Helping out someone who has Alcohol Related Brain Impairment

Alcohol Related Brain Impairment affects a large number of Kooris. Often, however, the people who have this disability and their families, don't know much about it.

This website provides some information about Alcohol Related Brain Impairment for families, and others, who may be helping out someone that has this disability. It gives a summary of the main things you need to know about Alcohol Related Brain Impairment and what you might expect when helping out.

What is ARBI?

Alcohol Related Brain Impairment is damage done to the brain by the use of alcohol. It can cause cognitive impairment. This means it can cause problems with people's memory and with the way they think. It can be very serious or not too bad depending on how badly the brain has been damaged. Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can also cause physical problems. It can affect people's balance and coordination and make it difficult for them to walk. Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can cause changes in the person who has it. Often these changes are not very obvious and can take a long time to come about.

Changes in Behaviour

People who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment may change in the way they get along with other people. This has to do with damage to the parts of the brain that control emotions, behaviour and thinking. This makes it hard for the people who have this disability and for the people who are around them.

Often people who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment don't think they have a problem, or don't understand what has happened to them. They can feel that people around them are making a big deal about nothing. They can also get angry if people point out to them what they are doing wrong.

Sometimes people who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment find it hard to get around to doing things. They may feel they can't be bothered doing anything. This can be very frustrating for people around them, as they may have to take on the responsibility for making decisions and for getting things done.

Changes in Mood

People who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can experience mood swings. This means that they can feel OK one moment, and angry or upset soon after. Often they don't really know why they feel this way. It is important for people around them to know that this is normal and try to find ways of coping with it.

One of the most difficult times for people who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment, is when things change. This can be very upsetting for them. People who have this disability cope better when they have some kind of routine and they know who's who and what's what. It's helpful for family members or carers to know this, and to find ways of keeping change to a minimum.

Changes in Memory

Being around someone who has Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can require a certain amount of patience. When a person has Alcohol Related Brain Impairment, they can have short term memory loss. This means that they will forget things that may have happened a day or so ago. They can also forget whole chunks of their life that have happened after they got the brain impairment. Sometimes they will make up stories about the past as a way of trying to remember what has happened to them.

Helping someone with Acquired Brain Impairment might mean taking on the job of being their memory. This means reminding them about bills that need paying, shopping that needs to be done, or doctors' appointments that need to be kept. It might be helpful if you teach that person how to use a diary, or how to make a list and stick to the things on it.

Physical problems

Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can cause physical problems. The kinds of problems people will have depends on how badly damaged their brain is. People with Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can have problems with their balance and coordination.

They can often have problems with the way that they walk. They might walk with their legs wide apart. This is called Ataxia. Another problem they may have is a feeling of numbness and pins and needles in their hands and feet. When Alcohol Related Brain Impairment gets really bad, people can become confused, they can hallucinate (see things that are not really there) or they can go into a coma.

When any of this happens, they need to go to the hospital. They should be given a large dose of Vitamin B1 straight away as this can usually help with these problems.

Importance of diet

Usually when people drink, they don't bother about what they eat or whether they eat at all. It is important that people who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment eat proper foods. If they don't, it can make their brain impairment worse. The brain needs foods with Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) to function properly, but alcohol can stop Vitamin B1 getting into the system. It is important then for family, or people helping out, to make sure that the person who has Alcohol Related Brain Impairment eats foods with Vitamin B1 in them. Vitamin B1 is available in tablet form from a chemist or from the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service.

Not everything is affected

People who have Alcohol Related Brain Impairment can still do a lot of things. They can still remember things that happened a long time ago, before they were affected by the alcohol.

They can still read, write and speak as they did before ARBI. They will remember things they were taught as children and still be able to carry them out, such as getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc. They can remember things they were taught before they got Alcohol Related Brain Impairment, like driving a car.

It is important for family, and others helping out, to know that people with Alcohol Related Brain Impairment still can do many things that will help them look after themselves.

Getting help

If you need help, or want to know more about helping someone who has Alcohol Related Brain Impairment, there are some Koori and non Koori places that deal with this disability. These are listed in the resource directory for the Koori Community.