Alcohol Counseling Denver

Valiant Living Detox and Assessment is here to help you with your alcohol addiction. Our alcohol counseling Denver understands how alcohol problems can be unnerving and make it difficult for you to find the right path, so rest assured that no matter what stage of recovery you are in, we will strive to provide comprehensive care to ensure success. We know that getting sober can be an extremely difficult process, but our experienced and compassionate team will utilize strategies to give you the resources you need. Trust us when we say we care about your health, happiness, and life; we want nothing more than to make sure you get back on the right track!

Alcohol and the Brain

Alcohol has a destructive impact on the brain, altering its communication pathways and inhibiting areas controlling balance, memory, speech, and judgment. This increases the probability of accidents or other unwanted results. Prolonged excessive drinking may even shrink neuron size over time - here are some essential topics to consider when it comes to alcohol's effects on your brain.

Blackouts

Consuming large amounts of alcohol can lead to a phenomenon known as an 'alcohol-induced blackout', in which the drinker experiences gaps in their memory for events that occurred during intoxication. This occurs when alcohol impairs the hippocampus, preventing short-term memories from being transferred and consolidated into long-term storage.

Overdose

If you continue to drink despite clear signs of impairment, this poses a danger of an alcohol overdose. This is when your bloodstream has such large amounts of alcohol that some areas in the brain begin to shut off essential functions like breathing, heart rate, and body temperature control. To avoid any potential risks associated with an alcohol overdose, it is important to be aware and make smart decisions about drinking habits.

Alcohol overdose can be dangerous to your health, with symptoms such as mental confusion, loss of consciousness, vomiting, seizures, breathing issues, and a slow heart rate. Other signs include clammy skin and dulled responses like an impaired gag reflex - which prevents you from choking. Low body temperature is also common in cases of alcohol poisoning and if left untreated it can lead to permanent brain damage or even death.

Alcohol Use Disorder

As individuals continue to consume alcohol over time, their brains may experience structural and functional alterations. These changes can lead to a lack of control over alcohol usage and the potential development of alcohol use disorder (AUD). People with moderate-to-severe AUD are likely at risk for falling into a cycle of addiction that’s hard to break free from.

Scientists still do not fully understand the scope of the brain's capacity to return to a baseline state after long periods without alcohol consumption. However, numerous research studies are beginning to demonstrate that some neurological changes due to Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) — and the corresponding alterations in thought processes, emotions, and behaviors — can improve or even reverse over time with abstention from drinking.

Alcohol and the Adolescent Brain

Adolescent brains are especially vulnerable to the devastating effects of alcohol misuse due to their still-developing nature. In addition to physical and mental health problems, the misuse of alcohol during this critical period can have a long-lasting impact on brain structure and functionality, affecting bodily development processes like learning new information, decision-making, and social interaction. Such negative impacts can not only have an immediate effect but also ripple through adulthood. The best way for adolescents to protect themselves from these issues is by being informed about the risks associated with drinking and avoiding alcohol until they're older.

Adolescents are more likely to:

Binge Drink:

Binge drinking is a significant problem among adolescents today. Binge drinking is defined as consuming enough alcohol to raise the blood alcohol content (BAC) of an individual to 0.08 g/dL or above in a short timespan-usually around two hours or less. This type of rapid and heavy drinking can have serious consequences, including impaired cognitive and physical functioning, memory loss, and even death from alcohol poisoning.

Adolescents are especially vulnerable to the risks associated with binge drinking due to their lack of experience and lower quantities of enzymes needed for metabolizing alcohol than adults possess. This combination puts them at much higher risk for the long-term health effects caused by frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol.

Heavily Drink:

The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines heavy drinking for men as consuming more than four drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks a week, and for women as having more than three drinks per day or seven drinks per week. This can lead to physical, academic, mental health, and social issues across all age groups, but is especially concerning for adolescents who are still trying to develop into adulthood. It is important for parents, teachers, and other adults in contact with them to be aware of their potential risk of heavy drinking and provide guidance wherever possible to ensure their safety during these important years. Valiant Living's alcohol counseling Denver is here to help if these problems are arising.

Trust Valiant Living

Alcohol abuse has become an unfortunately common problem, but it's never too late to take back control and get help. At Valiant Living Detox and Assessment, we know the risks of alcoholism, binge drinking, heavy drinking, and more – made only worse by the added pressures of our current environment. We also treat drug abuse, mental health, and dual diagnosis. Our experienced and dedicated staff are here to support you without judgment or stigma; we provide highly specialized treatment plans and compassionate care for those struggling with addiction. If you are needing alcohol counseling Denver, don't hesitate to reach out to us if you or a loved one need support; we are here to help you make lasting changes towards a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Call us today at 720-796-6885 or visit our website.

Valiant Living Detox and Assessment

6994 CR 39

Fort Lupton, CO 80621