SPECT Scans & Your Brain on Drugs- Part 2

In our previous post we shared what some of the most commonly abused substances will do to your brain.  This post will continue with other substances that are much abused as well as the amazing regenerative power of the brain to heal itself.


                            Effects of Long Term Alcohol

38 y/o – 17 years of heavy weekend use

top-down surface view		underside surface view
front on surface view		right side surface view
marked overall decreased activity

Alcohol Abuse and Brain Trauma

underside surface view		front on surface view
48 y/o — 22 years of daily use with history of past head injury marked scalloping overall decreased activity
44 y/o — 18 years of daily use underside surface view marked overall decreased activity		45 y/o — 25 year history of daily abuse underside surface view marked overall decreased activity

                                         

         Effects of Heavy Nicotine & Caffeine Abuse

45 y/o — 27 year history of heavy use
Smoking 3 packs of cigarettes and drinking 3 pots of coffee daily

underside surface view marked decreased overall activity

Now at this point, if I’m showing these images to a substance using client in my office I’ll often ask “So what stands out most for you seeing these images?” (usually the client is a bit wide eyed with jaw dropped).  I’ll then see if I can pick an example of what the client’s brain might look like, for example.

“So you’re in your late 20’s and you say you smoke pot really “just on weekends”.  Oh, here is an image of what a late 20 year old’s brain looks like who smokes just on weekends….

28 y/o — 10 years of mostly weekend use
underside surface view
decreased pfc and temporal lobe activity  

...is this what your brain looks like? Client, still a bit wide eyed with jaw dropped often with a response of "Whoa". "I guess maybe you hadn't heard the concentration of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) is way more potent now than it was in "hippy days".

I will often leave the client hanging with the reality and consequences of their choices for a little bit and then segue way to something a bit more optimistic.

The brain is quite adaptable and “plastic” and will regenerate once healthier (non-substance) choices are made. For example, here are some images of what the brain looks like while still using (left image) and when not using a year later (image on the right).

Hope for Healing Alcohol, Drug Abuse, Cocaine & Meth On and Off Drugs and Alcohol

Effects of drug abuse and alcohol abuse vs one year substance free

top-down surface view during substance abuse		top-down surface view a year drug and alcohol free
underside surface view during substance abuse		underside surface view   a year drug and alcohol free

There is hope!  The brain will regenerate given the proper conditions.  These images are often a powerful motivator for a person to realize the consequences of their choices and begin to think twice the next time they use.  I usually get a comment of...

“I DON’T want my brain to look like that!”

 

Best of health and warmest regards, Paul Radkowski

info@liferecoveryprogram.com

https://liferecoveryprogram.com/

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