It's understandable to be tired of the Covid-19 pandemic because it has not only crippled our mental state, as retrenchments and more deaths than we would like has led to increased alcohol consumption and binge drinking as a coping mechanism.
Add to that our current load shedding schedule, which is wreaking havoc on our personal and professional lives, financial concerns and increased workloads, and you have a perfect recipe for disaster!
According to studies based on nationally representative survey data, in South Africa, 48% of men and 32% of women binge drink alcohol.
But what exactly is alcohol doing to our brains?
“Alcohol destroys dendrites, which are the tips of nerve cells that carry incoming messages to the brain.
“It accomplishes this by widening the channels that allow calcium to enter the brain. An excess of calcium kills dendrites, resulting in the loss of incoming messages and disrupted brain function,” explains Kerry Rudman from Brain Harmonics, a Neurofeedback organisation specialising in retraining brains.
In the brain, neurons form a complex network, similar to the branches of a tree. According to Professor Pentney, an international academic, alcohol affects the way these 'branches' rearrange themselves, leading to different branching arrangements, which then transmit messages, which change the way the brain works in that particular area.
Why do some people crave more than others?
Scientists investigating why some people drink more than others discovered that the act of consuming alcohol causes the release of endorphins in our brains, giving us a sense of well-being similar to a "runners high." And it only takes a glass or two to trigger this endorphin rush.
“Beta-endorphins are a natural type of morphine that is released by the brain whenever we experience pain, excitement, vigorous exercise, or consume alcohol," explains Rudman.
According to Spanish researchers, "some people are born with very low levels of beta-endorphins, so they will naturally seek out anything that gives them more - and this is where addiction begins."
To make matters worse, studies have shown that when people at high risk for alcoholism drink, more beta-endorphins are released, encouraging them to drink more than others.
So how can you help your brain and consume less alcohol?
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, and what works for one person may not work for another. Understanding the various options is an important first step. In fact, there are numerous treatment options.
“A conscious decision needs to be taken to consume less alcohol,” explains Rudman. “However, this will not be an instant fix to your problems or fix what has already happened in your brain,” she said.
Behavioural therapies, Marital and Family Counselling
Counselling is used in behavioural treatments to change drinking habits. They are led by health professionals and backed up by research that shows they can be beneficial.
Alcohol and drugs are psychoactive substances. They act in the brain, and their effects represent changes in neurological functioning.
Neurofeedback (also known as EEG biofeedback) teaches the brain to modulate its level of activity, becoming more or less activated depending on the individual's needs.
“Neurofeedback for alcoholism, and some other addictions, is a process of teaching the client first to increase the amount of alpha waves, and then to increase theta,” said Rudman.
Alpha brain waves are only one type of brain wave. Alpha waves are produced in the brain when you’re awake, but not really concentrating on anything.
“The person progresses into a relaxed, then dreamy and hypnagogic state. Eyes are closed, and they receive feedback via sounds presented through headphones. Usually a reclining chair is used, a blanket is offered to increase comfort and the sense of security and the room is darkened or a light-preventing mask is used,” said Rudman.
While in the hypnagogic theta state the client is asked to do visualisations picturing refusal to drink (or to do drugs) and abstinence from alcohol and other substances.
Many clients who also suffer from post-traumatic conditions benefit from the hypnagogic state because they can re-experience trauma in a setting that makes them more likely to be processed and remembered in a normal manner.
Read the latest IOL Health DigiMag here.