Scottsdale, AZ, based Pinnacle Peak Recovery recently published an article regarding drugs that cause memory loss. Many addictive drugs are known to have negative side effects, with memory loss being one of the many notable issues people have to deal with. The center’s article talks about some of these drugs and aims to inform their readers so that they might avoid abusing harmful substances.
Many people use drugs without taking into account the short and long-term side effects they may have as a result. Memory loss is among the more serious side effects, and it is understandably one of the scarier ones since many are terrified of forgetting important information about themselves, their lives, and their loved ones. The Pinnacle Peak Recovery article observes that memories are the foundation on which people build their futures and reflect on their pasts, which is why keeping memories intact is very important. Losing memories means losing the feelings, thoughts, and relationships tied to those memories, and this can drastically affect all aspects of a person’s life.
“According to an introductory psychology textbook, memory is the retention of information or experience over time as the result of three key processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval,” the article says. “Encoding is getting information into memory. This could include encoding sights and sounds. Encoding is like taking a photo with a camera. Storage is retaining information over time. Think of storage as similar to taking the photos off your camera, printing them, and adding them to a photo album. Retrieval is taking information out of storage. Think of retrieval as flipping through the photo album. While flipping through the photos in the photo album, you have the opportunity to recall past details and experiences. Memories play an important role in our bonds with others and our own personal sense of identity.”
One of the most common drugs with the potential to cause memory loss is alcohol. According to the national library of medicine, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, meaning that it slows down brain activity. This results in changes to mood, behavior, and the loss of self-control. Alcohol can also lead to problems related to memory and thinking, along with coordination and physical control. Lastly, alcohol can seriously affect several organs, including the heart. Having what many refer to as a ‘blackout’ can cause memory disruption or something much more serious, according to studies performed by experts.
“Alcohol use disorder is one of the reasons that people enter into an alcohol addiction treatment center,” the article says. “According to data from the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and the National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services, among people 12 or older in Arizona, the yearly average percentage of alcohol use disorder in the past year decreased from 2002 to 2004 and 2017 to 2019. From 2017 to 2019, the yearly average prevalence of past-year alcohol use disorder in Arizona was 4.7% (or 279,000 people), which was lower than the regional average (5.9%), but similar to the national average (5.3%).”
Pinnacle Peak Recovery’s article also talks about marijuana, another commonly used drug consumed in a wide variety of forms. Marijuana may produce short-term problems with cognitive ability, reducing a person’s ability to perform certain tasks. It can also cause short-term memory problems, but the potential issues that continuous marijuana use can cause are currently unknown.
Alcohol and marijuana are very common and somewhat acceptable socially. Their effects are also relatively mild compared to some of the substances mentioned in Pinnacle Peak Recovery’s article. Methamphetamine, for example, has the potential to cause a large number of serious cognitive issues, including memory loss. Meth-induced memory issues can also lead to the addiction cycle being perpetuated.
The article talks about cocaine and benzodiazepines, and provides resources to anyone looking for ways to get treatment for various types of addiction. Anyone interested may visit the Pinnacle Peak Recovery website for more information on various kinds of addiction.
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For more information about Pinnacle Peak Recovery, contact the company here:
Pinnacle Peak Recovery
(866) 954-0524
info@pinnaclepeakrecovery.com
8070 E Morgan Trail Unit 200
Scottsdale, AZ 85258
