You may have heard that drinking alcohol kills off brain cells, but is this actually true? In fact, it’s not surprising that many people believe this, considering the behavior that some exhibit when they’ve had one too many drinks. Every day, alcohol abuse leads to risky behaviors and negative health consequences. However, does alcohol kill brain cells? The answer may surprise you.
Exactly How Does Alcohol Kill Brain Cells?
The short answer to this question is no. The amount of alcohol it takes to kill brain cells would kill the person drinking as well.
This doesn’t mean that alcohol abuse doesn’t damage the brain, however. In addition, alcohol dependency and addiction cause damage to other parts of the body. This doesn’t even touch on the effects of a person’s mental health and relationships.
The Damaging Effects of Alcohol Abuse
Now that you know the answer to does alcohol kill brain cells, you may want to know what damage alcohol abuse can do.
Moderate drinking is generally safe for most people. However, alcohol abuse is another story.
The longer a person abuses alcohol, the greater the chance they’ll develop brain damage, which could result in cognitive problems. Moreover, this is less likely than brain function impairment that many people suffer when they have too much to drink.
Alcohol is a depressant, and drinking often results in impaired judgment and coordination problems. In fact, long-term alcohol abuse may lead to liver and heart disease. The more someone drinks, the more likely they’ll grow physically and psychologically dependent on alcohol.
Eventually, they may develop an alcohol addiction, which is difficult to overcome without proper treatment.
Signs of Alcohol Addiction
It’s not always easy to recognize when someone has an alcohol addiction because social drinking is so widespread. However, if you think you may have a problem, these are common signs of alcohol dependency:
- Having constant cravings for alcohol
- A need to drink more alcohol to feel the same effects
- Avoiding occasions that don’t involve drinking
- An inability to control your drinking
- Loss of interest in hobbies or activities
If this sounds like you or someone you know, getting help before the problem becomes any worse is key.
A Sober Future Is Waiting for You
Silver Pines Treatment Center can help you break free of alcohol dependency and addiction. Our residential facility offers a variety of addiction treatment programs to achieve lasting sobriety.
For example, the services we offer include:
- Drug and alcohol detox center
- Alcohol addiction treatment
- Alcoholism treatment
- Men’s addiction program
- Women’s addiction program
You don’t have to keep walking the same path of drug and alcohol addiction. In fact, take a step toward a sober future with us. Call us today at 267.719.8689 for more information.
