while drinking) occur when alcohol cuts off oxygen to the brain. Alcohol destroys thousands and thousands of brain cells every time a person drinks it. If a person continues to consume alcohol at a high rate, it can lead to "Wet Brain" a condition where a person can no longer put a sentence together and loses control of their bladder and bowel function.

The dependence of alcohol may take years to develop. At first a person will develop a tolerance for alcohol; they are able to consume greater amounts before adverse effects are noticed. Due to this tolerance many people assume that their BAL levels remain the same. They do not realize that when their tolerance heightens, so does their BAL. Deterioration of the central nervous system continues, this can be seen by behavior changes; such as mood swings, becoming angry or sad for no reason and changes in sleep patterns. With discontinued use of alcohol, these changes can be reversed. However, with continued use, dependency heightened, it becomes an addiction both physically and mentally. The person loses control over drinking. Mentally, they feel a strong urge to drink, are unable to control the amount of alcohol they consume and have difficulty stopping. Physically, a person may wake up with a hangover and/or morning shakes/tremors. Tremors occur when a person's alcohol level lowers. In long-term, heavy drinking, the brain is continually exposed to the depressant effect of alcohol. Over time the brain adjusts its own chemistry to compensate for the effect of alcohol. It does this by producing larger quantities of stimulating chemicals, such as serotonin. When a person stops drinking abruptly, withdrawals symptoms begin. Withdrawals symptoms are directly linked to the brain being over stimulated. Alcohol withdrawals symptoms occur in a predictable pattern:

Tremors/morning shakes - These begin within 5 to 10 hours of the last alcoholic beverage. They peak at 24 to 48 hours. You can also have an increase in blood pressure, high pulse rate, rapid breathing, sweating, nausea, anxiety, vivid dreams, nightmares and insomnia.

Hallucinations - These begin within 12 to 24 after the last drink, and can last as long as 2 days. A common hallucination is seeing small bugs or spiders falling from the ceiling or crawling around either on the floor or on the person.

Seizures - These can begin within 6 to 48 hours. It is common for several seizures to occur within a few hours. This is a serious withdrawal symptom and should be monitored at a hospital.

Delirium Tremens (DTs) - These commonly begin within two or three days of the last alcoholic drink, and peaks at four to five after the last drink. It can cause your heart to race, blood pressure to increase, affect your breathing, reduce the amount of blood flow to your brain, confusion, sweats, hallucinations, disorientation, loss of consciousness, sleep disturbances, nervous or angry behavior, and could cause death. People going through DT's should be monitored in a hospital.

If a person is having withdrawals symptoms, it usually means that they have consumed enough alcohol to damage other organs. One organ, (the liver) has the ability to regenerate itself, depending on the amount damage. Continuous use of alcohol can lead to Alcoholic hepatitis - symptoms include fever, jaundice and abdominal pain. Though it can be fatal, it also can be reversible; if the person stops drinking. Fatty liver can occur after just one drink. It is reversible, and not fatal. Cirrhosis of the liver is not reversible and can lead to death. Alcohol can affect the kidney's function, which rid the body of cellular waste and help regulate the volume of fluids and electrolytes. When the kidneys are damaged it has a domino effect on other organs. Once the kidneys fail, the only treatment available is dialysis, and then a kidney transplant or death will occur.

Treatment for alcohol abuse and addiction varies. To help alleviate withdrawal