People at large would be familiar with the abnormal manner in which many people behave after taking alcohol in great of modest quantity. This is always dismissed as alcoholic behavior. Apart from behavior problems, alcohol damages the nervous system of an individual in multiple ways. Many of these effects are insidious to begin with, but once developed are irreversible. Immediately after consumption, alcohol is absorbed in the blood stream and passes to the brain. Initially it numbs one’s thinking and intellect, thus reducing the pain sensation.Because of the removal of inhibition, it gives the person a false sense of well being. It can serve as a euphoriant, where the individual gets excited and talks unnecessarily beyond the point of reasoning. Even if mocked at, these persons fail to understand it and continue with the same behavior. Later on, alcohol can produce a depressant effect on brain cells causing a person to become depressed, listless or cry unreasonably. Chronic alcoholics are usually malnourished because alcohol provides empty calories. I.e., it does not provide any nutrition but only calories to the body because of its high glucose content. This leads to multiple nutritional deficiencies. Deficiency of vitamin B. complex, in particular, that of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) leads to abnormal sensations, abnormalities of the gait and limb movements, eye movements, and memory loss. Alcohol has a direct toxic effect on the optic nerve (nerve responsible for vision) causing sudden blindness. This happens more with methyl alcohol which is present in some spirits. Part of the brain responsible for the balance of the body (cerebellum) is also damaged by alcohol. This manifests in the inability of an individual to walk, sit or stand straight. Small chores like dressing or undressing become difficult because of tremors and lack of coordination in hand muscles. Muscle fibers of shoulders and hips get damaged by chronic use of alcohol. The person experiences pain in small movements like combing or climbing up stairs. The peripheral nerves are also affected by alcohol causing tingling, numbness and other abnormal sensations in affected limbs. Alcohol can damage the spinal cord directly leading to paralysis of limbs in various degrees in the person. Sexual impotence is yet another unpleasant sequel to alcoholism which cannot be reversed, once started. Alcohol over the time tends to alter brain cells in such a way that they become habituated to alcohol. This physical dependence creates a state where the individual cannot live without alcohol. Even if he spends 24 hours without alcohol, he develops tremors in the hands, restlessness, and body pain and memory loss. In severe cases the affected person becomes disoriented. Sadly, some of these symptoms reverse when he takes some alcohol. Thus a vicious cycle is perpetuated. A person cannot be stable without alcohol and when he takes it, damage to the nervous system is aggravated. Many of these problems cannot be reversed by treatment. But stopping alcohol can certainly prevent further damage.Prevention is said to be better than cure and nowhere has it held true as for alcoholism. If a person has started drinking recently he or she can stop it before it is too late. Good nutrition is of prime importance in helping an alcoholic with nervous system damage. Whole grains, cereals, fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and eggs are useful to improve the nutritional status. In addition nutritional supplements like multivitamin and or thiamine tablets are also useful.A person hopelessly addicted to alcohol needs to be counseled and enrolled in some de addiction program, before he is crippled by permanent neurological abnormalities. “Alcoholics Anonymous” (AA) provides opportunity for alcohol addicts to come together, discuss their problems and try to give up alcohol. This organization is now functioning in Kigali and needy persons can take their help in quitting alcohol.
