"Sir," the young doctor says, addressing the father of a young man recently admitted to his hospital, "can you give me any details about how your son landed in our emergency room?" "His friends told me that he went with them to a bar to celebrate his twenty-first birthday," the man answers, fear creeping into his throat so that his words sound strained and afraid.
"They said he only had a couple of drinks.
As they were leaving the bar, he seemed to lose his balance, jolt suddenly toward the road, and then careen into the path of a car.
" With imploring eyes, he asks, "Will he be okay?" The doctor looks down at the paperwork he has on the young man, then back at the father.
"I see that your son suffered a traumatic brain injury two years ago.
That means his chances of recovery this time are far less optimistic.
You need to prepare yourself for some difficult days.
Your son might not make it through this time.
" TBI (traumatic brain injury) and alcohol can be a lethal combination.
The areas of a person's higher brain function that may be affected long-term after a TBI (balance, memory, attention, and judgment) are also affected when a person is drunk.
Combined, these symptoms are magnified.
How else might alcohol affect a TBI victim? Here are some of the ways: oAs a result of TBI, a person has lost brain cells.
Alcohol can negatively impact the brain's ability to compensate for lost cells.
Additionally, TBI victims will be affected by alcohol faster than they were before their injuries.
oAlcohol can make even a healthy person feel less inhibited.
Since a TBI victim generally has problems in this area already, he will be further hampered in his ability to control this area of interpersonal relationships.
oSome TBI victims experience considerable difficulties with talking and balance; using alcohol multiplies these problems.
oBecause people who are experiencing difficulties in balance, walking, and clarity of thought are generally more prone to accidents than others, TBI victims (for whom these symptoms are common) will be even more vulnerable to a second accident.
oA second injury--more likely after alcohol consumption--can be expected to be worse than the first because it takes less force to damage an already weakened brain.
Fewer cells will remain to make necessary connections in the brain.
oDepression--a normal consequence of TBI--can deepen with the use of alcohol (which, by itself is also a depressant).
oThe use of alcohol after a TBI can increase the chances of a seizure.
A TBI can be life-altering, affecting multiple areas of a person's life.
Alcohol can exacerbate the consequences associated with a TBI and even lead to another TBI.
The conclusion is clear: TBIs and alcohol consumption should not be combined.