How much alcohol or other drugs is it safe to consume after brain injury?
The answer to this question requires multiple considerations. First, there are many reasons why it is not safe to consume illegal drugs, including their interactions with prescribed drugs or other medical conditions, the potential for being arrested, the proven greater vulnerability to injury or being victimized, and last but not least the potential for additional brain damage from these uncontrolled substances. Alcohol – because it is a legal substance for adults – presents a more complex question. Our starting point is that certainly no one should consume more alcohol after traumatic brain injury than would be considered safe for an adult who had not. Many people do not realize that for adult men under age 65 it is recommended that no more than two alcoholic drinks should be consumed each day. For men over age 65 and for women, the recommended maximum is one drink per day (reference NIAAA website). So the question becomes after traumatic brain injury should an individual drink even t
