Summary: <p>Mental Disorders<br> Caused by Addiction<br> Instructor: Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes<br> Executive Director: AllCEUs.com, Counselor Education and Training<br> Podcast Host: Counselor Toolbox & Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery<br> Objectives<br> ~ Define Alcohol Related Brain Damage<br> ~ Explore how an awareness of ARBD is vital for mental health as well as addiction counselors<br> ~ Learn about the symptoms of ARBDs including alcoholic dementia and vascular dementia<br> ~ Learn about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders</p> <p>Alcohol Related Brain Damage<br> ~ Damage directly caused to the person by exposure to alcohol or other drugs<br> ~ Alcohol Related Dementia (Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome)<br> ~ Vascular Dementia<br> ~ Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders<br> ~ According to the CDC<br> ~ Most excessive drinkers do not meet the criteria for dependence (meaning they may present in mental health clinics for treatment of mood disorder)<br> ~ About 17% of the adult population reported binge drinking, and 6% reported heavy drinking<br> Alcohol Related Brain Disorders<br> ~ Caused by regularly drinking too much alcohol over several years.<br> ~ Covers several different conditions which are similar to, but not actually dementia, including:<br> ~ Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome<br> ~ alcoholic dementia.<br> ~ In contrast to dementia (i.e.Alzheimer's disease), most people with ARBD who receive good support and remain alcohol-free<br> ~ Make a full or partial recovery<br> ~ Will not experience a worsening of their condition<br> Alcohol Related Brain Disorders<br> ~ ARBD is greatly undiagnosed.<br> ~ Post-mortem findings indicate it affects about 1 in 200 of the general adult population.<br> ~ Among those with alcoholism, this figure rises to as high as one in three<br> ~ People with ARBD tend to in their 40s or 50s<br> ~ Alcohol-related brain damage is thought to cause more than 10% of ‘dementia' in people under 65.</p> <p>Alcohol Related Brain Disorders<br> ~ Drinking more than the recommended limit for alcohol increases a person's risk of developing common types of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.<br> ~ Recommended limits are now a maximum of 14 drinks each week, with a maximum of 2 per day<br> ~ Repeated binge drinking – heavy drinking in one session is particularly harmful<br> ~ Increased risk of dementia is greatest at higher levels of alcohol consumption<br> ~ But you do not need to be an alcoholic or get drunk often to be at increased risk of developing dementia.<br> ~ Regularly drinking even a little above recommended levels increases your risk<br> ARBD<br> ~ Alcohol-related brain damage causes a range of conditions<br> ~ Alcoholic dementia/alcohol-related dementia<br> ~ Korsakoff's syndrome/ Korsakoff's psychosis.<br> ~ ARBD is defined as long-term decline in memory or thinking caused by excessive alcohol use and a lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine)<br> ~ Regular heavy (>14/week) drinking over time can cause:<br> ~ Damages nerve cells because alcohol<br> ~ Causes chemical changes in the brain<br> ~ Shrinkage of brain tissue<br> ~ Intestinal damage poor nutrient absorption<br> ~ Poor handling of thiamine<br> ~ Damaged blood vessels<br> ~ High blood pressure<br> ~ Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes<br> Alcohol Related Dementia<br> ~ Symptoms largely reflect the areas in the person's brain that are damaged.<br> ~ Poor planning and organizational skills, and problems with decision-making, judgement and risk assessment<br> ~ Problems with impulsivity (eg rash financial decisions) and difficulty controlling emotions (eg irritability or outbursts)<br> ~ Problems with attention and slower reasoning<br> ~ Lack of sensitivity to the feelings of other people<br> ~ Behavior which is socially inappropriate.<br> ~ Unlike Korsakoff's syndrome, however, not everyone with alcoholic dementia ha</p>
