Still Drinking? — Check Out These Disturbing Short and Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on Your Brain

 These are enough to scare the bejeebers out of you — proceed at your own risk.

Do you still enjoy your cocktails, beer, or wine? If so — read on.

I’ve been doing a bit of research because of concerns I have about my buddy, Bob.

Bob is a dear friend who has been a long-time drinker. A very long time — since high school. He is in the eighth decade of his life and still indulging.

He admires me for being alcohol-free yet says it’s not for him as he’s been drinking too long and enjoys it too much to give it up.

I’ve been paying more attention when we get together as he seems to be aging rapidly — physically and mentally.

Bob also has angry outbursts if I should challenge him in any area. He takes everything personally and gets defensive.

He also likes to place the “blame” for any misunderstanding or mistake on someone else. It’s never his doing.

These challenging behaviors have arisen in the past few years, changing this once jolly man into a not-so-pleasant guy to be around at times.

More recently, I’ve noticed Bob is often forgetful and repeats himself.

Let’s get right to it.

Short-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Brain

• Memory impairment begins right from the onset of the drinking cycle and becomes increasingly worse as you consume higher quantities.
• Partial Blackout — These happen with a small amount of alcohol intake. You forget people’s names or essential information.
• Complete Blackout — This is a total impairment of your cognition and judgment. You need others to tell you what transpired when you went into the blackout. This can be frightening as you cannot recall even a single instance during the blackout period.

These blackouts occur because the level of alcohol in the blood rises too fast. The amount you drink, your body weight, and whether you had an empty stomach while drinking are all factors that can contribute to a blackout.

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Brain

• There is the potential development of physiological dependence — a state or condition in which a person experiences physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms and cravings if they stop drinking or significantly lower the amount of alcohol in their body.
• They are at risk of developing an AUD (alcohol use disorder or alcoholism) — a brain disease characterized by a struggle to limit drinking despite significant adverse results.
• Alcohol exacerbates underlying mental health disorders.
• Alcohol affects the brain centers and is responsible for accelerating the natural chronological aging — causing premature aging.
• Alcoholism is associated with poor dietary habits resulting in thiamine deficiency. Inadequate levels of this vitamin cause deep brain damage that is mainly responsible for severe cognitive deficits.
• Alcoholism disrupts the normal mechanisms of the front lobe, damaging cells associated with problem-solving abilities.
• Heavy drinkers are three times more likely to develop dementia than the rest of the population. Dementia is a classical consequence of alcohol-related brain damage.

Alcohol kills brain cells. This is heartbreaking.

Alcohol brain damage is reversible, according to research. The goal is to have the person withdraw from alcohol. Depending on the severity of the problem — it may be wise to do this under the supervision of a professional in the alcohol rehab field.

I would not want Bob to try it on his own after many years of drinking.

I am not a professional. I’m a former drinker with a dear friend I believe is in danger.

Thanks to AmericanAddictionCenters.org and Alcorehab.org for the information given above.

Please seek professional help or call the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Hotline at 1–800–662-HELP (4357), your primary care physician, or an alcohol rehab facility.

Your life is at stake, as is the health of your brain.

What Can Stephen King’s Passion for Alcohol and Writing Teach You About Courage and Determination?

This man went through hell and is here to talk about it.

I am in love with Stephen King. Not in a sense, I want him romantically — but I adore the person he is. I am smitten with his humor, honesty, wit, passion, and courage.

Despite my fondness for the writer, I was not a fan of his books. I read The Shining and Cujo at the coaxing of a good friend, a faithful follower. 

However, both novels scared the hell out of me, and I haven’t picked up another fiction of his again. 

Since submitting articles to Medium, I have been eager to learn all I can about writing. 

I was not an English major, nor had I taken creative writing classes. I’m a rookie in the Third Third of my life, retired, and enjoying telling my story and those of others.

My son, Nick, enjoys writing, too, and had Stephen King’s non-fiction/memoir On Writing on his bookshelf. I borrowed it and read it nightly until my sleepy eyes closed.

King’s truthfulness in sharing his life is why I am now a fan.

Alcohol

Stephen started drinking in his senior year of high school. By the time he was in his early 30s, he had considered himself an alcoholic.

His home state of Maine enacted a returnable-bottle law. Stephen began a recycling bin in his garage, where he tossed his empty beer cans. 

He had this to say about it:

"One Thursday night I went out there to toss in a few dead soldiers and saw that this container, which had been empty on Monday night, was now almost full. And since I was the only one in the house who drank Miller Lite — Holy shit, I’m an alcoholic, I thought, and there was no dissenting opinion from inside my head — I was, after all, the guy who had written The Shining without even realizing (at least until that night) that I was writing about myself."

The Shining’s main character was an alcoholic. Stephen was deep into the depths of his drinking when he wrote it.

King continued drinking for many years and managed to write a number of books that became top sellers.

He loved his booze and felt he couldn’t live without it.

King was tortured by his drinking and drug addiction, yet didn’t know how to stop or ask for help. Stephen’s mother raised him to keep his problems to himself.

Writing was Stephen’s salvation and a way to speak of his dependence.

He speaks this of his writing:

"It began to scream for help in the only way it knew how, through my fiction and through my monsters. In late 1985 and early 1986 I wrote Misery (the title quite aptly described my state of mind)…

In the spring and summer of 1986 I wrote The Tommyknockers, often working until midnight with my heart running at a hundred and thirty beats a minute and cotton swabs stuck up my nose to stem the coke-induced bleeding."

He steadfastly continued writing, drinking, and using until his wife, Tabitha, called an intervention with their children and friends present.

Stephen didn’t think he could survive without his addiction, yet he also knew he couldn’t live without his wife, whom he cherished.

His love for her won, and King entered rehab and has been sober for 33 years.

Writing

Stephen King wrote his first story and submitted it to Spacemen magazine, promptly rejecting it. His second story wasn’t — In a Half-World of Terror was published in a horror magazine. He was in his teens when his writing career began.

King went on to publish 61 novels and five non-fiction books.

I love what he has to say about ideas and writing:

"Let’s get one thing clear right now, shall we? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn’t to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up."

How many times has an idea entered your head, and your first thought was — gee, this is interesting. I could write an article about this.

On Writing

I was enthralled with the first half of the book, where King shares his struggles with addictions, his love of writing, his family, and recovery.

Those escapades are worth a book unto themselves.

The second half gives us clear-cut writing tips. As I read, I jotted down notes. Most of King’s advice is about good storytelling — not my forte, yet he gives many suggestions adaptable to blogging and online articles. 

His tips aren’t unique, as we’ve read them somewhere before. Perhaps, the authors borrowed them from King.

King approaches this part of the book with two theses:

"The first is that good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style)…The second is that while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one."

Stephen is dismayed that many critics and writing teachers say that writing ability is fixed and immutable; once a hack, always a hack. 

In other words — don’t believe this crap. We can turn our competent writing into good writing. 

 King advises if we want to be a writer, we must do two things — read a lot and write a lot.

How much constitutes a lot? He suggests four to six hours a day of reading and writing. He adds if we enjoy doing these things, it will be easy.

It’s critical that you love to write. King also adds if you don’t want to work your ass off, you have no business trying to write well. It’ll never happen.

King likes to write ten pages a day. He writes in the mornings and saves his reading for the evenings. 

Top ideas

There is so much information contained in On Writing that I could write a ten-page article. I don’t have the stamina for that. 

Here are my top takeaways:

• Keep your paragraphs short. The longer the paragraph, the more daunting the reading appears.
• Keep your words simple. Sure we love to use big words or dress up the simple ones. Don’t. The first word that comes to mind is the best in most cases.
• No or limited adverbs — if the word ends with ly as in interestingly — omit it.
• Keep your writing honest. Tell your story, be vulnerable. Readers love that and will thank you and learn from it.
• Know your Ideal Reader. King talks about his wife’s ruthlessness — she was his I.R. and gave him necessary feedback. You must know who you are writing for.

That’s it for writing.

Determination and Courage

Stephen King was hit by a van while out walking in Maine. He almost lost his life. He underwent numerous operations and resumed his writing several weeks after being hit.

That is tenacity, determination, and courage.

He found sobriety from drugs and alcohol — overcoming a severe addiction to various substances. His determination to save his marriage and himself is admirable. 

Stephen King writes every day — including his birthday, Christmas, and the Fourth of July, even though he says he takes these days off. He was only kidding.

This man and his book On Writing brought a smile to my lips and inspired me to keep writing.

Keep learning, being curious, and exploring our world. Keep reading and writing. 

Isn’t It Painful When a Close and Long-Time Friendship Comes to an Abrupt and Distressing End?

 This can be as heartwrenching as breaking up with a lover.

Molly and I have been friends for over 25 years. She stood by me through a difficult divorce. She called me every day after my son, Anthony, died.

I was at her side rooting, encouraging, and reading the manuscript for her book. I was there through all her physical difficulties, surgeries and recoveries. I supported Molly through her emotional hardships with one of her closest relatives.

We were loyal and faithful friends through the years.

Even though Molly was a dear and trusted friend, she could be demanding at times. I often found it challenging to set boundaries with her and frequently consented to keep the peace.

I’m sure she had her complaints about me.

Of course, we didn’t always see eye to eye. It’s natural as we’re individuals with separate opinions.

The breakup

We met for lunch at her usual choice even though I suggested another restaurant. She insisted on her favorite. Okay, not a big deal.

We talked about my youth, and she vehemently disagreed with what I said. I tried to explain that perhaps what I said didn’t make sense to her, but it was part of my experience as a teenager.

Molly continued to insist I was wrong though we didn’t know one another back then. I asked her to please stop as I was near tears. Finally, she did. 

We said our goodbyes, both feeling somewhat unsettled.

I tried to let it go and called her a few days later. She didn’t pick up but instead texted, “I need some time.”

Really? I thought I was the one who was upset.

Back-and-forth texts burned through our phones.

We couldn’t agree on what had occurred. Molly insisted I was verbally lashing out at her. I explained that I was defending myself against her.

After several days of this, I said — enough.

"Blame is irrelevant, if only because it changes nothing. "— Aryn Kyle, The God of Animals.

Relief

I was confused yet determined I would stand my ground and not give in and apologize for something I didn’t do.

An unexpected feeling of relief swept over me. 

Friendships take time and work, and I’ve always been one to keep up my end. Molly did the same.

Yet this feeling of release brought on a sense of freedom.

Do I miss her? Yes. Molly was a huge part of my life, as was her husband.

Amends?

Do I want to make amends? I’m not sure. Yet, I know I will not call her. I’m not being pigheaded about this, just standing up for myself. 

If Molly calls me, I will speak to her and allow her back into my life, knowing we will never resume our friendship as it was before.

I will be cordial and kind, but the trust has been broken.

I still care about her, and our breakup leaves a hole. Yet, I understand that there are times we must move on and let go.

There is a quote:

"People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. "— Anonymous.

Molly and I believed it would be a lifetime. However, perhaps it was for a reason. 

I was there for her when she needed me, and she supported me through many difficulties. We also had many fun times together.

Some friendships fade away naturally. Those may be missed but are not painful.

This one hurts, and I know Molly hurts, too. We will heal.

We change. Others change, too.

I’ll leave this friendship with dignity and clarity, knowing that this is a way I’m taking care of myself.

Will You Try This Easy Way to Increase Your Focus and Productivity?

Who isn’t busy, and don’t we all love ‘easy?’

Get out that darn To-Do list. How long is it? Three items? Four, eight, ten, or more?

We’re so ambitious, aren’t we? That’s not a bad thing. The trouble is it can be overwhelming at times.

Overwhelming can also lead to procrastination. Procrastination can lead to resistance — then nothing gets done.

I’ve been using this method to nail down what I want to accomplish in a day. I’ve also implemented it for long-term goals and undertakings.

"I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there, you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants." — Zig Ziglar.

Here’s how you do it

You may think this process is a bit woo-woo. That’s okay. Woo-woo or not, it works.

Start by sitting, closing your eyes, and calming yourself. No eye-rolling here — this does work. Plus, it only takes five minutes, ten if you want to get into details.

Imagine your brain is like your computer dest top. You know — filled with a kajillion icons, tools, and folders.

You will temporarily clear your Mind/Dest Top of all that stuff. Dump it all into a folder and put it aside for now.

Next, focus on the most important priority and set the intention that it will get done today.

You should have three action steps (additional steps if it’s a more extensive project) that will get you there. Imagine yourself performing the tasks needed to accomplish this to-do item.

We cannot envision the job completed — we must visually walk through the steps we will take to complete the task.

Sample walk-through

I’ll use my example for today. My main objective was to write an article to publish on this blog.

1. I pictured myself entering my office, plopping my butt down in my chair, and firing up my laptop. I’ve situated myself with ice water and my “Shhhh” sign on my office door.

2. First up is deciding on a title. Once I have a working title, I’m ready to write. I stick with it until I’ve written at least a three-minute article. Often I must do some research on a subject that may be time-consuming. It doesn’t matter. It’s part of completing the task. You must persevere.

3. The editing process is next, deciding on a co-title, tags, and an appropriate photo.

Finally, I hit “publish.”

I’m smiling in my visualization. This is important. We want to enjoy the process. After all, we’re doing either something we want to do, must do, or that will advance us in some way.

Imagine seeing it completed and how excited and pleased you are to have accomplished this.

Next up

Now, take a peek into your folder, select the next most important item, and work on that one.

Once you get into the rhythm, the visualizations flow easily. It takes a little practice. It’s worth it.

You can also use this method to attain long-term goals. Use the same calming and visualization technique but see yourself completing one step today that will bring you closer to your desire.

Remember, the world’s top athletes, CEOs, actors, musicians, and entrepreneurs use this method. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for us.

Let me know how this process works for you.