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For example, a person in the Korsakoff’s psychosis stage of wet brain may begin to notice tachycardia or a more rapid heartbeat. They may also notice problems in their central nervous system and extremities, like hands and feet. Medical experts say the best treatment for living with this disease is to stay sober, eat healthily and receive the most appropriate support for their ongoing cognitive and physical needs. Despite its efficacy, an alcohol detox program on its what is alcoholism own is not a solution for long-term sobriety. Continuing your addiction treatment with a drug and alcohol rehab program can help you develop the necessary life skills and coping strategies to maintain your sobriety. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be severe and even deadly, in some cases, so detoxing under medical supervision is always the safest and most effective way to quit alcohol and begin a new, sober lifestyle.
- While the medical terminology might be complex, we’ll use ‘Wet Brain’ throughout this article for a better user experience.
- Alcoholic wet brain, or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), is a lesser-known consequence of alcoholism, but the impact it has on sufferers is debilitating and deadly.
- The second reason heavy alcohol consumption causes thiamine deficiency is because alcohol prevents the liver from working properly.
- While thiamine deficiency can happen to people with poor diets, it is more common in those who drink heavily over the course of many years.
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When we think about alcohol use disorder, one of the key medical issues that comes to mind is liver damage, but perhaps one of the most under discussed and dangerous consequences is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Talk about what it is and why it should be a concern of anyone who is or has a loved one battling AUD. For example, suppose you are a chronic and heavy drinker who does not have sufficient nutritional understanding of healthy eating and drinks, leading to a poor nutritional diet.
Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
Unfortunately, many people find that they are unable to put down the drink even when they want to, and need help in order to do so. But, if you are dedicated and committed to improving your life through recovery, you can overcome substance misuse for good. For those unable to attend in-person sessions, online or phone-based therapy provides accessible support. Preventing Wet Brain requires treating the root cause, which is excessive alcohol use. A decline in appetite is a common symptom, often linked to nutritional deficiencies. Conditions can affect gut absorption, such as gastrointestinal disorders, can hinder thiamine absorption, leading to Wet Brain.
Characteristics of Wet Brain
What people tend to not think about, or might not even know about, is a condition known as wet brain. Receiving treatment early before permanent damage occurs will greatly raise your chances. The majority of deaths are caused by infections to the lungs, high blood toxicity, or permanent brain damage. While early intervention during the Wernicke’s encephalopathy stage can prevent the progression to Korsakoff’s psychosis, many individuals do not receive treatment in time. It’s important to recognize the early signs of this condition and seek prompt medical care.
- Eventually, the damage will become so severe that it is irreversible and cannot be treated.
- Individuals who chronically abuse alcohol are at a higher risk of developing wet brain.
- However, many individuals, both in the medical field and out of it, refer to it as Wet Brain.
- This way, you can get alerts for potential dangers that you may not have even been aware of.
- However, once a person is in the end stages of wet brain, or once it has developed into Korsakoff’s psychosis, the damage done to the brain is not reversible.
When a person is suffering from addiction combined with things like depression, it can be even harder for him or her to overcome substance abuse. People who suffer from addiction to alcohol tend to have poor diets that don’t cater to their nutritional needs, which can result in a lack of thiamine. Additionally, alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb thiamine, which can harm the brain’s ability to function normally.
What Treatment Options are Available for Those with Wet Brain Syndrome?
It’s that frustrating feeling when your usual sharp wit and quick thinking seem to have abandoned ship, leaving you floundering in a sea of mental molasses. The authors also noticed the rats treated with psilocybin showed reduced hyper-reactivity to CO2 following their head injuries and “dramatic” differences in their functional connectivity. Compared to the rats that received head knocks without psilocybin, however, those rats given a small dose of the psychedelic treatment showed reduced swelling in their brains. They still had more than rats given no knocks at all, but the overall harm was significantly alleviated. “What we found was that with head injuries… functional connections go down across the brain. You give the psilocybin and not only does it return to normal, but the brain becomes hyper connected.” Here’s more information about the study on depression, including criteria for people interested in participating.
Mission Harbor Behavioral Health
If treatment is, in fact, done correctly, Wernicke encephalopathy can be helped and symptoms can be reversed, but the patient must also quit drinking in order for this to last. Glucose, a type of sugar, also increases the likelihood of developing an alcoholic wet brain. Because alcohol is turned into glucose sugar in the body, the risk factors of developing WKS, or wet brain, are increased for long-term alcoholics. Wet brain syndrome is a form of dementia that primarily affects chronic, long-term alcoholics at the end stages of their disease. The illness is formally known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, and it occurs in two separate stages.
Long-term alcohol consumption can lead to significant cognitive decline, affecting memory, thinking skills, and behavior. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, also commonly referred to as wet brain, is a serious brain disorder that can be life-threatening if not caught early and properly treated. Sandstone Care supports teens and young adults with mental health and substance use disorders. Not all alcoholics get dementia, however, excessive alcohol consumption can impact the brain and may put a person at a higher risk of developing dementia. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), sometimes called wet brain, is a brain disorder caused by a severe lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine). This condition happens in both short-term and long-term stages of the deficiency.