There are some good news and a couple of bad news about brain recovery from alcohol use disorders. A recent medical research study on the sensitive area of brain functionality and behavior recovery after abstinence from alcohol indicates that some brain functions can recover fully while others could take a long time before recovery.
Let’s tackle the good news first; the research showed complete recovery or applaudable improvement in the performance level of healthy participants who never recorded alcohol use disorder there before. This was evident in many vital areas such as;
- Short-term memory
- Long-term memory
- Verbal IQ
- Verbal fluency
Perhaps more promising, not only actions but even the structure of the brain itself can recover; a rise in the hippocampus volume, the brain area involved in several memory functions, has been correlated with memory recovery.
In a separate report, the findings showed that, after six months of abstinence, alcohol-dependent participants had demonstrated a decrease in the “contextual priming task” for alcohol cues; this may suggest, regularly, that people with early recovery from alcohol dependency would be less likely to begin drinking when faced with alcohol and alcohol-related cues in their surrounding world, which is suitable for those people looking for recovery!
Other findings also found that prolonged abstinence is related to brain tissue gain; in other terms, changes in brain volumes such as cingulate and insula cortex, regions that are significant in opioid craving and decision-making, have been shown in abstinent alcoholics.
This rise is a positive thing since more tissue means more healing from alcohol-induced trauma. The increased volume of tissue in these areas can be attributed to a greater capacity to make informed decisions.
Now, The Not-So-Good News
These tests showed little change in visuospatial abilities, divided focus (e.g., several tasks at once), cognitive memory, continuous attention, impulsivity, planning, face recognition, etc.
This implies that, even after alcohol detoxification, people in rehabilitation can still have difficulties with specific neurocognitive processes, which may be necessary for the success of some occupations that enable people to pay attention for long periods or to recall long lists of demands.
These tasks can also be of interest to everyday life (i.e., assessing a spouse’s emotions, planning activities, etc.). Notably, several influences can affect the brain’s degree of regeneration, such as the number of previous detoxifications. Those with fewer than two detoxifications showed a better improvement than those with more than two detoxifications.
An extended family history of substance use disorder has also been linked with less recovery. Finally, smoking cigarettes can delay recovery, as tests have found that heavy smoking is associated with less healing over time.
In Context: Brain Functioning
Recovery of brain activity is possible after abstinence, which would inevitably occur in some domains, but the complete recovery could be more difficult in some areas.
Total rehabilitation of any behavior (e.g., prolonged attention or paying attention over long periods) can take more time and effort! Latest approaches, such as cognitive therapy or treatment (e.g., modafinil, which increased neurocognitive performance in people with schizophrenia or ADHD);
It could be essential to boost results even further in healthy populations but to wait for more research is best. Taken together, the evidence here indicates, especially for those with higher intensity, that it might be up to third-party players to fully comprehend recovery from addiction in the form of an overarching management strategy that also involves several episodes of therapy and preferably includes funding for post-treatment continued care.
While many clinics have a standardized, ‘boxed’ approach to care, at the Unified Recovery Project, we have customized treatment programs designed to discover the underlying causes and behaviors that are specific to addiction. Your individualized recovery program would have separate support groups based on your history and a luxurious living environment to help you discover peace and tranquility.
Get Help With Alcohol Abuse
We will then help you devise habits and healthy solutions to cope with anxious emotions and resolve difficult situations without using harmful drugs to provide temporary, deceptive relief. Our comprehensive treatment programs are focused on all areas of the recovery process. Reach out to us today via a call at 888-960-5121 or email our Johnson Street Hollywood, Florida offices at admissions@unitedrecoveryproject.com.
