Dr. Sarah Wakeman

Yeah, it's probably the effect of these byproducts that then, you know, are still impacting the way your body functions, your brain, and it takes a long time for your body to excrete them. And so we can see just feeling that really anxious, restless, kind of gross feeling afterwards.

Yeah, it does, especially over time. And so what we see when people have been drinking over a long time is actually your body starts to adjust. because our bodies are very adaptable. So if your body's used to having three or four drinks every night, your body's going to start to accommodate to that. And so what we see is actually changes in the brain.

Yeah, it does, especially over time. And so what we see when people have been drinking over a long time is actually your body starts to adjust. because our bodies are very adaptable. So if your body's used to having three or four drinks every night, your body's going to start to accommodate to that. And so what we see is actually changes in the brain.

Yeah, it does, especially over time. And so what we see when people have been drinking over a long time is actually your body starts to adjust. because our bodies are very adaptable. So if your body's used to having three or four drinks every night, your body's going to start to accommodate to that. And so what we see is actually changes in the brain.

So you see changes in the amount of receptors you have, the amount of hormones you have, your dopamine levels, your stress hormone levels. Your brain is actually adapting to the effects of alcohol. So one thing you may see is that you actually don't get the same effect. So it used to be that two glasses of wine made you feel a certain way, and now you need three or four to feel

So you see changes in the amount of receptors you have, the amount of hormones you have, your dopamine levels, your stress hormone levels. Your brain is actually adapting to the effects of alcohol. So one thing you may see is that you actually don't get the same effect. So it used to be that two glasses of wine made you feel a certain way, and now you need three or four to feel

So you see changes in the amount of receptors you have, the amount of hormones you have, your dopamine levels, your stress hormone levels. Your brain is actually adapting to the effects of alcohol. So one thing you may see is that you actually don't get the same effect. So it used to be that two glasses of wine made you feel a certain way, and now you need three or four to feel

the same way that's a concept called tolerance that your body is adapting to having that alcohol around all the time and your brain's actually changing the reverse of that is if all of a sudden you stop drinking you're going to feel all out of sorts you're going to feel shaky you may have a headache you may feel anxious you may feel nauseous and that's because your body's gotten so adapted to always having alcohol on board that it takes time actually for those changes to reset

the same way that's a concept called tolerance that your body is adapting to having that alcohol around all the time and your brain's actually changing the reverse of that is if all of a sudden you stop drinking you're going to feel all out of sorts you're going to feel shaky you may have a headache you may feel anxious you may feel nauseous and that's because your body's gotten so adapted to always having alcohol on board that it takes time actually for those changes to reset

the same way that's a concept called tolerance that your body is adapting to having that alcohol around all the time and your brain's actually changing the reverse of that is if all of a sudden you stop drinking you're going to feel all out of sorts you're going to feel shaky you may have a headache you may feel anxious you may feel nauseous and that's because your body's gotten so adapted to always having alcohol on board that it takes time actually for those changes to reset

Yeah, there's a couple of really important things to know. First, alcohol itself can cause depression and anxiety. Even though you feel like in the moment it's helping relieve symptoms, there's actually something called a substance-induced mood disorder where you can look all the world like you have depression and it's actually caused by using alcohol heavily over time.

Yeah, there's a couple of really important things to know. First, alcohol itself can cause depression and anxiety. Even though you feel like in the moment it's helping relieve symptoms, there's actually something called a substance-induced mood disorder where you can look all the world like you have depression and it's actually caused by using alcohol heavily over time.

Yeah, there's a couple of really important things to know. First, alcohol itself can cause depression and anxiety. Even though you feel like in the moment it's helping relieve symptoms, there's actually something called a substance-induced mood disorder where you can look all the world like you have depression and it's actually caused by using alcohol heavily over time.

So you may, if you're drinking heavily, you may actually be running, you know, working again at cross purposes with your efforts to try to manage your depression or anxiety. The other thing is there are some types of medications that are really dangerous when they mix with alcohol and anxiety medications in particular, especially any medication that also has sort of a slowing down effect.

So you may, if you're drinking heavily, you may actually be running, you know, working again at cross purposes with your efforts to try to manage your depression or anxiety. The other thing is there are some types of medications that are really dangerous when they mix with alcohol and anxiety medications in particular, especially any medication that also has sort of a slowing down effect.

So you may, if you're drinking heavily, you may actually be running, you know, working again at cross purposes with your efforts to try to manage your depression or anxiety. The other thing is there are some types of medications that are really dangerous when they mix with alcohol and anxiety medications in particular, especially any medication that also has sort of a slowing down effect.

So some people take medicines in a class called benzodiazepines, so things like Xanax or Klonopin or Ativan. Those when mixed with alcohol have sort of a combination effect that can actually slow down your breathing, could cause an overdose, could make you very sick, could make you more sort of impaired sooner. So really important to not mix those medications with alcohol.

So some people take medicines in a class called benzodiazepines, so things like Xanax or Klonopin or Ativan. Those when mixed with alcohol have sort of a combination effect that can actually slow down your breathing, could cause an overdose, could make you very sick, could make you more sort of impaired sooner. So really important to not mix those medications with alcohol.

So some people take medicines in a class called benzodiazepines, so things like Xanax or Klonopin or Ativan. Those when mixed with alcohol have sort of a combination effect that can actually slow down your breathing, could cause an overdose, could make you very sick, could make you more sort of impaired sooner. So really important to not mix those medications with alcohol.

How does alcohol compromise your memory? So alcohol affects all parts of the brain, including the amygdala, which is an area that lays down memory. And it has complicated actions in the brain. So it increases sort of more slowing down hormones. So we think of it as a depressant because it sort of slows you down and relaxes you. And it decreases more excitatory neurotransmitters.