12:00 pm
This is really depressing, mainly because, theoretically speaking, I shouldn’t be able to form ANY long-term memories at this point (if this article is correct in saying that the damage occurs in the hippocampus, which is where short-term memories are converted to long-term memories elsewhere in the brain):
Effects of Binge Drinking Almost Immediate
It’s hard to ignore the FACT of the matter, which is, even IF you’ve gotten sober, you’ve still got brain damage and you’ve still got an increased risk of dementia in your later years. I almost feel like drinking over it–why not? The damage has been done.
ANYHOO, it’s sort of a rainy day down here and I’ve got work to do, and my biggest concern as of the moment is my lower back (burning pain today–ack!) and NOT my hippocampus. Alas, I’ve got some blog posts to dazzle you guys with:
1. Weird and Awkward
2. Drinking is a disorder, not a disease
3. The continuum of “alcoholism” is like the continuum of sexuality–we’re all on it, somewhere
4. ?
See you later!
Drunky Drunk Girl 
Ugh, with a history of dementia in my family as it is (non alkies) I don’t know if I can even read that one!
But I eagerly await those blog posts because they all sound awesome. Waiting. Baited breath. 🙂
xx
Haha. They’re coming. Been pushing that sober boulder up that hill the past few days, still, so my oomph to write is hard to find.
Uh, yeah. I read a LOT about what happens, neurologically, during a blackout–it IS scary. I don’t know if the damage done is irreversible, though; there is a HUGE amount we don’t know about the brain, how plastic it is (how and when neurons regenerate), etc. Don’t worry, I’m not. I think I just want an excuse to drink “one glass.” 😉
That article is DEPRESSING. Do not research such things.
Haha. I think it’s important to know, but…also to remind us that there’s nothing we can do about it now besides remain sober and let our brains heal and re-build!
The continuum …. I can hardly wait.
Haha. Me, too…if I ever get around to writing it! Been pushing that big old sober boulder uphill the past few days…
Anything I can say that would help? How about you let the pseudo-sober boulder roll down the hill and you keep climbing. Honestly, don’t slip away now. You need a new objective 90… (check), 100… (check) what’s next? No destination, no arrival. I never want to overstep my boundaries as a sober cyber friend. So you can tell me to f-off if you want. I know you don’t want to drink, but you also are afraid to experience life fully—sober. (Me too, I still get scared at times). You achieved your goal. Set a new one. Just like your writing …. move on to the next piece. Bring more of you to your next composition. Dig deeper, you will like what you find. Well at first you might hate it, but eventually you will love it. You are amazing. Live bigger, shine brighter, you don’t need to be afraid. Ugghhh, hope I haven’t pushed the envelope. Forgive me if I have. I’m just pullin’ for ya.
Hi, Lisa,
Such great advice, and no, I totally appreciate your honest and encouraging words of wisdom. I took that advice and decided to make my new goal 6 months (see my ticker/timer widget on my home page–updated to 180 days!). I think I am afraid of living life fully sober; most pressing, though, is being afraid of not being on a path, with goals. So, I made some new ones. Now, the work. Always, work. I just hope it gets easier and stops being so uncomfortable… Thanks for being in my corner! xx
i’m afraid i agree with BHM… that some things *may be* true, doesn’t mean we need to focus on them … or give them any thought at all. the universe is full of things that are *true*. You could count the seeds on a strawberry … and people do it. but not you, not today, not now. what we CAN do today, with now, to ensure a good life… eat our sprouts, go for a run, get good sleep, stay out of harm’s way. we all have some kind of deep shit in our past. while i don’t have binge drinking personally, there’s a metric tonne of mental illness in my extended family. But that’s not ME. I am not terminally unique, but i’m not ‘everyone’ either. I plan to live to 115 and to be coherent right till the end, who’s with me? 🙂 hugs for saturday. looking forward to the continuum …
True, so true. Thanks for YOUR genius! I think about it a lot, mainly because when I was drinking, I spent a fair amount of hungover time googling ethanol, hangover, and blackout! Plus, I read daily about scientific studies (well, used to), so…it’s not news to me. I mean, the hippocampus can suffer damage from other things, too, but…who knows if it heals, or if that supposed damage is permanent? No one. Not yet, I don’t think.
ANYHOO, I spend most of my day thinking along the lines you are: eat well, take care of my body, honor thy temple.
Hugs back! Yes yes yes, must find some inner oomph and get to writin’…
Urgh. I kinda wish I hadn’t read this, as it has made my damaged-from-years-and-years-of-binge-drinking brain boggle. But with a bit of luck, my addled brain will let me forget it all in a few days 😉
OK, seriously, though. I’m thinking, ‘So what?’. So the damage is done (maybe); so I have hurt myself permanently (maybe). The truth is that I could have hurt myself a hell of a lot worse. I could have zero brain activity – I could be in the ground.
Articles like this don’t really depress me. They make me count my blessings…
Michelle
Yes, yes, yes! True dat, to the max. Such a great perspective: so what? Not much we can really do but stay sober, continue to improve our health, and be grateful for all that we DO have and have achieved and/or gained back from getting sober. xxx
Ooooh! I just noticed your counter on the side – DAY 90 IS HERE AND GONE!
Well done! Congratulations! Where did I put my pom poms??
XO,
M
YES! I know. Today is 108! Going on 16 weeks this week. Who would’ve believed it was possible???