Brain Fog Help!
 

Hi guys, a newcomer here. Having been a 1-2 times a week big session drinker since i was around 16 (now 31) i feel its time to get my health back to a good standard and try to quit completely as im sick of the constant hangovers. The main symptom i seem to suffer which drives me to drink time and time again is the recurring brain fog. This seems to almost completely disappear when i have my first beer. Vicious cycle eh! Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to how i can combat these symptoms and make life a little more enjoyable/tolerable whilst my body gets back to a reasonable functioning level. Thanks, apprectiate any feedback!

Welcome Alcoholiday! I only have a little over a hundred days sober but feel 100% better! I've been up and down the whole time. I think it just takes time and determination. That's just me though, everybody is different. I know that stuff was going to kill me and I would die miserable It's not easy but it's so worth it! You've come to the right place if you are serious about quitting! Keep reading and posting. Good luck. Tom

Welcome to SR alcoholiday.

Congratulations on deciding to quit

It took about 10 or 11 months for the brain fog to finally disappear but I was further down the line than you and did not quit until I was 54 so hopefully yours should be less than that

I'm at 3 1/2 months and I have it today, but it has improved a bunch. The first month it was everyday and now it is a couple of times a week, so I see improvement. Sometimes it's tough for me to maintain a positive attitude but I know I have to move forward.

Don't get discouraged, which is easy to do. Look for small improvements.

I'm at almost 3 months and the fog has been with me all week

I fell like once I stopped drinking my head began to clear. Now with several months sober my brAin operates much better.

I started feeling 'sharper' at around six months, and much better at a year. Different for everyone.

Alcoholiday: How about exercise when the fog rolls in? Don't fall for the beer routine. Sounds like your AV may be using the fog to get you to pick up on the booze.

W.

My thinking power comes back in what I'd call an uphill wave. In the long run the trend is up but there are definitely valleys in there. The only way to heal is not to drink.

It does unfortunately drag on and on. I had it bad. I actually got scared that I had done some real damage to my brain. I felt improvement after about 3-4 months. Its different for everyone. It's wonderful when it goes away. And it does go away. Hang in there.

The brain seems to resemble the liver in its enormous capacity to heal itself if given a chance. Drinking causes physical changes in the brain where it attempts to "adapt" to alcohol. When there is no alcohol it often makes enormous progress "adapting back" to normalcy. It just has to be given a chance, by not drinking.

W.

Binge drinking destroys brain cells. Once the alcohol burns off (so to speak) - the vbrain begins to heal, rewire- to balance itself. The feeling better with the first drink? Chemical certainly- but also less anxiety etc. Do not kid yourself though- you do not think more clearly just because alcohol makes you feel better in the short term.

Perhaps paying some strict attention to your diet would help.

Fruits and veggies, perhaps some vitamins, reduce simple carbs, eat healthy fats, etc.

Mine was bad when I quit drinking. But it went away after about a month. I literally could NOT REMEMBER how to get to work when I quit drinking. I couldn't figure out how to get onto the highway. It was scary. Rest, water, healthy food....protein, veggies. Don't eat sodium laden fast food and junk.

Not sure from your post if you plan to quit completely. That is the only way I have found that my mind - and everything else- has cleared. I saw a lot of mprovement around 100 days. I am closing in on a year now and fatigue is really my only residual issue (also impacted by job etc so not just a past- drinker symptom).

Thanks for all the responses ! Much appreciated, and great to read that alot of you are well on your way to being alcohol free. Turns out i caved the other day and had some beers, serious guilt with the first sip and then the obvious deep regret the day after. The reward signals in the brain were too strong. Maybe im just being weak, i have started excerise and trying a stint of vitamin c supplements as ive read it can reduce cravings (be interested to hear of some success stories on here) thanks again, will be trying harder this time!!

No sense in beating yourself up over it. That will just lead you back again.

I don't remember too much from my first two weeks sober I think I was in such a bad way I just had to heal. It gets better if you stay sober and gets worse if you drink so the choice is obvious but making it every day is hard. I hope you find your way out.

Well done Alcoholiday on getting straight back in the saddle. Its a battle I know, I slipped at Christmas and reset the clock back to day 1 after 3 months clean. Was so annoyed with myself, the brain fog came straight back big time. I have found that Vitamin B complex and a Thiamine Vitamin B1 along with healthy diet and mild exercise like walking helps me. I would also read up on "kindling" and educate yourself on the progressive damage you are doing to your brain with continued use etc. best of luck and keep us posted. C

Did the brain fog endure for the same time (and intensity) as when you first started off being sober?

I also had a slip after close to 5 month a couple of days ago and the brain fog was the most significant PAWS that came back up.