Chemical Imbalances From Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction creates chemical imbalances that all too often become overlooked in the mainstream treatment process. After years of drinking, alcohol dependency triggers severe chemical changes within the brain, causing short-term health risks as well as long-term consequences. The chemical imbalances created by alcohol addiction affect every alcohol dependent individual—particularly teenagers, whose brains are still forming.

Acute Chemical Imbalances From Alcohol Addiction

From the moment alcohol enters the system, endorphins are released, stimulating the brain’s pleasure receptors. This effect continues as long as alcohol is imbibed, releasing more dopamine—the body’s “happy hormone”—creating a fairly immediate imbalance of the important neurotransmitter.

Chemical Imbalances From Long-Term Alcohol Addiction

The body attempts to correct the chronic chemical imbalances caused by alcohol addiction. The body reads the chemical levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, aiming to eliminate excess dopamine from its system. As a result, the body’s systems become overtaxed, charged with processing up to 100 percent more dopamine than they are designed to.

Eventually, bodily systems adjust, both processing and eliminating high levels of dopamine from the body. At this point, the alcohol dependent individual finds themselves in a quandary. If alcohol intake is lowered, they experience a sharp dopamine deficiency, triggering depression, memory problems, anxiety, cognitive problems, anger, and even suicidal ideation. This effect causes alcohol dependent individuals to believe that they need to drink—almost with an accompanying physical urge. The truth is that this urge—commonly known as “withdrawal”—stems from the natural response to high levels of alcohol intake, and is not indicative of the dependent person’s natural brain chemistry.

Further Chemical Imbalances From Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol disrupts levels of other neurotransmitters in the brain—from serotonin and GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) to opioid peptides. When alcohol is removed from the system, pain perception and feelings of pleasure also become affected. Additionally, prolonged alcohol addiction can also lead to a disruption in stress hormones, leading feelings of anxiety, tension and hopelessness, as well as the body’s ability to properly metabolize.

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