And what really happens when your brain cells are pickled? Don't you just go about creating new ones when you're sober again?

I had a relative who was a horrible alcoholic. A very nice, very kind man, but completely addicted to alcohol. As he slowly pickled his brains, he finally could do very little other than add more pickling to what had been pickled. He was dear almost to the end, bringing roses to the house when he visited. He was full of love for those he knew--but he seemed not to be able to do very much at the end other than drink. I believe he lived almost 72 years, most of them drinking quite a bit.

I wonder how his pickled experience compared to that of those who drink or eat or smoke or whatever they do with drugs like mescal? Is that state similar? Dreamlike? Anxiety-free?