What is "Wet Brain syndrome"?
“Wet Brain” is a term that describes symptoms that are similar to dementia. The brain damage from drinking alcohol is irreversible, permanent and it comes on suddenly. It causes loss of memory and problems in learning. In advanced stages, special homes are needed because these people are incapable of taking care of themselves. They may be homeless and without support systems.
Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome
Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is the combined presence of Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome.
People with either are usually diagnosed with WKS as a single syndrome. It mainly causes vision changes, ataxia and impaired memory.
The symptoms & treatment of wet brain
- Loss of balance
- Involuntary or abnormal eye movements
- Diminished reflexes
- Rapid heart rate
- Lack of coordination
- Lowered body temperature
- Muscle atrophy and weakness
- Difficulties walking
- Memory loss
- Mental confusion
- Trouble learning new things or building-on to memories
- Hallucinations
- Quickly frustrated and forgetful
- Trouble with coordination, balance, and walking
- Confabulation (inventing events to fill memory gaps)
- Vision problems
- Disorientation and confusion
- Personality changes
WKS (wet brain) can be treated if it is caught in time and it can be reversed by stopping drinking alcohol, in other words complete abstinence.
Make healthy lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet and taking vitamins like thiamine (which are important for brain function).
When an alcoholic stops drinking suddenly, they need medically assisted detox to monitor and treat possible related alcohol withdrawal seizures which can result in death. Therefore addiction therapy with a registered Addiction Therapist is also very important for sustainable reversal. Alcohol is freely available even though it is a mind-altering drug in liquid form. Alcohol is socially acceptable and accompanies celebrations and most social gatherings. This means it is easy to get and easy to abuse.
Sadly, once the final stage of “wet brain” has set in, there is no treatment to reverse it. The brain almost becomes “pickled”, and a pickle cannot be “unpickled”. At this stage, the damage to the brain is permanent and can’t be treated
How long can you live with a wet brain?
It is believed that a person suffering from wet brain (WKS) can live around six months, all depending on how badly deteriorated the brain and liver are.
It is possible to die from this syndrome. As the condition worsens, the prognosis is not compatible with life.
The wet brain syndrome is real and dangerous, The medical diagnostical term is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, or “WKS” for short.
What does having a wet brain mean?
Wet brain is a casually used term describing a severe, often irreversible life-threatening condition. It can come on suddenly in people who are alcoholics. Another name for alcoholism is Alcohol Use Disorder, which means “addiction to alcohol”. When an alcoholic can’t stop drinking alcohol, the brain becomes “pickled” and literally shrinks in size.
The symptoms resemble Alzheimer’s. Wet brain renders the alcoholic incapable of basic self-care, such as needing to be fed, having to wear adult diapers, and memory loss. Fine and major motor coordination is affected, resulting in not being able to walk unaided.
Colleen
