We have all most likely seen how alcohol affects the brain. Things like difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, memory issues, and slower reaction times. These are completely different issues than when someone drinks heavily over a long period of time.
Studies have shown that drinking can cause brain damage and memory problems that are lasting. Some of these problems cause people to need constant care. What isn't for sure it how much drinking it takes to have these problems. It varies from person to person, how much they drink and how often, the age that the drinking began, age, weight, gender, genetic factors, and the person's overall health.
Memory issues and blackouts are real problems for people who drink. Memory impairment increases with each drink that an individual has. There are many people who will drink and the following day not recall every detail of the time that they were intoxicated. Along those lines are blackouts. These are more serious because people literally can't remember what happened in a certain span of time while they were intoxicated. While equal numbers of men and women report that they have experienced black outs studies find that women are more prone to blackouts. The reason for this is believed to be because of the difference in how men and women metabolize alcohol.
Because of the difference in how women metabolize alcohol they are at a greater risk of all medical consequences that are alcohol related. We also know that a developing brain of a younger person (teens who drink) is at greater risk of having medical consequences because of underage drinking.
If you or someone you know has a problem with drinking please get them help from a rehabilitation center as soon as possible.
*Information taken from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
