Alcoholism is a major concern in the US, with 10% of the population suffering from alcohol addiction. Additionally, 1-2% of the population develops a worrying condition called wet brain, which can cause a drastic decline in brain health. 20% of people who fail to receive treatment die, while 75% are left with lasting brain damage.
The severity of the condition makes it necessary to treat it promptly to avoid the worst possible effects. However, finding treatment requires understanding the disease and knowing its symptoms. The more you know, the greater your chances of recognizing its onset in yourself or your loved ones.
This blog will explain the causes of a wet brain, reveal symptoms, and discuss how it affects your mental and physical health.
What Causes Wet Brain
Wet brain, also called the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, results from long-term alcohol abuse. While alcohol is not a prohibited substance, it can cause addiction and damage the brain over time. The reason for the permanent damage is the vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency.
Thiamine is a necessary part of our diets because it is critical for maintaining heart and brain health. It supports the nervous system and performs several essential roles. Hence, it is evident that our body requires it for crucial functioning.
The only problem is that excessive alcohol use disrupts thiamine concentration in the body. Technically, this deficiency can occur due to poor diet, but the situation tends to occur more in people with alcohol addiction.
Why Thiamine Deficiency Is Common in People With Alcohol Addiction
There are two primary reasons why thiamine deficiency is more common in people with alcohol addiction.
- Alcohol disrupts a person’s ability to absorb thiamine from food.
- Alcohol damages the liver, preventing it from developing the enzyme that facilitates thiamine’s conversion into an active compound.
Additionally, liver damage due to alcohol prevents the organ from removing toxins from the body. The remaining toxins further damage the body and often make their way to the brain, accelerating its deterioration. And the more alcohol you consume, the worse the effects and quicker your overall decline.
How Wet Brain Affects your Physical and Mental Health
A wet brain is severely detrimental to a person’s well-being and occurs in two stages.
- Wernicke’s Encephalopathy (Stage 1)
- Korsakoff’s Psychosis (Stage 2)
Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
Wernicke’s encephalopathy is the first stage of brain deterioration of this condition. The initial symptoms may be difficult to detect in their mild stages due to their similarity to the body’s state during a drunken stupor. However, they persist even when the person becomes sober, a telling sign, and get worse if the condition goes untreated.
Below are the symptoms you will experience during this stage:
- Balance Issues – The initial damage impairs the body’s ability to gauge the body’s position accurately, affecting balance. In some cases, people also experience tremors in their legs, making it difficult to maintain a steady pace.
- Double Vision – A common symptom includes blurred or double vision. You may also feel them droop more often, even when you aren’t drinking.
- Rapid Eye Movement – Your eyes may move back and forth rapidly, increasing strain and causing difficulty focusing.
- Confusion – Several patients dealing with alcohol addiction experience perpetual confusion because they cannot process information normally.
- Faster Heartbeat – You may feel your heart rate pick up, even when you aren’t active. This pattern indicates that your heart has also become slightly damaged.
- Drowsiness and Low Blood Pressure – Some patients have low energy levels, leading them to remain drowsy. They can also suffer from low blood pressure, which indicates cardiovascular damage.
Although stage 1 has several worrying symptoms, it is treatable. Most experts recommend getting tested as early as possible and starting treatment before the condition progresses to the second stage.
Korsakoff’s Psychosis
Korsakoff’s psychosis is the second stage of the condition; typically, it cannot be reversed even with treatment. Following are the most common symptoms of its onset:
- Short-Term Memory Loss – you or your loved one will start having difficulty forming new memories or learning new things. This is the first symptom to appear in the second stage and –should push you into action if you haven’t already done it.
- Potential Long-Term Memory Loss – in some cases, people also have trouble recalling some of their long-term memories. Unfortunately, it worsens the confusion and leads to them filling the gaps with fake stories instead.
- Cognitive Dysfunction – you’ll notice an evident difficulty in processing information. Part of it results from learning issues, but some of these symptoms are due to a further decline in cognitive abilities.
- Difficulty Putting Thoughts into Words – some patients lose their ability to connect their thoughts to speech, making it difficult to turn their ideas into words. It is incredibly frustrating, but there is little anyone can do to rectify it.
- Hallucinations – hallucinations are common in patients whose condition has worsened significantly. Their nature isn’t always dangerous or disruptive, but it is always better to be careful and seek medical attention.
Wet Brain Treatment
The primary wet brain treatment is the removal of alcohol from your system. Unfortunately, taking this step alone will be challenging if your condition has progressed. It is best to seek a suitable rehab and opt for the inpatient program.
It will allow you to get the necessary medical attention while the staff ensures you don’t have any access to alcohol.
Is Full Recovery Possible?
The good news is that a full recovery is possible, but only if the treatment starts in the earliest stage of the condition. If the condition progresses, full recovery will become more challenging. Additionally, the chances of full recovery disappear the moment a patient enters the second stage.
The damage at this stage is not reversible, and the best the patient will get is to stop the progress.
Wrapping Up
We hope this blog post clarified any confusion about the wet brain and gave you the needed information. Please seek immediate help if you or your loved one require treatment for alcohol abuse. The sooner you get service, the better it will be for your well-being.
