Microsoft word - tbi_alcohol_mossrehab

Alcohol Use After Traumatic Alcohol use and TBI are closely related. Up to two-thirds of people with TBI have a history of alcohol abuse or risky drinking. Between 30-50% of people with TBI were injured while they were drunk and about one-third were under the influence of other drugs. Around half of those who have a TBI cut For more information down on their drinking or stop altogether after injury, but some people with TBI continue to drink heavily, which increases their risk of having negative After TBI, many people notice their brains are more sensitive to alcohol. Traumatic Brain Injury Drinking increases your chances of getting injured again, makes cognitive 60 Township Line Road (thinking) problems worse, and increases your chances of having emotional Elkins Park, PA 19027 problems such as depression. In addition, drinking can reduce brain injury recovery. For these reasons, staying away from alcohol is strongly recom- www.mossrehab.com mended to avoid further injury to the brain and to promote as much healing as possible. Facts about TBI and alcohol Alcohol and brain injury recovery  Recovery from brain injury continues for much longer than we used to think possible. Many people notice improvements for many years after This publication was produced by the TBI Model Alcohol slows down or stops brain injury recovery. Systems in collaboration  Not drinking is one way to give the brain the best chance to heal. with the Model Systems Knowledge Translation  People's lives often continue to improve many years after brain injury. Center at the University of Not drinking will increase the chance of improvement. funding from the National Institute on Disability and Alcohol, brain injury and seizures Rehabilitation Research in the U.S. Department  Traumatic brain injury puts survivors at risk for developing seizures of Education, grant no.  Alcohol lowers the seizure threshold and may trigger seizures.  Not drinking can reduce the risk of developing seizures. Alcohol and the risk of having another brain injury  After a brain injury, survivors are at higher risk (3 to 8 times higher) of Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Consumer Information
having another brain injury.  Copyright 2011 Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC). May be reproduced and distributed freely with appropriate attribution.   Drinking alcohol puts survivors at an even  Avoiding alcohol improves sexual ability and higher risk of having a second brain injury. This activity in men and women. may be because both brain injury and alcohol can affect coordination and balance. How much alcohol is "safe" after TBI?  Not drinking can reduce the risk of having another brain injury. After TBI the brain is more sensitive to alcohol. This means that even one or two drinks may not be safe, especially when you need to do things Alcohol and mental functioning that require balance, coordination and quick reactions, such as walking on uneven surfaces, Alcohol and brain injury have similar negative effects on mental abilities like memory and riding a bicycle or driving a car. The fact is, there thinking flexibility. is no safe level of alcohol use after TBI.  Alcohol magnifies some of the cognitive prob- lems caused by brain injury. Alcohol and medications  Alcohol may affect brain injury survivors more Alcohol is especially dangerous after TBI if you than it did before their injury. are taking certain prescription medications. Alco-  The negative mental effects of alcohol can last hol can make some medicines less effective and from days to weeks after drinking stops. can greatly increase the effects of others, poten-  Not drinking is one way to keep your mental tially leading to overdose and death. Using alco- abilities at their best and stay sharp and fo- hol along with anti-anxiety medications or pain medications can be highly dangerous because of the possible multiplying effect. stem Consumer Information
y
Alcohol and mood What about using other drugs?  Depression is about 8 times more common in the first year after TBI than in the general Alcohol is a drug. Almost everything mentioned above about alcohol applies equally to other  Alcohol is a "depressant" drug, and using alco- drugs. If your drug of choice is something other hol can cause or worsen depression. than alcohol—such as marijuana, cocaine, meth-  Alcohol can reduce the effectiveness of anti- amphetamine or prescription drugs, anti-anxiety depressant medications. People who are taking medications (benzodiazepines such as Ativan, antidepressants should not drink alcohol. Valium, or Xanax), or pain medication (opioids  One way to improve problems with sadness or like Percocet, Oxycodone or Oxycontin)—many depression after TBI is to stop or cut down on of the same principles apply. In addition, use of the use of alcohol. illegal drugs or misuse of prescription drugs can lead to legal problems. Alcohol and sexuality If you use multiple drugs like alcohol and marijua-na, or alcohol and pain pills, there is a higher risk  Lowered desire is the most common effect of of addiction and overdose. Using alcohol and pain TBI on sexuality. medications together, or alcohol and anti-anxiety  Alcohol reduces testosterone production in medications, has killed many people. Contact your doctor if you are drinking and using pre-  Alcohol reduces sexual performance (erection scription drugs. and ejaculation) in men.  Alcohol reduces sexual satisfaction in men and What should you do? Traumatic Brain In
The stakes are higher when people choose to use alcohol after having a TBI. Some people  Alcohol Use After Traumatic Brain Injury Page 2 of 4 continue drinking after a TBI and don't have any  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services desire to change that behavior. Others know they Administration (SAMHSA) is a federal pro- probably should stop or reduce alcohol use, but gram that can help you find a treatment facility don't know how or have tried in the past and not wherever you live (http://fi ndtreatment.samhsa. been successful. gov/; 800-662-4357).  Private treatment: look in the Yellow Pages There are many ways to stop using alcohol or under substance abuse, chemical dependency other drugs and many ways to reduce the poten- counselor, or addiction treatment. tial for harm.The great majority of people who have stopped having alcohol problems did it on their own.They got no professional help or coun- Reduce the harm from drinking seling and did not use Alcoholics Anonymous For those who don't want to stop drinking, it is (AA). Don't underestimate your ability to change still possible to reduce some harm from drinking:  Eat food and drink water before you drink alcohol. This will help reduce the sharp spike There are many ways to change, cut down in blood alcohol level that can cause nausea, or stop drinking vomiting, falls, blackouts and alcohol poisoning.  Plan your transportation so you don't drink The key ingredients to changing your drinking and drive: have a non-drinking designated are: (1) find people who will support your efforts driver; plan to spend the night where you are to change your drinking; (2) set a specific goal; doing your drinking; or drink only at home. (3) make clear how you will meet your goal; (4)  To avoid dangerous peaks in blood alcohol identify situations or emotions that can trig- stem Consumer Information
concentrations, drink beer rather than hard ger drinking, and figure out ways to cope with liquor, or mix hard liquor with water instead of those triggers ahead of time; and (5) find ways with sweet, carbonated beverages. to reward yourself for sticking to your plan and  Sip your drinks slowly (no more than one per meeting your goals. hour). Drinking too fast can make the pleasant If you have questions or concerns about your feelings of alcohol go away. drinking, there are many ways to get information  Drinking in bars slows some people down because of the expense. However, be sure you do not drive after drinking. Take a confidential on-line drinking assessment:  Take vitamins B1 (thiamine), B12 and folate to reduce the chances of alcohol-related brain Talk to your physician about your concerns, and ask about medications that can help you resist relapse or reduce cravings for alcohol,  Keep your drinking to no more than two such as naltrexone (Revia). drinks per day. Or cut back on certain days of the week, such as weeknights. Psychologists or other counselors in your brain injury rehabilitation program can help  Take a drinking "holiday" (days or weeks when you get started on a treatment program that is you decide not to drink at all). This can remind you of some of the benefits of being sober.  Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has helped mil- lions of people. There are meetings in most How family members can help towns and cities (http://www.aa.org/). No one can force another person to stop us-  Moderation Management (http://www.modera- ing alcohol or drugs, but you can have an influ- tion.org/) and Smart Recovery (http://www. ence. Attending Al Anon meetings can be a good  Traumatic Brain In
smartrecovery.org/) are alternatives to AA that do not use the 12-step model.  Alcohol Use After Traumatic Brain Injury Page 3 of 4 source of support for a friend or family member of someone who abuses alcohol or drugs, and it can help promote change. Planning an "inter- Our health information content is based on vention" where family and friends confront the research evidence whenever available and repre- person may help. sents the consensus of expert opinion of the TBI Model System directors. A program called Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) has been found to work best. CRAFT takes a more positive, motivational approach that helps loved ones make not drink- Alcohol Use After Traumatic Brain Injury was ing more rewarding for the person with the alco- developed by Charles Bombardier, PhD, in col- hol problem. Research has shown that alcoholics laboration with the University of Washington are more likely to go into treatment if their loved Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center. ones follow the CRAFT method. To learn about CRAFT, see the book Get Your Loved One Sober in the Resources section below, or find a counselor familiar with this approach. This information is not meant to replace the advice from a medical professional. You should consult your health care provider regarding spe-cific medical concerns or treatment.  Bombardier, C.H. & Turner,A. (2009). Alcohol and traumatic disability. In R. Frank & T. Elliott (Eds.), stem Consumer Information
The Handbook of Rehabilitation Psychology, Second Edition (pp. 241–258).Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press.  Brown, J., Corrigan, J., & Hammer, P. (2010). "Substance Abuse and TBI." Brainline Webcast #4, Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center.  Corrigan, J., & Lamb-Hart, G. (2004). Alcohol, Other Drugs, and Brain Injury. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Valley Center for Brain Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, Ohio State Uni- versity Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabili-tation. (Available from the Brain Injury Associa-  Meyers, R.J., & Wolfe,B.L. (2004). Get Your Loved One Sober:Alternatives to Nagging, Pleading, and Threatening. Center City, MN: Hazelden Publi-cations.  Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Is- sues (SARDI); http://www.med.wright.edu/citar/ Traumatic Brain In
Alcohol Use After Traumatic Brain Injury Page 4 of 4

Source: https://www.mossrehab.com/upload/docs/MossRehab/Services/TBI/TBI_Alcohol_Moss_.pdf