Page 109 - The Memory Program How to Prevent Memory Loss and Enhance Memory Power
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such vastly different clinical disorders occur when people abuse the same substance in a similar
fashion.
Tolerance and Withdrawal: Signs of Addiction
Tolerance means taking larger and larger amounts to produce the same pleasurable effects. Mary
O'Brien was tolerant to the effects of four shots of whiskey every evening. However, this amount
hadn't changed for decades, and she wasn't trying to increase her intake to get the same effect.
Alcohol withdrawal causes severe tremor, anxiety, sleeplessness, and occasionally hallucinations,
together with severe craving for alcohol. Many alcoholics are terrified of reexperiencing these
withdrawal symptoms and try to avoid them by never staying sober. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms
require aggressive treatment, including hospitalization. Over the long term, many people benefit by
joining Alcoholics Anonymous.
Warning
If you're depressed and also drink alcohol, your memory gets double-whammied.
Caffeine
Caffeine dilates the blood vessels and increases blood flow in the brain, which may explain why it
seems to improve cognitive performance, at least in low doses. Caffeine also increases arousal and
speeds up communication among nerve cells in the brain. This increase in alertness, a sense of being
sharper, is what leads to better performance on cognitive tests, including tests of memory. But high
doses can lead to adverse effects, including tolerance and even withdrawal, as any heavy user can
testify.
On average, one cup of coffee contains the same amount of caffeine as three cups of tea. Caffeine
is most commonly used to wake up in the morning, but some people drink coffee as a way to reduce
stress. High doses of caffeine can lead to anxiety, jitteriness, and tremor of the hands. In other words,
instead of reducing stress, caffeine can increase the sensation of being wired, resulting in difficulty
concentrating and consequent memory loss. Therefore, as
