Anyone who has ever drank a glass of alcohol knows that after some time and a few more drinks, you begin to feel different. How exactly does this fermented liquid take away the natural everyday feelings we have and turn us into an instant mess?
First, alcohol travels through the blood vessels on the tongue and around the mouth. Once ingested, it travels down the esophagus and into the stomach. If your stomach is full, it takes longer to break down the alcohol. A muscle between the stomach and small intestine (the pyloric sphincter) closes, forcing the stomach to digest the food before the alcohol can be processed. This is why you don’t get as intoxicated on a full stomach. If your stomach is empty, it still absorbs some of the alcohol, but it quickly makes its way to the small intestines. Some alcohol enters the bloodstream through the stomach while the remaining alcohol enters through the walls of the small intestines.
Alcohol reaches the brain only a minute after your first sip. Within 30 minutes after drinking, you’ll begin to feel some changes. Ethanol sparks the brain upon entering by binding to glutamate, the neurotransmitter that awakens neurons. The chemical also attaches to GABA which then activates its receptors. This slows down brain functioning and produces calm feelings. Since the brain is slower to function, it is slower to react, slower to create words, and overall decreases its ability to function in other ways. Too much alcohol can force the brain to shut down, making this vital organ unable to work and sometimes even forget how to breathe.
Ethanol loosely rattling around in the brain causes the chemical dopamine, which controls natural feel-good responses, to release. The more ethanol takes up space within the brain, the more dopamine is produced. As more dopamine is released as an effect of the drug, dependence starts to develop. Just like with any drug, as dopamine starts to flood the brain, the brain produces less as a rebuttal. As drinking patterns surface within a person’s life, it will take more alcohol to feel happy, thus birthing an addiction.
At Asana Recovery, we understand how difficult recovering from these addictions through our daily work to help those struggling most from this disease. While some may believe they can make it alone, rehabilitation programs are essential in the fight to break the dependency. The road ahead is not a smooth or easy one, but you can traverse it if done so with the support of the right team. Counseling and aftercare processes can assist you by addressing the psychological facets that led you to addiction and help you build a structure from which to better cope with life without succumbing to addiction. The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
