This is what alcohol can do to you:

  • Poor balance / unsteady trips / falls Slurred speech
  • Memory blanks
  • Blurred vision
  • Difficulty walking
  • More stroppy
  • Depressed / anxious

If you have also suffered a brain injury, this will mean a loss of brain cells and the remaining brain cells must work harder to do some of the same activities. Your brain injury may have affected your:

  • Walking
  • Talking
  • Hand control
  • Eyesight
  • Mood
  • Personality
  • Thinking skills

People who begin or continue to use alcohol after a brain injury do not recover as quickly or as completely.

  • If your remaining brain cells are affected by alcohol, they will be much less able to compensate or function.
  • If you have been a heavy drinker you may have caused some permanent damage to your brain.
  • The good news is that within one year of abstinence most people show some improvements with memory skills.

Alcohol and epilepsy

  • If you suffer from epilepsy as a result of your brain injury, alcohol may cause withdrawal seizures – i.e. up to 72 hours after drinking you are at increased risk of a seizure.
  • Many people with epilepsy are at increased risk of having a seizure after 3 drinks.
  • Long standing use of alcohol after a brain injury can increase your risk of further seizures. The side effects of epilepsy tablets and alcohol can be dangerous.

After a brain injury, people who continue to drink alcohol are at a higher risk of another injury

Alcohol and driving

If you have had a brain injury, driving after even just one drink could be dangerous.

Alcohol and acquired brain injury (ABI)

  • Having a brain injury can cause problems with balance and walking.
  • Having a brain injury can cause slurred speech and word-finding problems. o
  • Having a brain injury can cause problems with concentration or memory. o
  • Having a brain injury can cause anxiety and depression.
  • Having a brain injury can cause increased anger / irritability.
  • Having a brain injury can cause risk taking behaviour

Alcohol can make these problems worse.

What you can do:

  • Limit your alcohol intake to no more than 2 units at a time – e.g. one pint or one glass of wine
  • When out socially, ask friends and family to support you with this decision
  • Ask your GP / ABI Team to help you access special support and advice

If you have had a brain injury, it will take much less alcohol to make you feel drunk

People who access our services are welcome to talk to the Team Manager if they are experiencing any problems with their care.

Useful organisations

The following organisations are independent of CWP, contact details are provided for information purposes only. CWP will not be responsible for any advice or treatment provided by these organisations.

  • Central Cheshire Alcohol Service Tel: 01270 580243
  • Chester Community Alcohol Service Tel: 01244 347087
  • East Cheshire Alcohol Service Tel: 01625 443203
  • Wirral Alcohol Service Tel: 0151 488 7363

How to find us:

Acquired Brain Injury Service Acorn Suite Countess of Chester Health Park Liverpool Road Chester CH2 1HJ Tel: 01244 389252 Fax: 01244 389255.

If you would like this information in another format, please speak to a member of CWP staff or e-mail cwp.info@nhs.net.


June 2020 Version 1.
www.cwp.nhs.uk.