Alcoholics’ Brains Must Work Harder
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
Alcoholics’ Brains Must Work Harder
Poison Eater Extraordinaire
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: East Coast, USA
Posts: 1,031
Lol, is this a nice way for them to say we're stupider?
At any rate, really bad idea they did the study 5-10 days after abstinence....still a really foggy time for most, including myself. My nerves are still shot at that point.
At any rate, really bad idea they did the study 5-10 days after abstinence....still a really foggy time for most, including myself. My nerves are still shot at that point.
Member of SMART Recovery
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,722
That makes a lot of sense. I even remember, when I was drinking, "wow, my brain is SLOW". I could think, but the process was clearly slowed down compared with others.
Fortunately the slowness did cease, and my brain is pretty fast these days. The problem now is that I forget things, like where my car keys are. And I have this horrible tendency to call my kids by the wrong name (occasionally even the name of a pet). However, I think this is a product of being a middle aged female!
Fortunately the slowness did cease, and my brain is pretty fast these days. The problem now is that I forget things, like where my car keys are. And I have this horrible tendency to call my kids by the wrong name (occasionally even the name of a pet). However, I think this is a product of being a middle aged female!
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
In all seriousness, my brain was pretty messed up, and for a fairly long time thanks to 20 years drinking and a bad last detox but I think it's doing fine now....mostly lol 
D
D
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
That test has no real validity.
The patients weren't studied before they ever drank, nor while they drank.
Just because "they" claim the initial acute withdrawal phase had ended, WE alkies know that at ten days we aren't close to being normal. At 6 months, I KNOW my brain is not functioning at top performance, as this is still improving daily.
Be careful what you read. It may be Vanderbuilt, but it's most likely a student-run simple study. Don't believe everything you read-just another's opinion!
The patients weren't studied before they ever drank, nor while they drank.
Just because "they" claim the initial acute withdrawal phase had ended, WE alkies know that at ten days we aren't close to being normal. At 6 months, I KNOW my brain is not functioning at top performance, as this is still improving daily.
Be careful what you read. It may be Vanderbuilt, but it's most likely a student-run simple study. Don't believe everything you read-just another's opinion!
Belgian Sheepdog Adictee
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: In Today
Posts: 6,101
The patients weren't studied before they ever drank, nor while they drank.
Articles like that are just 'fluff' with no real input. It is already known how many brain cells we destroy and the longer we drink the more we destroy. New pathways are not created overnight, but they can be and are created. SHEESH
Thanks for the laugh Dee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love and hugs,
Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,193
In early sobriety I do feel that my brain is certainly slow and gets confused easily. I often find myself feeling/acting drunk even though I'm not. I'll go into one room and forget what I'm doing. I'll use the wrong word or not really know how to say something, or not be able to concentrate. Symptoms such as these were part of the reason I wanted to stop drinking (usually I feel that I'm very smart so I knew alcohol was getting the best of me!), but I was surprised to find them lingering, and in some ways worsening, during sobriety. 
I hope my brain turns itself around soon!
I hope my brain turns itself around soon!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Pigtails...it's taken me awhile to get my brain sorted but eventuLly it seems to be doing better. I noticed a big improvement around 10 months I think. I did a lot of puzzles in early sobriety...it's a good way to exactitude the gray matter
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
basically they suggest we need to compensate for the injury we do to our brains, Dawnie - other parts of the brain learn to take over - at least in the initial period of recovery.
D
D
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
D-
at 10 days it definitely matched my experience! At 6 months, my brain is better than at 10, but not at top performance. I can't predict the future, but I've observed many others.....maybe I'll never be at top performance, maybe my new nerve pathways will surpass my old ones.
What this study reveals is that "yes, alcoholics have self made brain damage as seen at 10 days alcohol free." Of course the brain will be slower.
In my former life, I taught students with special needs. I have the eqivalency of a master's degree. Brain damage is real. If a person suffered brain damage as a result of trauma (in our case self inflicted daily of ethanyl alcohol), the brain will heal--usually be creating new neuron pathways. Their title is a little misleading....have they studied a 20 or more year non drinking alcoholic?
Again, it only proves that a damaged brain is slow.....
The brain is amazing!
at 10 days it definitely matched my experience! At 6 months, my brain is better than at 10, but not at top performance. I can't predict the future, but I've observed many others.....maybe I'll never be at top performance, maybe my new nerve pathways will surpass my old ones.
What this study reveals is that "yes, alcoholics have self made brain damage as seen at 10 days alcohol free." Of course the brain will be slower.
In my former life, I taught students with special needs. I have the eqivalency of a master's degree. Brain damage is real. If a person suffered brain damage as a result of trauma (in our case self inflicted daily of ethanyl alcohol), the brain will heal--usually be creating new neuron pathways. Their title is a little misleading....have they studied a 20 or more year non drinking alcoholic?
Again, it only proves that a damaged brain is slow.....
The brain is amazing!
Administrator
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
I realise it's all a little self evident...& I had a little fun with it with Homer there - but as a guy with cerebral palsy I'm always interested in the brain and how it makes new pathways.
I think the thing about this study is it used fMRI to confirm its findings...not that it was necessarily breaking any startling new scientific ground
D
I think the thing about this study is it used fMRI to confirm its findings...not that it was necessarily breaking any startling new scientific ground
D
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
