Our rehab professionals understand many of the challenges associated with alcoholism, including the numerous health and mental health problems that can arise from chronic drinking. New studies are showing that men and women have different issues that arise from alcoholism. Men experience several changes in terms of brain activity, but sobriety can help men recover.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcoholism, binge drinking, or other disorders, we encourage you to contact our team at Banyan Treatment Centers Massachusetts. You can contact our Boston addiction treatment team to learn more about our alcoholism treatment.
Drinking Brain Changes in Men
While men and women both face numerous challenges at the hands of alcoholism, including increased cancer risks, liver damage, heart disease, and nervous system problems. Alcoholism, heavy drinking, and binge drinking are also associated with specific neurological changes in the brain that affect men more than women.
A recent study found that chronic drinking leads to diminished brain activity in crucial brain areas for men related to emotional processing, memory, and social processing. 1 The specific areas of the male brain that are changed by alcoholism include:
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus
- Superior Frontal Region
- Supramarginal Region
This new study shows that men and women both face challenges related to alcoholism a little differently. Though both genders experience difficulties caused by chronic drinking, the alcoholism brain changes in men are especially pronounced. Alcoholic men may have challenges with cognition, emotion, and other interpersonal skills due to the reduced functionality of important brain regions as a result of chronic alcohol consumption.
What Alcoholism Brain Changes in Men Mean for Recovery
These alcoholism brain changes in men highlight how much there is to learn about addiction and recovery. While general treatment for addiction takes a similar path for both men and women, these new studies show that men and women require unique approaches to treatment. Effective rehab should address each challenge a person faces in their recovery, including the effects of alcoholism on the brain..
At our detox, inpatient, outpatient, and IOP program in Boston, we offer each patient the customized treatment plan that sets them on the best path of recovery. This includes identifying a person’s challenges that have been created by active addiction and developing a treatment path that meets all challenges. Call 888-280-4763 to begin the treatment process with our qualified alcoholism treatment team at Banyan Treatment Center Massachusetts.
Sources:
- ScienceDaily - Gender impacts brain activity in alcoholics, study finds
