How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain?

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You know that alcohol can change how you think, feel, and act. But by the next day, you’ll always be back to normal with no lasting effects, right? Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Understanding how alcohol affects the brain may prompt you to reevaluate how often and how much you drink.

Effects of Alcohol on the Brain

There is no short answer to the question, how does alcohol affect the brain? 

The myriad possible ways that alcohol can impact the human brain range from immediate (and hopefully temporary) problems to long-term, potentially irreversible, damage.

Long-Term Effects

The long-term effects of alcohol on the brain include both structural and functional changes. 

From a structural perspective, a recent analysis of brain imaging data from more than 36,000 European adults found a link between alcohol use and:

  • Overall brain atrophy (shrinkage)
  • Lower gray matter volume in various brain regions 
  • Diminished white matter volume
  • Neural loss (death of nerve cells)
  • Altered connectivity among brain regions

Alcohol’s long-term impact on brain functioning can include effects such as:

  • Memory loss
  • Difficulty with planning and decision-making
  • Slowed mental processes
  • Lack of impulse control
  • Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
  • Dementia
  • Stroke

Long-term brain damage from alcohol use is often presented as the result of frequent binge drinking and/or heavy consumption over an extended period of time. 

However, the researchers who analyzed the European brain imaging data found that having even one drink per day can be harmful. The degree of damage that a person may experience, they reported, increases with each additional daily drink.

Short-Term Effects

If you’ve ever been around someone who drank more than they should have, you have probably already witnessed a few answers to the question, how does alcohol affect the brain over the short term

Common short-term effects of alcohol use include:

  • Change in mood
  • Slurred speech
  • Delayed response time
  • Confusion
  • Problems with balance and coordination
  • Impulsivity
  • Diminished inhibitions
  • Poor decision-making

Though these effects are described as short-term, they can lead to long-term damage. 

For example, problems with impulse control and decision-making can cause people to engage in risky or reckless behaviors, such as driving while intoxicated or getting into fights. Confusion, delayed response time, and poor coordination can increase their risk of causing and/or incurring serious harm as a result of these poor choices. 

What Effects Does Alcohol Have on Mental Health?

Alcohol is a depressant that initially acts as a stimulant, which is why change in mood is included as one of the short-term effects in the previous section. 

Usually, when a person starts to drink, they become more talkative and less inhibited, and appear to be a bit happier. As they continue to drink and the alcohol continues to affect their brain, their mood make take a substantial downturn. Someone who is heavily intoxicated may become angry, agitated, and combative.

When someone undergoes significant mood changes when drinking, it’s common to assume that they’ll be back to “normal” once they have sobered up. But if a person drinks on a regular basis, they may be at risk for lasting mental health concerns. 

Alcohol abuse and addiction can be risk factors for various mental health issues, including:

  • Anger management problems
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Psychosis
  • Paranoia
  • Urge to self-harm
  • Suicidal ideation

Conversely, several mental health conditions have been identified as risk factors for problematic alcohol use. Depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia are just a few of the many mental illnesses that are associated with higher than average rates of alcohol abuse and addiction.

Clinicians refer to the simultaneous presence of alcohol use disorder (alcoholism) and mental illness as dual diagnosis. Regardless of which condition a person developed first, effective treatment for someone with dual diagnosis must address both the alcohol addiction and the mental health concern. 

This is one reason why it is so important to find a treatment provider that will conduct a thorough mental and behavioral health assessment, so that they can develop a comprehensive plan to treat the full scope of your needs.

What Does Alcohol Do to Your Body?

Of course, the negative effects of alcohol use aren’t limited to the cognitive, psychological, and emotional realms. Drinking can also expose a person to considerable physical harm, such as:

  • Injuries due to slips, falls, and alcohol-induced recklessness
  • Cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle)
  • Heart disease
  • Heart failure
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Respiratory problems
  • Pancreatitis
  • Steatosis (which was formerly referred to as fatty liver disease)
  • Alcoholic hepatitis
  • Cirrhosis

Chronic alcohol abuse has also been linked to myriad types of cancer, including:

  • Esophageal cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Breast cancer
  • Liver cancer

Moderate drinking can limit your risk, but only way to be certain that alcohol won’t cause lasting damage to your body or brain is to refrain from drinking altogether. 

If you’re unable to limit or end your alcohol use, it may be time to think about treatment. With proper care and a concerted effort on your part, you can overcome the stranglehold that alcohol currently has on you, so that you can start living the healthier life you deserve.

Contact Renewal Health Group to Start Treatment

Renewal Health Group offers a full continuum of customized care to help people who have become addicted to alcohol and other drugs.

Our network includes several addiction treatment centers in Southern California and Arizona. Treatment options at these rehab facilities include detox, residential care, and multiple outpatient programs. Our team can work with you to assess your needs and determine which level or levels of care will best prepare you for successful, long-term recovery.

To learn more about how Renewal Health Group can help you or a loved one, or to schedule a free consultation, please visit our Contact page or call us today.

Published: 2/4/2025