how drinking effects the brain

[hinescrockett]

My sons'mother drinks at least a twelve pack of beer after she gets off of work between the hours of 4:00pm and 9:30pm. Sometimes when she gets up at 6:30am she will have a beer before work. Even when she is not drinking I can smell alcohol coming from her. I've been told by friends that she might have what is called a wet brain. Does such a thing exsist and of so what is the medical term for it. My fiance is very argumentative most of the time but mainly when she drinks. One moment she's alright and the next she is furious. She has lost all sense of humor. You can't make a joke without her taking it serious or as a personal attack on her. Example: I would be with her (intermately) at one moment, at her advancement and she would start crying and say, I love you, I know I argue and fuss too much, I don't know why you stay with me, I know I drink too much, I'm sorry; Then less than three minutes latter while we are laying there she will start cursing calling me all kinds of names, mouth poked out and bring up something totally off the wall or an old argument that was settled long ago. She is like the character in that book "cyble". Everythings an argument. There is no doubt in my mind that she has a drinking problem because I've tried to get her not to drink for three day, she failed. What is this condition called and how can I help her, my 5 year old who also feels the brunt of her wrath. Is this condition dangerous to my son or me. Will I one day wake up with a knife in my back because of a drunken rage. I know it's dangerous to her.

[Barbara]

The condition is called alcoholism! Plain and simple! She needs to go to detox if she drinks that much. No wonder her moods swing so much. I get really nasty when I drink too. It's a common problem with alcoholics. She won't be able to stop on her own because she is addicted and probably goes through bad withdrawal when she trys to cut down or quit. She needs professional medical help. The withdrawal really sucks and no one wants to go through it if they don't have to. She really needs to want to quit to achieve it and even then it is a major struggle.

[sallie]

My significant other drinks about 7 or 8 beers a night but will also take 15-20 with him out of the boat when he goes fishing. The strange thing is that he shows absolutely no affect from the drinking, however, he is an alcoholic just by his need to always have a can of beer in his hands.  My problem is that he is obsessive about the fishing. It is ALL he can talk and think about. If he isn't fishing, he's on the internet fishing boards talking about it. He is losing me along the way because I deserve more.  I am trying to find out how these two connect...drinking and obsessing.  Again, the only time I see him angry is when I question the amount he has had, and because his ex wife used to do that, he explodes on me about it!  It's not fun and I'm not happy. Any ideas

[Sandi]

The connection is obsessive compulsive. Hinecrocket, I would keep the little one away from the alcoholic, no reason he should have to endure that too, I can't tell, do you live with her? If so, get out find a way any way, but get out, there will never be rationality with an alcoholic and the damage you will do to your son wil never be worth the free rent.

[Barbara]

Sallie- yes, there is a connection between alcoholism and obsessive compulsive behavour in many alcoholics. I am currently being treated with 4MG of Klonopin a day for the anxiety and nearly continous withdrawal from trying to quit drinking and Celexa for depression and obsessive compulsive behavour.

The Klonopin stops the, partial seizures "shakedowns" I was getting a couple of months ago and the DT's but the withdrawal still sucks anyway. I feel like **** most of the time.

Luckily I can still work fulltime and keep up my house. I live alone so I don't bother anyone else with my drinking problem. Hopefully someday I will be able to stop drinking completly.

For those of you affected by alcoholics, if you don't want to leave them, then try Al-anon, it may be a big help for you to deal with the situation better.

[Donald Smith]

You have two choices, either get her some proffesional help or
you and your 5 year old get on a bus and take it as far as you
can afford.  No excuses accepted, eh.

[Robert]

According to friends I developed Wernicke's encephalopathy during the time I was a heavy drinker. I was dizzy all the time and had trouble walking. I quit drinking 17 days ago and started taking B-1. Will this eventually clear up???

[Kristen]

My mother has been drinking heavily and steadily for 25 years. Right now she is in the hospital because of a bad fall she had when she was drunk. Luckily she did not do any damage because of the fall, however alcohol has damaged her brain. She is currently experiencing withdrawl, DT'S etc. The first week was really bad, she had halucinations and incredible shakes, the haluctinations have ended but she is experiencing severe confusion and delusions as a result of the alcohol and what it has done to her brain. Luckily she is in a hospital and is receiving medical attention otherwise I know that she would not have been able to do this. Every day I visit her and I see her strugling and I listen to her talk about things that don't exist and hear her talking about people that are no longer in her life as if they still are and it is frustrating. I am hoping that she regains a lot of her memory and that I get my mother back but I am scared because it just seems so severe! She is even having to learn to walk again. It is going to be an uphill battle but I know that she is on the road to recovery, just how much she will recover remains to be seen. I am trying to be optomistic but sometimes it is so hard. Seeing my mother go through this is more than enough to stop me from ever drinking again even though I hardly do. I never knew what damage alcohol could do to the brain not to mention other vital organs especially the liver. If I had known this 20 years ago I probobally would have tried to stop her.

[Laura]

SOUNDS LIKE YOUR WIFE NEEDS TO START GOING TO SOME AA MEETINGS, AND YOU NEED TO START ATTENDING ALANON. IF YOUR WIFE STARTS CHEWING ON ARMS AND LEGS SHE MOST LIKELY HAS REACHED THE WET BRAIN STAGE OF HER DRINKING. IF THIS HAPPENS GRAB THE KID AND RUN LIKE HELL.YOU WON'T FIND ANY WET BRAINED PEOPLE IN PUBLIC PLACES
BCAUSE THEY ARE BEHIND LOCKED DOORS.