It is also not possible to accurately estimate who all has wet brain because many people with severe alcoholism do not seek treatment or are homeless and are not evaluated for the condition. However, current statistics show that more men than women have wet brain, and the age groups most affected by the disorder are between the ages of 30 and 70. Wet brain, formally known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, is a type of brain damage that can occur after extended and repeated exposure to heavy drinking. The excessive consumption of alcohol can cause a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1, which is an essential vitamin for the proper functioning of the brain and body. Alcoholism interferes with the consumption, absorption, and activation of thiamine in your system. The wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is actually the occurrence of two syndromes.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment
Let a healthcare provider know if brain fog affects your day-to-day life. They’ll be able to diagnose and manage the underlying cause to help you feel better. Your provider may also recommend lifestyle changes, like eating healthy meals and getting better sleep, to improve how your immune system functions. Let a healthcare provider know if you experience brain fog, especially if it’s disruptive to your daily activities and routine. You might want to talk to a provider if you frequently forget about appointments, have trouble completing ordinary tasks or find it difficult to pay attention when someone’s talking to you. Brain fog is common, and a provider can help you find out what’s causing your symptoms.
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Cocaine Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms
- During deep sleep, the brain removes toxins, processes information, and strengthens neural connections.
- Early detection and proper diagnosis of Wernicke’s encephalopathy can allow for reversing some of the symptoms, which is why it is so important to reach out for help as soon as possible.
- One of the ways inflammation manifests is through fatigue and fogginess.
- Social media platforms have mastered the art of triggering dopamine releases.2 Algorithms work hard to bring personalized, easily digestible content to our feeds.
Similarly, a drop in estrogen levels during menopause can cause forgetfulness, poor concentration, and cloudy thinking, according to 2019 research. When your brain is exhausted, it becomes harder to think, reason, and focus. The brain is mush brain not only soft, but it has kind of bumpy, grooved, or wrinkly surface. If you were to unfold the brain, it would take up quite a bit of space.
Wet brain deaths often result from Wernicke’s encephalopathy progressing and being left untreated. Wet brain can cause severe symptoms and unfortunately in some cases, can result in coma or death. The early stage of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is Wernicke’s encephalopathy. In Korsakoff’s syndrome, a person may have memories Alcoholics Anonymous or recall experiences that never actually happened, however, they do not produce these false memories intentionally.
What is Wet Brain? Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
With early intervention and ongoing recovery support, many people can stabilize and improve their quality of life. Your body needs thiamine to convert food into energy, especially in the brain, heart and nerves. People with alcohol use disorder often drink their calories instead of eating nutritious meals, which leads to vitamin deficiencies. If you’ve ever forgotten a birthday, repeated a story, or felt confused by a simple task, those moments might seem harmless. But for someone who drinks heavily, these lapses can be early signs of something more serious—wet brain syndrome, also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Medical experts say the best treatment for living with this disease is to stay sober, eat healthily and receive the most appropriate support for their ongoing cognitive and physical needs.
With our WellTheory 1-1 coaching membership you can receive a personalized nutrition and lifestyle plan to support your needs. People who suffer from addiction to alcohol tend to have poor diets that don’t cater to their nutritional needs, which can result in a lack of thiamine. Additionally, alcohol reduces the body’s ability to absorb thiamine, which can harm the brain’s ability to function normally. Although non-alcoholics can develop a thiamine deficiency that causes WKS, it is termed “alcoholic wet brain” because the most common way to develop the illness is through prolonged alcohol use. Antihistamines, antidepressants, or birth control can include brain fog as a side effect. Moreover, some medical conditions like anxiety, depression, or autoimmune diseases (as well as long COVID) are linked to cognitive sluggishness.
People experiencing dissociation may describe a sense of detachment from reality, difficulty focusing, or emotional numbness. They are also common in those with a history of childhood trauma or chronic emotional stress. Patients frequently describe their brain as turning to mush after minimal exertion. This phenomenon, known as post-exertional malaise, is a hallmark of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and post-viral syndromes.
An essential nutrient, vitamin B1 must be obtained by eating food containing thiamine, such as poultry, peas, brown rice, whole grains, and bread. A derogatory slang term referring primarily to a white person, particularly targeting white Southerners perceived as racist or prejudiced. All of our slang term and phrase definitions are made possible by our wonderful visitors. If you know of another definition of MUSH that should be included here, please let us know. The evolution of mush slang illustrates the dynamic nature of language.

For example, brain fog is a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), which involves persistent fatigue for a prolonged period of time, according to 2020 research. Depending on the severity of brain fog, it can interfere with your work, school, or other daily tasks. For example, suppose you are a chronic and heavy drinker who does not have sufficient nutritional understanding of healthy eating and drinks, leading to a poor nutritional diet. In that case, this puts you at increased risk of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

However, even in these cases, treatment can help prevent further https://multisec.nl/portfolio/furniture-design/ deterioration and improve quality of life. Wet brain syndrome is a sneaky adversary, often creeping up on individuals without much warning. The symptoms can be subtle at first, easily mistaken for the effects of intoxication or a particularly nasty hangover.
