Booze & the Brain
When I decided to stop drinking after recognising I had a problem, I found it weirdly comforting to learn about how alcohol affects the brain. I think it helped me feel better about some of my own daft behaviours after drinking a lot and be more compassionate to myself. I wanted to share my comfort in case any of you are finding yourself navigating the murky, shark infested waters of problematic drinking.
Why alcohol strips away our ability to make good decisions
For starters, alcohol affects the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation. So you know how you don't actually stand up and smack Jeremy from accounts every time he sits loudly chewing his microwaved salmon at lunch, even though part of you really wants to? That's because of your prefrontal cortex. It says to you “Hey, you know what’s cool? Being able to pay the rent. Sit down, Sarah.” Everybody say ‘thank you prefrontal cortex’ (especially you, Jeremy).
Why alcohol turns us all into cavefolks
According to Schulte et al., (2009), with our prefrontal cortex less engaged, the part of our brain that houses all of our caveman instincts (the limbic system) has more room to run free. There’s a reason drunk people just want to fight, eat or shag! Those three behaviours have kept us alive as a species over the years. They’re our most basic instincts, our default settings. It’s just normally our more evolved brain is around to keep us in check. Now think about the knock on effects of unleashing our inner caveman on a night out? Ever gotten into a fight and ended up losing friendships over it? Been arrested? Put your sexual or physical health at risk? Made decisions that negatively impact your sober life? Eaten from a kebab shop with a 2 star food hygiene rating? A collective groan of regret from the crowd These things can have such an enormous impact on our sober lives that our mental health and wellbeing can suffer tremendously.
Personally, I like to think of the prefrontal cortex as a school teacher, and the limbic system as a rowdy class of 13 year olds. When alcohol is around, it’s kind of like the rowdy class of 13 year olds have locked the school teacher in the science cupboard and are causing chaos whilst they can. My current clients will be able to attest to my myriad of inventive (and ridiculous) metaphors.
Why alcohol makes us forget stuff
And as for why you might wake up with holes in your memory? That’s alcohol having its way with your hippocampus, the part of our brain responsible for forming memories and spatial awareness. (Crews and Nixon, 2009)
But drinking stops me from feeling anxious…
A lot of people who suffer from anxiety say that they drink because it helps to alleviate the symptoms. It’s a bit of a false economy though, because the reason you don’t feel so anxious when you’re drunk is because alcohol is a depressant that affects your central nervous system. It can temporarily reduce feelings of anxiety by slowing down brain activity and decreasing inhibitions, but the effects are short-lived and when the alcohol wears off? BOOM, anxiety and depression central, baby.
Listen, there’s no judgement here. If you’re someone who enjoys a drink and feels they can do that without disaster ripping through their life like a tsunami, then cheers to you! But if you’re someone who’s questioning their relationship with alcohol, reach out at redclaypsychotherapy@gmail.com, or use any of the resources below:
Find out more about Alcoholics Anonymous or find a meeting
