Many people don’t realize how much their environment and their physical health can affect their ability to think, communicate or carry out different tasks. We spend a good amount of time talking our clients through strategies they can use to improve their Executive Functions. Sooner or later, each one of our clients notices environmental or behavioral factors that make it more difficult to use the strategies we’ve practiced together.
Executive Function skills are the skills we use to work toward our goals in different areas of our lives. At Beyond BookSmart, we help people of all ages improve their Executive Function skills through one-on-one coaching.
People who drink alcohol might feel like it makes it easier to socialize or enjoy themselves in the short term. However, its negative effects on Executive Functions usually outweigh the positives. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how alcohol affects Executive Functions and the parts of the brain we use to control them.
How does alcohol affect Executive Functions across the lifespan?
The brain develops until about age 25. Alcohol impacts Executive Functions in different ways at different stages of development and throughout the progression of alcohol use disorder (AUD). Exposure to alcohol before birth and during adolescence negatively affects brain development. Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause developmental delays and lifelong disabilities. Young people who drink alcohol may have limited growth in certain areas of the brain or limited connectivity between brain regions.
At any age, alcohol use can cause immediate impairments to decision-making, impulse control, memory, motor control, and speech. Over time, high amounts of alcohol use can cause permanent damage to the parts of the brain that control these Executive Functions. Alcohol is so addictive because it activates both positive and negative reinforcement. At first, it stimulates the brain’s reward processing system. After continued use, people feel they need alcohol to avoid negative emotional states of stress and anxiety.
How alcohol impacts decision-making
Alcohol affects decision-making both in situations where risks are ambiguous or unknown and when there are clear risks. It affects mood, inhibition, and judgment, all of which can lead to poor decisions. You may be more likely to act on impulses without thinking about the consequences. You may make decisions based on what might feel good in the moment, even if it comes with risks or negative outcomes in the long run. Or you might not consider all the important factors before making a hasty decision.
How alcohol impacts memory
Heavy drinking slows the cerebral cortex, the part of the brain that takes in and processes new information. It also dulls sensory input. You might have a hard time concentrating when under the influence. Or you may temporarily forget important details or miss them entirely. Drinking too much alcohol can cause blackouts because it impairs the hippocampus. Blackouts are episodes when a person forgets what they experienced in a certain period. Young people are especially vulnerable to blackouts from drinking.
How alcohol impacts self-control
Drinking alcohol alters the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. These chemical messengers transmit signals in the brain and body to control behavior, emotion, and physical activity. With fewer inhibitions and more intense moods, alcohol can make people more impulsive. It may be harder to avoid unwanted behaviors or stop them once the behavior has started.
Keep exploring the complex relationship between alcohol and Executive Function
Drinking alcohol has far-reaching impacts on virtually all of your Executive Functions, including decision-making, memory, and self-control. For many adults, there are situations where having a couple of drinks won’t be too harmful. People with alcohol dependence should seek assistance from their doctor or a social support program to help them stop drinking. Self-knowledge of your Executive Function skills can make a big difference in your ability to manage your behavior.
We start developing EF skills soon after birth, and we learn most of them as children and adolescents. It’s common to have challenges in a certain EF skill area that last into adulthood. Judging yourself or someone else for a skill deficit won’t create a positive influence or meaningful change. Shame only fuels negative feelings and avoidance. At Beyond BookSmart, we help coaching clients of all ages understand their strengths and weaknesses. We also help both children and adults find practical ways to choose behaviors and habits that are consistent with the kind of life they want to live. To learn more about how to improve your Executive Function skills, download our toolkit for students or adults.
Are you or someone you love having difficulty with Executive Functioning that affects your quality of life? We can help. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an inquiry call. Let’s talk about some new strategies for better decision-making and healthier habits in every area of your life.
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