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    The Drug Plan pays almost $200 million each year to offset the cost of about 3,700 approved prescription drugs. In 2006-07, we processed 9.6 million prescriptions and paid an average of 49% of the cost. Read more about drug coverage. Alcohol, Drugs and your Health Alcohol and Drug Use after a Brain InjuryShould people with brain injuries drink alcohol or use drugs? In making your decision, consider the following points: People who begin or continue using alcohol or other drugs after a brain injury don't recover as quickly or as completelyIf people who have had a brain injury begin using alcohol or other drugs, they may lose much of the progress they have made. Because they lost brain cells in the injury, the remaining cells must work harder for the person to do some of the same activities they did before the injury. If the remaining cells are affected by alcohol or drugs, they will not be able to take over the duties of the dead cells. That means skills a person could have regained are now lost. Brain injuries can cause problems in balance, walking or talking that worsen when a person uses alcohol or drugsFor people whose brain injury has caused difficulties with balance, movements and speech, alcohol and other drugs further reduce ability in these areas. People who have had a brain injury often say or do things without thinking firstThis problem is worsened by using alcohol and other drugs. Acting before thinking can be a common problem for people with brain injury. It is also a problem for people who abuse alcohol and drugs. Not being able to control what they say or do can lead to increased risk-taking, arguments, or other socially inappropriate behaviour. People with brain injuries may learn ways to control their behaviour. However, they are unable to use these skills well when drinking or using drugs. Brain injuries can cause problems with thinking, such as concentration and memoryUsing alcohol and other drugs make these problems worse. Many people have to learn new skills, or relearn old ones, after a brain injury. People may have trouble with concentration, memory, problem-solving and other thinking skills. Alcohol and other drugs can also interfere with learning new information. After a brain injury, alcohol and other drugs have a more powerful effectBrain injury results in a loss of brain cells. Those cells that remain must do their own work plus the work of the dead cells. Because there are fewer cells after a brain injury, more alcohol or drugs go to fewer cells, increasing the impact of the alcohol or drugs on that person's ability to function. The person becomes intoxicated more quickly, and the effect of the alcohol or other drugs is much greater. In addition, alcohol and other drugs interfere with the effectiveness of prescribed medications. People with brain injury are more likely to feel low or depressed at timesDrinking alcohol (a depressant), or getting high on other drugs, makes this problem worse. Depression is fairly common after a brain injury. Some people may try to cope by drinking alcohol or using other drugs. While people may "forget" their problems for awhile, these problems are still there when they are sober. An endless cycle can be established at this point, with depression leading to substance use, which leads to increased depression. This behaviour decreases overall ability, increasing depression even more. After a brain injury, drinking alcohol or using other drugs can cause a seizureSome people with a brain injury have an increased risk of seizures. Those who are at a very high risk are given medication to prevent them. Alcohol and other drugs increase the chance that even those at the lower levels of risk will have a seizure. Alcohol and non-prescription drugs prevent seizure medications from working, further increasing the risk of seizures. People who drink alcohol or use other drugs after a brain injury are more likely to have another brain injuryA person who has difficulty thinking clearly, walking smoothly, or reacting quickly due to brain injury is three times more likely to have another injury. People who further cloud their abilities with alcohol or drugs will have an even higher risk of another injury. Second and subsequent injuries will cause more harm than the first one. The destruction of more cells as the result of a second injury will leave even fewer cells to do the same jobs. Some abilities will be lost because of fewer cells to make these functions possible. Contact: Phone: (306) 787-0802 Fax: (306) 787-7095 E-mail: kfroehli@health.gov.sk.ca
Related Links
A partnership with SGI to enable people with acquired brain injury to live in their communities with improved quality of life.
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