Memory and alcohol use
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Seattle WA
Posts: 134
Memory and alcohol use
Hi, haven’t posted here in awhile. I am 53 and a daily drinker of 2-4 beers for many years. I’m starting to feel like my brain is fuzzy a lot of the time. My mom has dementia and I so don’t want it, but am genetically at risk. I’m trying to sort out what is normal aging, what might be alcohol related and what could be early signs of dementia. Anyhow My question is for those who have achieved sobriety. How long was it after you quit drinking that you felt like your brain and memory we’re back to “normal”. Thanks in advance for your replies
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Minnesota, USA
Posts: 1,468
Welcome,
For me, it took about 3 month's for the fog to start to lift.
I am now 10 months and I feel I have my full memory back as I am able to remember more things, almost everything. My son and I play that Simon says game every day (the one where the colors light up and it is a pattern you have to repeat!) , that could be helping too
For me, it took about 3 month's for the fog to start to lift.
I am now 10 months and I feel I have my full memory back as I am able to remember more things, almost everything. My son and I play that Simon says game every day (the one where the colors light up and it is a pattern you have to repeat!) , that could be helping too
Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,137
My memory was the worst just after getting sober. Or maybe I just noticed it less while I was still drunk.
It took around 3-6 months until I was able to read a whole page of text in one go again. Before I couldn't focus enough and kept forgetting what I just read. At around 1 year it was really good again. But I'm quite a bit younger so I don't know how age affects the whole recovery process.
Anyway, quitting booze is a great decision, not just for your health!
It took around 3-6 months until I was able to read a whole page of text in one go again. Before I couldn't focus enough and kept forgetting what I just read. At around 1 year it was really good again. But I'm quite a bit younger so I don't know how age affects the whole recovery process.
Anyway, quitting booze is a great decision, not just for your health!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Lakeside, Arizona
Posts: 1,138
It took a solid 13+ months for the brain fog to lift, I'm at 17.5 months and still pretty forgetful. I'm normally kind of a scatterbrain but it's still exasperated a bit still. I'm actually dyslexic and that makes for a forgetful person .. it's different for everyone.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: US
Posts: 5,095
I always find this question perplexing. I have to diagnose an organ with the very organ that is damaged Kind of a conundrum.
I am 53 as well. My parents both have dementia. We believe my fathers is all alcohol related....Wernekes. My mother, also a daily drinker, but not alcoholic, seems to have just straight up dementia. Who knows. But a powerful neurotoxin like booze certainly can't help. At minimum it leaches the body of B1 which is strongly linked to cognition issues and is the cause of Wernekes.
All that said, I'm 16 months or so in and I'd say noticeably more 'crisp' mentally than even a few months ago. The longest period sober that I have had is 2 years and I would say I noticed improvements on an ongoing basis. So who knows how long it takes.
Kind of a conundrum.I am 53 as well. My parents both have dementia. We believe my fathers is all alcohol related....Wernekes. My mother, also a daily drinker, but not alcoholic, seems to have just straight up dementia. Who knows. But a powerful neurotoxin like booze certainly can't help. At minimum it leaches the body of B1 which is strongly linked to cognition issues and is the cause of Wernekes.
All that said, I'm 16 months or so in and I'd say noticeably more 'crisp' mentally than even a few months ago. The longest period sober that I have had is 2 years and I would say I noticed improvements on an ongoing basis. So who knows how long it takes.
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,352
Hi and welcome 27Cougar
Of course there's no one answer - eveyones different.
I have a family history on both sides of vascular dementia so this is an issue thats troubled me too.
By the end of my drinking days I couldn't remember pin numbers, phone numbers, names of friends from high school, lyrics from my own music....
I was not even 40.
Add to that a few mini strokes in my last detox - and it took me a long time to get back to what I considered normal memory function etc.
I got much better after 3-6 months but full recovery I reckon was about 5 years.
I'm never going to be like I was at 25 or even 30 but I'm pretty good again now at 51.
Not trying to scare anyone just trying to show that there's a lot at stake in that next drink.
D
Of course there's no one answer - eveyones different.
I have a family history on both sides of vascular dementia so this is an issue thats troubled me too.
By the end of my drinking days I couldn't remember pin numbers, phone numbers, names of friends from high school, lyrics from my own music....
I was not even 40.
Add to that a few mini strokes in my last detox - and it took me a long time to get back to what I considered normal memory function etc.
I got much better after 3-6 months but full recovery I reckon was about 5 years.
I'm never going to be like I was at 25 or even 30 but I'm pretty good again now at 51.
Not trying to scare anyone just trying to show that there's a lot at stake in that next drink.
D
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 635
Everyone is different and the sooner you stop that better. again there are not guarantees.
My fathers father had alzeimer and cirrhosis . it was very hush hush in my house. my father never drink at least i never saw him under the influence. these things are genetic sooo a huge trigger for me. My memory is horrible i don't remember my 20s just highlights of horrible episodes of me drunk besides that nothing.
i need to separated from my expectations from quit drinking because usually when i quit things get worts. good new the longes i had been sober in over 20 years its been 50 +days. so it can get better but the best policy its get off the bus.
alcohol will kill you just because you and I are an alcoholic and used a toxic substance to fix the unimaginable hole in our life. good luck and keep posting
My fathers father had alzeimer and cirrhosis . it was very hush hush in my house. my father never drink at least i never saw him under the influence. these things are genetic sooo a huge trigger for me. My memory is horrible i don't remember my 20s just highlights of horrible episodes of me drunk besides that nothing.
i need to separated from my expectations from quit drinking because usually when i quit things get worts. good new the longes i had been sober in over 20 years its been 50 +days. so it can get better but the best policy its get off the bus.
alcohol will kill you just because you and I are an alcoholic and used a toxic substance to fix the unimaginable hole in our life. good luck and keep posting
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