Quitting Alcohol: What Happens To Your Brain When You Stop Drinking?

18 May Quitting Alcohol: What Happens To Your Brain When You Stop Drinking?

However, if you’re struggling with brain fog or other symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, it’s important to seek professional help. Alcohol-related cognitive impairments are more prevalent than you might think, affecting anywhere from 30% to 80% of people with alcohol use disorder. The wide range depends on factors such as age, genetics, the quantity and alcohol brain fog frequency of alcohol consumption, and the duration of drinking. Gender also plays a role, as alcohol affects women and men differently. Alcohol-induced brain fog is a state of confusion, lack of focus and mental obscurity that can occur after drinking alcohol and during withdrawal. There are several keys to unlocking a swift recovery from brain fog.

After two weeks of abstinence, the benefits of no longer drinking at harmful levels continue to become evident. After two weeks of total abstinence from alcohol, the most common symptom reported is insomnia, but that could be attributed to other factors, as well. By day eight of abstinence from alcohol, many begin to see the health advantages of quitting.

Brain fog after quitting drinking

Once you take away the chemical reactions that alcohol causes, your brain has to refigure out how to work normally again. Brain fog during the initial stages of withdrawal is often just your brain trying to figure out how it used to function before it was flooded with alcohol on a regular basis. Brain fog recovery time can be impacted by the severity of alcohol abuse, mental health issues, and lifestyle habits. Taking proper steps to treat these issues can help minimize its duration. The journey to recovery involves managing withdrawal symptoms, making healthier lifestyle choices, and exploring various treatment options including therapy, counseling, medication, and detox programs.

• While everyone’s experience is different, learning more about the typical withdrawal timeline can help you set expectations and make a plan to get through challenges.
• When a person drinks heavily, frequently, or for prolonged periods of time, their brain compensates for alcohol’s depressant effects by releasing more stimulating chemicals (compared to when a person does not drink).
• “Last night was horrible. I was soaking wet with sweat, I jumped a few times in my sleep, and I had very vivid dreams.”
• Alcohol-related brain fog can generally last several days to weeks after quitting drinking.
• A medically supervised detox is the first crucial step towards successfully quitting drinking.

The right treatment can help you overcome brain fog and promote long-term recovery. However, for some, the physical symptoms will continue even after seven days. If you’re still experiencing physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms after a week, you should contact your healthcare provider immediately.

What Happens To Your Brain When You Stop Drinking?

In the fourth week of abstinence from alcohol, the benefits keep piling up, according to the reports of those who remained sober for more than three weeks. “I am feeling better than I have in a while, a long while. I still have a few side effects like sleeplessness, anxiety, irritability, and I crave sweets all the time.” “Symptoms are reducing daily, and I have had the best two night’s sleep in a very long time. Just loving waking up without counting the hours to the next drink.” The longer you’re abstinent, the more time your mind and body have to heal.

A few ibuprofen and a massive glass of water can cure your basic hangover symptoms, but brain fog after drinking isn’t always so easy to shake. Melissa Mitri, MS, RD, Registered Dietitian, Nutrition Writer, and Owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition, explains that consuming ultra-processed foods has been thought to contribute to brain fog. These include breakfast cereals, packaged breads, and bakery products such as muffins and donuts, which are often laden with refined grains, added sugars, and unhealthy fats. Once the body is free of alcohol, the brain can begin to heal itself but long-term recovery from alcoholism requires continued support and lifestyle modifications. This can involve counseling, support groups, and healthy behaviors like regular exercise and a well-balanced diet.

Medical Supervision

Feeling terrible, unable to think clearly, and struggling to make sound decisions can make it all too tempting to reach for a drink again. Find out more about FHE Health’s medically supervised alcohol detox program and how we can help you take the first step toward a healthier, sober lifestyle when you contact us today. Symptoms may include disorientation, severe hallucinations, high blood pressure, and a risk of serious medical complications such as heart attack, stroke, or death, particularly in those with underlying health conditions.

• Now that we’ve covered the first four stages of withdrawal, let’s take a look at the weeks and months that follow.
• “I quit two days ago and have just had the unfortunate experience of a seizure, as well as many visual and tactile hallucinations. Massive sweats and tremors.”
• If you think you or someone you know may be struggling with alcohol addiction, it is vital to seek professional help as soon as possible.
• Symptoms may include disorientation, severe hallucinations, high blood pressure, and a risk of serious medical complications such as heart attack, stroke, or death, particularly in those with underlying health conditions.
• The holiday season is a great time to make new traditions with friends and family.
• A person with delirium tremens needs to be hospitalized until the symptoms can be controlled.
• Cut yourself off from caffeine by six hours before bedtime, and drink plenty of water and other hydrating beverages.