Alcohol dementia prognosis

Alcohol Dementia Characteristics

This condition, as the title itself suggests, is a common stadium for the long term alcoholics. Namely, due to excessive alcohol consumption lasting through many years of someone's life, he or she is likely to develop certain mental problems, regarding memory and self-awareness issues. In addition to this condition, these people are prone to developing liver cancer and/or malnutrition. The latter two conditions add on to one's mental deterioration, creating a vicious circle an alcoholic is likely to stay in for the rest of his or her life.

Manifestations of Alcohol Dementia

Logically, the main symptom of alcoholic dementia is memory loss. The person in question is not able to remember things from either long distance past or even yesterday. In addition to this, he or she has motor function troubles, regarding walking and performing some basic physical tasks. Constant state of confusion is often the case as well. Physically, these people have eye problems. Namely, their eye muscles may be paralyzed, disabling the movement of the eyeballs. Also, eyes may move involuntarily andabruptly.

These symptoms are usually connected with vitamin B deficiency, due to malnutrition and excessive alcohol indulgence. However, up to this point one can be treated and possibly restored to his or her previous self, following the therapy successfully. Otherwise, the manifestations will worsen, and the alcoholic may suffer even greater brain damage, possibly dying in theend.

Once the following symptoms appear, the treatment is not possible due to the critical advancement of the dementia. These include permanently saggy eyelids, abrupt personality changes into either apathy or desperation, severe memory problems and double vision. The list, however, does not stop here, as this road to complete mental deterioration has several more characteristics. The troubled person may invent some things in order to fill in the gaps in his or her own lost memory. Therefore, they might be lying even though not being aware of it at all. Hallucinations and similar problems become present in this stadium as well. Finally, one is not willing to accept his or her own state of affairs, denying that there are certain problems regarding his or her mental or physical health.

Possible Treatment

First and foremost, if a person is to be treated successfully and recover, he or she needs to stop drinking. This presents a sacrifice to big to be made for most alcoholics, making their treatment impossible. Nevertheless, even if a person stops drinking, there is a high likelihood that dementia, or even Alzheimer's disease will develop. Otherwise, a two year, alcohol-free, struggle is needed for one to completely recover from alcoholic dementia.