Many people occasionally drink and take marijuana as a natural remedy to take the edge off. They think that it’s a normal and quick way to relax the mind. But have you ever wondered how a minute of relief from alcohol and weed works deep inside your body and mind? It actually blocks or slows down the signals inside your body and mind that trigger anxiety and sadness. Thus, you feel calm or numb after the intake for the first few minutes.
Dr. Daniel Amen, a psychiatrist, brain-health researcher, and founder of Amen Clinics, scanned over 50,000 brains using SPECT imaging. He uncovered that alcohol and marijuana shrink and age the brain, lower blood flow, and increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. However, with the right changes, you can heal and reverse the damage to your brain.
In this post, we’ll explore what alcohol and weed really do to your brain. We’ll also discover its effect and the science-backed steps to heal and protect your brain.
What Alcohol Really Does to Your Brain?
Alcohol is often seen as a social lubricant or a way to relax. But deep inside, alcohol ages your brain.
Dr. Amen scanned thousands of brains of regular drinkers and found a pattern:
- Lower blood flow
- Reduced brain activity
- Premature aging
Their brain actually looks older than in reality, leading to slower thinking, poorer memory, and a higher risk of depression and anxiety. Seeing this, Dr. Amen, working in substance abuse treatment centers, realized that alcohol affects the brain to a greater extent. Thus, he thought of making a poster showing the scans of users talking about alcohol, marijuana, and other substances. A musician, Jonathan Cain, who used to drink two bottles of wine a night, seeing his brain poster, stopped the intake of alcohol and never looked back.
What Marijuana Does to Your Brain?
Many people have a growing belief that marijuana is natural, harmless, and medicinal. But Dr. Amen’s research paints a different picture.
Dr. Amen conducted research on marijuana or weed users and found that every area of their brain had lower brain activity due to THC, one of the active ingredients in marijuana. It slows down parts of the brain responsible for focus, learning, and emotional control. These brain changes result in memory loss, anxiety, depression, and even psychosis. Moreover, its risks shoot up mostly in teenagers who consume weed in their early 20s. This is the reason why they are most likely to experience mental health issues and have suicidal thoughts later in life.
Why is Brain Damage so Hard to Detect Early?
You can’t spot a wrinkled brain the way you see weight gain or aging skin. Thus, this invisibility allows brain damage to be easily overlooked by people. As a symptom, you might feel a little foggy and anxious, which may be linked to drinking too much or getting high. However, the cost shows up later in focus, energy, relationships, and mental health.
How to Reverse the Brain Damage?
Dr Amen says that neuroplasticity can heal your brain with the right support. Here are the key things you should keep in mind to reverse the brain damage:
- Start Asking This One Question: Before you do anything, ask yourself: “Is this helping my brain or hurting it?” This habit fosters an awareness in you to make better choices in improving cognitive and emotional well-being.
- Pay Attention to What You Eat: Limit your intake of ultra-processed foods, such as chips, sugary drinks, and fast food. These food items inflame your brain and slow down the healing process. Therefore, focus on including fruits, veggies, clean protein, nuts, and healthy fats in your diet.
- Avoid Things That Hurt Your Brain: Don’t take things like alcohol, weed, and nicotine, as they mess with the way your brain works. Therefore, cut them out entirely and feel better mentally.
- Consider Adding Supportive Supplements: Incorporate supplements like Omega-3, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Saffron, and L-theanine into your routine to support your brain health. These supplements rebuild your brain cells and help lift your mood.
- Heal from the Inside Out: Heal your emotional pain or trauma you experienced as a kid, and you will see a change in how your brain functions. You can also engage yourself in therapies like EMDR to help your brain process painful memories and calm emotional triggers.
Start Caring About Your Brain Health!
Most people tend to overlook their brain health until something goes wrong. However, it is the most important part of your body, which is overall responsible for controlling your thoughts, mood, decisions, and even your future. Dr. Amen believes the secret to a better life is to develop brain envy, just like people want better or glowing skin. Therefore, try brain-healthy habits and prevent the intake of alcohol and weed to protect your brain health.
Start your healing journey today. Explore expert tips, powerful supplements, and brain-smart habits at BevinCarter.com.