A key element of human intellect is memory. The better a person’s memory is, the faster they will be able to learn new skills, retain more knowledge and learn from experiences. However, with drug use, becoming a national epidemic, doctors and researchers are seeing a cognitive decline in abusers. In this post, we explain the reasons that lead to memory loss and what people can do to recover.
What Drugs Cause Memory Loss
All kinds of illicit drugs can lead to memory loss. These include illicit ones like cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl as well as over-the-counter and opioids. Deaths due to prescription medications outweigh fatalities by illegal drugs. While people might start taking illegal drugs due to peer pressure or to get a ‘high’, overusing prescriptions to relieve pain can soon turn into an addiction. Drugs like beta-blockers, sleeping pills, and antidepressants act as a gateway to other drugs that promise a ‘higher’ experience of euphoria.
Here’s How They Affect The Brain
Harmful drugs like cocaine and heroin change the brain’s chemistry. This causes Acetylcholine, which is a chemical messenger responsible for relaying messages to other parts of the body, to lose its efficiency. This makes it difficult for a person to recollect memories and form a chain of thoughts. If not treated, this condition can continue to deteriorate the brain and substance abusers might show signs of early cognitive decline.
Signs Of Memory Loss
If you’re abusing drugs, then you need to be on the lookout for signs of memory loss. These include forgetting about conversations they ended a few minutes ago or saying the incorrect words for the wrong thing. For instance, they might constantly refer to their desk as the chair or the TV as the computer. These people will also start to notice that they are taking longer to complete the tasks they usually got done with faster before. For example, taking more minutes to cook a dish they are good at because of trouble recalling the recipe.
Affordable Drug Addiction Treatment in Baltimore
If you are seeing your memory deteriorate, then it’s time you reach out to professionals. At Maryland Medication Assisted Treatment and Technology, our team works with people who feel there is no hope left for them to recover. We help them improve their willpower so they can start turning their life around. Our suboxone treatment center in Owings Mills has experienced practitioners that provide affordable services to help people battle addiction. Reach out to us today to get your heroin addiction treatment started in Owings Mills.
