Rehabilitation professionals have discouraged any substance use following brain injury. Any type of substance, whether it is alcohol or drugs, can affect brain functioning for all individuals, whether they have had a brain injury or not. For those who have had brain injuries, the effects of alcohol and drugs are typically magnified.

Alcohol or substance use at the time of injury can largely complicate the medical course of recovery. Individuals who are intoxicated at the time they substain traumatic brain injury are more likely to be intubated and have respiratory distress, have greater severity of injury, greater incident of death, lower cognitive status at the time of discharge, and suffer greater lengths of post-traumatic amnesia.

Use of alcohol or drugs after a brain injury:

Permanent brain injury results in fewer "resources" to deal with the additional impairing effects of alcohol. In people who do not have brain injuries, alcohol serves to impair judgement. Therefore, if judgement is already impaired due to a brain injury, alcohol will further magnify its effects. If judgement, cognitive functioning, and sensory motor functions are already negatively affected by the brain injury, it can increase the probability of additional TBI, making the brain vulnerable to additional impairment.

When the pre-injury lifestyle included use of drugs or alcohol, either habitually or recreationally, families are faced with the task of managing their life after the brain injury. Families are often unprepared for the negative effects caused by the use of drugs or alcohol after the brain injury.

Family Guide to Use of Alcohol and Other Substances After Brain Injury