What is alcoholism and its consequences. Social consequences of alcoholism and harm to health. How does alcohol work after it enters the human body?

Content

Currently, alcohol abuse is an important problem in Russia. According to statistics, as of 2019, the number of alcoholism patients exceeded 5 million people or 3.7% of the total population. Complications of alcoholism have become one of the leading causes of premature death. Besides, greatest number All crimes were committed while intoxicated. Frequent consumption of alcohol inevitably leads to addiction, i.e. Alcoholism and its consequences destroy not only health, but also life.

What is alcoholism

Alcoholism is a mental disorder that is characterized by excessive consumption of drinks containing ethyl alcohol. As a result of a state of constant intoxication, a person’s health deteriorates, his ability to work, his well-being and his moral character decrease. A person becomes dependent on alcohol at the physiological and mental levels. Alcoholism is not compatible with normal social and personal life. With prolonged use of high doses of alcohol, irreversible mental disorders inevitably occur.

Causes

There are many reasons and conditions that can lead to chronic alcoholism. As a rule, this is stress as a result of emotional conflict, domestic, everyday problems, loss of a loved one, difficulties at work. Alcohol abuse is promoted by a depressive personality type with low self-esteem, dissatisfaction with one’s actions, deeds and achievements.

The hereditary factor is important (father, mother or other blood relatives suffer from alcoholism), as well as various types negative factors environment and culture, education, availability of alcoholic beverages for minors. In addition, drinking alcoholic beverages contributes to low level life of the population, lack of good work, lack of educational opportunities.

Stages

Alcoholism is a disease that develops over years and even decades. Clinically, there are three main stages in the development of this mental disorder:

1. First stage. It starts with the person increasing the dose of alcohol and drinking more often. He drinks a lot, often, making up excuses for drinking alcohol. At the same time, characteristic symptoms begin to develop: the person quickly loses control over his behavior and becomes inadequate. The next day, after drinking alcohol, you feel unwell, but without the need for a hangover. A clear sign of the onset of alcoholism is a person’s persistent belief that he can stop drinking at any time.
2. Second stage. It is observed in patients who are registered in drug treatment clinics. A person’s tolerance to alcohol increases, so the dose of alcohol gradually and imperceptibly increases. At the second stage of alcoholism, the initial symptoms intensify and new ones appear. Each time the doses increase, which leads to prolonged binges for several days in a row.
3. Third stage. The final stage is manifested by severe complications. At the third stage, the patient begins to experience a disorder of mental functions and alcohol degradation of all vital organs of the body. Resistance to ethyl alcohol increases, a person drinks systematically, every day, several times a day, but in small doses.

Some narcologists distinguish the final, fourth stage, which is characterized by severe mental disorder (alcohol psychosis), withdrawal syndromes and nervous complications (seizures, dementia). A chronic alcoholic is not able to think independently, speak normally and establish social contacts, and is indifferent to the world around him.

A person at this stage drinks often, in small portions, and is constantly intoxicated. During this period, the patient loses his family, often his home, and lives on the street. Alcoholism of the fourth stage does not respond to any therapy, because... all organs and systems of the body are destroyed by the action of ethyl alcohol and chronic intoxication with its metabolites. A person who has reached this stage does not live long and dies from a coma that occurs from prolonged drinking bouts.

The harm of drinking alcohol

In the initial stage of the development of alcoholism, the consequences of alcohol poisoning appear ( headache, nausea). Over time, the symptoms of regular drunkenness become obvious: the mood often changes dramatically, depending on the consumption of alcohol. Without drinking, the patient becomes aggressive and inadequate, and memory loss appears. An alcoholic thinks only about drinking; other joys, hobbies and needs do not exist for him, and even the need to eat fades into the background.

The second stage of addiction development is characterized by not only a psychological, but also a physical need for alcohol. The body requires new, higher doses of alcohol, without it it ceases to function normally. At this stage, a person often quits work and becomes apathetic and depressed. The patient can no longer stop drinking on his own.

At the third stage of the disease, a person quickly degrades as a person, his psyche is disturbed. Morphological destruction in the central nervous system, the functioning of organs and systems of the body leads to partial loss of movement and speech, and sudden paralysis of the entire body occurs. Malignant neoplasms develop in liver cells, and severe kidney and vascular diseases occur. In addition, frequent intoxication leads to alcoholic delirium, often fatal.

Beer alcoholism

Despite the fact that beer is a low-alcohol drink, it poses no less a danger to life and health. Such alcoholism has a direct negative effect on all body systems. Among the most unpleasant consequences of beer addiction is the harm that the drink causes to the heart. Large doses of “foamy” will affect the general well-being and the condition of its blood vessels.

In the history of medicine, the term “Bavarian beer heart” is known, which was designated by a German physician for patients whose hearts had become pathologically changed as a result of daily consumption of large amounts of beer. This condition is characterized by the following symptoms:

• thickened walls of the heart chambers;
• necrosis of muscle fibers;
• dilated heart cavities;
• decrease in the number of mitochondria in cells.

Consequences of alcoholism

Excessive alcohol consumption over time negatively affects all aspects of a person’s life: from health to social status. Ethyl alcohol has ruined the lives of many thousands of people; because of it, families are breaking up and children are born with deformities and disabilities. The consequences of alcohol intoxication, social problems and much more - this is the result of uncontrolled alcohol consumption.

Alcohol poisoning

Negative consequences Binge drinking and alcohol intoxication can be irreversible for human health. Fatal outcomes are often observed when critical doses of alcohol are consumed in combination with sedatives and narcotic substances. Symptoms during detoxification:

• headache;
• nausea;
• loss of appetite;
• hand tremors;
• tachycardia.

Children of alcoholics

The reproductive system is one of the first to suffer from uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, so healthy children are rarely born to chronic alcoholics. A child who was conceived by drinkers often experiences genetic mutations (Down's disease, Turner's syndrome, phenylketonuria). Anatomical disorders often occur during intrauterine development: heart defects, organ underdevelopment, anencephaly, hydrocephalus, etc., alcohol syndrome develops.

If alcoholics give birth to a daughter with rice, they will give birth to offspring with pathologies. This is due to the fact that egg precursors are born during intrauterine development and are not subsequently renewed, but simply mature, so a girl who was systematically exposed to ethyl alcohol in the womb gives birth to unhealthy children. As a result, attention is paid to prevention and elimination of female alcoholism.

Social consequences

Alcohol is often the impetus for criminal behavior because... it relaxes a person’s consciousness and gives a feeling of impunity. Social consequences of alcoholism include:

• fights;
• theft;
• sexual violence;
• causing material damage;
• bad behavior;
• murders;
• domestic violence;
• drunk driving.

Coding

One of the methods of prevention, treatment and prevention of alcoholism is coding, i.e. a set of measures aimed at developing a reflexive rejection of alcohol or emotional disgust. In modern narcology, there are several types of such procedures:

1. Medication. Application medicines, causing intolerance to even small doses of ethyl alcohol.
2. Psychotherapy. Using modern methods of influencing mental perception.
3. Hardware encoding. The use of physiotherapy to develop alcohol intolerance.
4. Hypnotherapy. Using individual or group hypnosis sessions.

Encoding is considered successful, after which the person is physically unable to drink any alcoholic beverages, even if he wants to. When drinking alcohol, such patients immediately experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache. The most common method of coding patients with alcoholism is medication.

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Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Alcoholism and its consequences for human health - harm from regular consumption of alcoholic beverages

The consequences of alcoholism are a complex threat not only to physical health, but also to the personality, psyche, and socialization. The disease may progress over several months or several years. But without qualified medical care, the result is always the same:

• complete isolation from society
• destruction of all relationships - even family ones
• intellectual and personal degradation
• damage to vital organs up to the development of life-threatening conditions (heart attacks, strokes, etc.)

It is important to understand that there are no safe alcoholic drinks. The strength of alcohol is not important - constant use will sooner or later lead to the development of addiction.

Physiological consequences of alcoholism

Already on the second day, external changes appear and the development of serious diseases begins.

External manifestations

• constantly shaking hands;
• wrinkled, loose skin with age spots;
• severe swelling;
• thinning hair;
• bad teeth.

All this is the result of the destructive effects of alcohol toxins and a changed lifestyle.

Alcohol causes severe dehydration, so the body tries to store as much water as possible - as a result, swelling appears. This is especially noticeable on the face.

Impaired metabolism and constant increased load on internal organs that try to remove toxins lead to decreased immunity, susceptibility to any infections and gradual tissue destruction (hair and teeth become brittle and begin to fall out).

Disorders of the digestive, endocrine, cardiovascular and other systems inevitably affect the appearance of the addict, with long-term addiction visually turning him literally into an “old man” at a fairly young age.

Internal disorders

• disturbances in the functioning of the heart;
• anemia;
• kidney damage (up to chronic renal failure);
• fatty degeneration and cirrhosis of the liver;
• pancreatitis;
• gastroduodenitis;
• functional disorder of the central and peripheral nervous systems;
• cerebrovascular accidents;
• encephalopathy (irreversible changes in the brain);
• strokes;
• heart attacks.

In the absence of timely intervention at the third stage, the consequences of alcoholism become even more dangerous - actual destruction begins. internal organs:

• effects of alcohol on gastrointestinal tract can cause severe disturbances in the functions of the pancreas (up to pancreatic necrosis), cancer of the esophagus, stomach and rectum;
• the main burden of removing toxins falls on liver, in which entire sections of tissue gradually begin to die, as a result, the remaining part of the organ simply cannot cope with the “volume of work” and can fail at any moment;
• increasing concentrations of toxins continue to destroy cardiovascular system, the heart muscle is stretched and is not able to contract effectively; impaired blood circulation leads to progressive oxygen starvation of tissues throughout the body.

According to World Organization Health care, 4-7% of deaths in our country are caused by alcohol addiction. The main causes are heart disease, pancreatic necrosis, cirrhosis of the liver, as well as various injuries and accidents that occur to people while intoxicated.

Mental consequences of alcoholism

The action of ethanol consistently destroys the nervous system and leads to the death of brain cells.

The consequence is:

• sleep disorders
• memory impairment
• decreased intellectual abilities
• emotional inadequacy

In the later stages of alcoholism, even the ability to speak and perceive other people's speech is lost.

Already at the beginning of the development of addiction, the criticality of judgments and self-perception decreases, and the alcoholic ceases to adequately assess what is happening. The sense of self-preservation gradually fails, which leads to various injuries and even death.

At the second stage, during the period of acute abstinence or binge drinking, it is necessary to metal-alcohol psychoses.

Delirium tremens (“delirium tremens”)

The first signs are sleep disturbances and nightmares. At dusk (especially in the evening) the first hallucinations begin. An alcoholic may mistake shadows in a room for someone’s silhouettes, or discarded clothes for some kind of monster.

Over time, the hallucinations become more intense. At first, imaginary images fit into the surrounding reality, but gradually drag the addict into an illusory world, so real that the alcoholic can hear non-existent sounds, smell smells, and hear voices.

Such visions are almost always negative in nature, causing a feeling of real anxiety, forcing one to defend oneself from some threat (for example, running away from a scary monster).

In this state, the addict poses a danger not only to himself, but also to others. Fleeing from something that is real only to him, he can jump out of a window or attack a person standing next to him, seeing an imaginary enemy in his place.

Psychosis is accompanied by elevated temperature and disturbances in the body's metabolic processes. Without qualified medical care, an alcoholic may die from cardiovascular failure or cerebral edema.

Alcoholic hallucinosis

The disorder is characterized by delusions and verbal or visual hallucinations. The addict begins to hear “voices” that talk to him or among themselves, discuss him, even scold or threaten him. Gradually, such “interlocutors” drive him to persecution mania.

Hallucinosis occurs:

• acute – lasts from several days to 2-3 weeks;
• protracted – lasts from a month to six months;
• chronic - up to several years.

This type of psychosis is usually characterized by the predominance of one symptom - either delusions or hallucinations. The longer the condition lasts, the more severe the anxiety and depression become, which can lead the addict to suicide.

Delusional psychoses

In most cases, the disorder manifests itself as persecutory delusions. Unlike hallucination, a person does not begin to hear any extraneous “voices” in his head. His mania relates to real people and is provoked by false judgments, as a result of which the patient thinks that someone is watching him. Any word, any action not only of loved ones, but also of strangers will only confirm this confidence.

Over time, this conviction will only grow, provoking fear and prompting unpredictable actions. This condition lasts for weeks and in many ways resembles the manifestations of developing schizophrenia. You will need experience in the field of addiction to make the correct diagnosis and select effective treatment.

Alcoholic encephalopathy

One of the most dangerous consequences of alcoholism is the death of brain cells, which gradually leads to encephalopathy.

Characteristic features are:

• decreased intellectual abilities;
• primitiveness of thinking;
• severe memory impairment;
• inhibited motor reactions;
• convulsions (as in an epileptic seizure);
• partial loss of sensitivity.

Consequences of alcoholism for the individual

The destructive effects of alcohol also affect moral and ethical qualities. Already by the second stage, a loved one can change beyond recognition - a previously educated and correct person becomes a deceitful egocentric, unable to take into account the feelings of other people.

All his actions are aimed only at obtaining alcohol. He displays incredible ingenuity, perseverance and cunning. To get what he wants, the addict begins to steal valuables from the house and sell things. He may decide to commit robbery or even a more serious crime.

The lack of critical perception gradually leads to complete degradation of the individual. Having lost all moral values, the alcoholic tries to involve other people in his world - he gets the younger generation drunk, provokes former drinking buddies who have already been treated in a drug treatment clinic to relapse.

At the same time, the addict resolutely denies the negative impact of alcohol on his life. It's almost impossible to do it on your own. In 99% of cases, relatives manage to send an alcoholic to the hospital only thanks to the help of motivational psychologists who know how to talk correctly with such patients.

Social consequences of alcoholism

With the loss of the value system, the social behavior of the addict also changes:

• Problems begin with studies or At work. More and more often, classmates and colleagues see an addict drunk. The student fails the sessions, the employee neglects his duties. The inevitable expulsion or dismissal does not bother him at all. Moreover, he increasingly finds blame for his failures and stubbornly refuses to admit that most of his troubles are associated with uncontrolled drinking. The only reason he will agree to work is the opportunity to get money for drinks.

• Are escalating problems communicating with other people. Mood swings and a lack of critical perception lead to regular cases of antisocial behavior: an addict can hit a child or an old man, be rude to a stranger, or start a fight in a crowded place.
• Gradually, addiction to alcohol displaces all other hobbies and hobbies. The only interesting activities for an addict are those related to drinking. Often a person who was not at all interested in gambling before becoming ill begins to become addicted to alcohol and begins to spend a lot of time playing card games.

Only comprehensive treatment with an individually tailored course helps to cope with the consequences of alcoholism and return a person to a sober life.

At Dr. Isaev’s Clinic, special programs of psychological, behavioral and social correction are used to work with alcoholics, which allow them to restore health to a certain extent even at the last stage of addiction.

Remember that there is always hope - but you need to take the first step.

Ekaterina Yartseva: the first stage of treatment for alcoholism (video)

Alcoholism has plagued humanity for a long time. Unfortunately, no means of combating it have yet been found that could restore lost health to a person. The consequences of alcoholism manifest themselves in several directions:

1. Deterioration of the alcoholic's health and personality degradation. The individual problems of an alcoholic are characterized by:
   • aggressiveness and loss of self-control during the entire period of intoxication and even during a hangover;
   
   
   • accidents, extremely high or low body temperatures during severe intoxication;
   • alcohol poisoning;
   • risk of developing complications in the liver;
   • extreme risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases;
   • development of various types of psychosis;
   • decreased ability to work;
   • detention by law enforcement agencies for appearing drunk in public places;
   • constant and incessant conflicts in the family, which most likely end in its disintegration;
   • financial difficulties;
   • committing crimes punishable by the criminal code.
2. An increase in the number social problems in society based on alcohol abuse:
   • committing an accident;
   • accidents at work;
   • absenteeism and decreased productivity;
   • economic losses caused by disability benefits and the fight against crime.

We recognize an alcoholic by his gait...

And not only. Gait is not the only sign that indicates a person’s lifestyle. First of all, the appearance is striking:

• the person looks clearly older than his age;
• the hairstyle is dull and tousled hair;
• the face is in pinkish tones, as if the person had just come out of a steam bath;


• over time, the vessels remain constantly overflowing with blood, and the face takes on the appropriate color;
• if a person takes a break between feasts, the redness on the face disappears;
• telangiectasia occurs, dilated small vessels on the cheeks, tip of the nose, neck and upper chest do not return to their previous state;
• the skin takes on a flabby appearance and looks older;
• the orbicularis facial muscle relaxes and “forms” the characteristic image of an alcoholic;
• the final touch: sloppiness in clothing and uncleanliness.

As soon as an alcoholic pours another drink into himself, muscle tone is restored. The alcoholic perks up.

"Beer heart" cannot love

The “biography” of alcoholism of different periods had its own signs and dominant drinks. During the time of ill-conceived "dry" laws, the masses returned to folk recipes and “made” moonshine from everything they came across - fruits, construction and industrial mixtures, etc.

The current time is characterized by an expansion in the scope of beer consumption. It's cheaper. Misinformation is constantly being spread about its supposedly harmless nature, and even usefulness. In some cases, it is even recommended as a drink to quench thirst or as an addition to medical procedures.

There is so much positive information with a “plus” rating that society’s reaction begins to make us wary and seriously think about the future. Young people eagerly took the bait and now there is a surge in the number of alcoholics. The disease does not distinguish which source provoked it - beer or ordinary. A living organism reacts equally painfully to the presence of an extra dose. With only one difference in the consequences - for beer alcoholism they are more severe.

A “harmless” bottle of beer gives rise to the development of various complications in the body’s functioning. Young people feel them through sexual or mental disorders. Alcohol poisons contained in beer disrupt the functioning of vital internal organs. As usual in such cases, the central nervous system, cardiovascular and digestive systems, and, naturally, the liver are primarily affected.

Beer actively destabilizes the functioning of the heart muscle. The drink is absorbed by the body in a short time and overwhelms the blood vessels, which leads to increased stress on the heart. Increased as a result of drinking a drink with hops, it is modified and from this received the capacious name “beer heart”. It loses activity in its work, pumps blood worse and weakens. Such a flabby heart will not allow a person to love or live normally.

Hops, which are used in the production of beer, contain psychoactive substances. They influence a person: he increasingly talks nonsense and becomes aggressive. A person turns into an aggressive creature, so not only himself becomes dangerous. His behavior also poses a danger to those around him. Psychoactive substances not only intoxicate, but also stupefy the drinker. His nervous system gets used to the new pathogen and the constant craving for the drink increases. Without it, it is difficult to relax, come to your senses and rest.

A drink containing hops kills brain cells, just like regular alcohol. The affected cells are excreted from the body in the urine, filtered through the kidneys. As a result of constant drunkenness, the expression “brain drain” is taken by experts in its literal sense: as is known, nerve cells are not restored. Therefore, a beer drinker loses his intelligence. In youth, this is also accompanied by reduced learning abilities.

Substances in “harmless” beer: not all of them are safe Phytoestrogens are female hormones of natural plant origin. Accumulating in the male body, they deposit fats according to the “female pattern” - in the hips and sides, reduce potency, reduce or completely block the functionality of sperm.

Humulones and lupulins are responsible for the specific aromas and bitter taste of the drink.

Bitter substances form the “beer taste” and are responsible for sedative, hypnotic and hallucogenic effects.

Phenols act as a catalyst for the development of malignant tumors in some areas of the urinary system.

Cobalt “helps” with inflammation of the esophagus and stomach. Since the liver is constantly under attack from toxins, the risk of hepatitis and cirrhosis increases.

Other metals lead to disruption of the endocrine system.

Cadaverine (Latin for corpse) is usually formed as a result of rotting meat.

What does childhood alcoholism lead to?

A child's body is defenseless against the attacks of alcohol. If an adult man’s body can resist for many years, a woman’s body only for a few years, then a child will only need several months of “tasting” the corresponding drinks to recharge with alcohol.

Can you imagine how easily the defenseless liver and cardiovascular system are dismantled brick by brick by the poisons of alcohol! The child’s development slows down and becomes aggressive. His whims know no limits and do not tolerate objections, causing childish cruelty. Having neither money for drinks nor the opportunity to earn it, children begin to steal and beg. If they can’t buy beer, wine or something low-alcohol, they buy glue, get high and turn into drug addicts. And this is a direct road to mental degradation and physical self-destruction.

Female alcoholism: the expected ending

Woman is the future of humanity. She bears a child within herself and enriches the genetic tree of the family with new branches. Therefore, it depends on her how they grow up. If a girl drinks during pregnancy, the likelihood of giving birth to a fetus with severe morphological abnormalities increases:

1. External changes. A mother can pass alcohol syndrome to her child. Therefore, after birth, he may have non-standard sizes of the face, brain part of the skull, head, body or limbs. A child may be born with spherical eyes; they, like the base of the nose, may be recessed. Sometimes children are born with underdeveloped jaw bones. Pathologies can be the most unpredictable.
2. Internal signs. A child born to a drinking mother has noticeable decreased brain function. It manifests itself in increased mobility and decreased concentration, aggressiveness and a tendency to complete loss. The psychomotor development of such children is very slow. This prevents them from learning practical skills.

Growing up in the family of an alcoholic, the psyche of children is formed in an appropriate atmosphere. It quickly becomes injured, which is why such children often suffer from enuresis and stuttering. They are haunted by night terrors. Children become aggressive and stubborn, some run away from home.

Frequent anxiety and depression lead to thoughts of suicide. All these components form a person with delayed mental development, who finds it difficult to study, communicate with peers, etc. One can imagine what kind of future awaits such children, and what young branches they will give on the genetic tree of their kind. Here's how 9 months of abstinence from alcohol for a pregnant woman can change the evolution of the family.

Coding and its consequences

It is known that the “gypsy teletype” works faster. At least they trust him more. Therefore, those currently suffering are often happy to take advantage of the advice of their exes: you, they say, “give in” and everything will pass.

Many people tend to perceive the coding of alcoholics as a panacea for alcohol addiction. It would be a good idea to look through specialized literature. "Panacea" may give a negative result.

The main purpose of coding is to help a person get rid of alcohol addiction. Even after stopping drinking alcohol, the encoding continues to make itself felt. Treatment algorithms embedded in the patient’s subconscious do not act selectively, so the human body reacts to many stimuli.

The individuality of coding results from alcoholism is observed in each specific case. However, some typical factors have been identified:

1. Mental disorders can manifest themselves in excessive irritability with signs of dysphoria, aggressiveness, pickiness, conflict and petty grievances. Lethargy in behavior may appear, accompanied by lack of initiative, as well as other signs of the zombie effect. Coding can lead to decreased sexual desire.


2. The resumption of binge drinking with even greater activity causes disruptions during treatment or in later periods.
3. Social costs may arise from feeling compassion for a recovering alcoholic. Close people and those around the patient sometimes try to fill the resulting family “vacuum” during feasts and do not hide their claims to his portion, begin to sip for “that guy” and soon achieve their goal. Therefore, when caring for a patient, doctors recommend working with his family members.
4. Memory response to smell and hearing at the subconscious level. A person, having remembered a suggestion heard under hypnosis, in real life reacts to the same sounds with unpleasant and even painful sensations. The desire to indulge in beer is brought to the surface by the psychiatrist’s words about impending death. Mentions of vodka, beer or wine, and even “men in white coats” can cause depression and poor health. The places on the body that the doctor pressed during the hypnosis session begin to suffer pain.
5. Loss of appetite, constant overeating, weakness throughout the body become constant companions and interfere with the usual work. Sometimes pain is difficult to relieve even with the most effective drugs pain relief.
6. There is no guarantee that coding will forever turn the patient away from craving for alcohol: no one knows what processes took place in the patient’s mind before treatment began.

“Inheritance” of the mental pathology of alcoholism

Mental pathologies as a result of long-term alcohol use come to the alcoholic like the sunset at the end of the day. Thus, we can come to the conclusion that alcoholism brings with it serious consequences in a person’s mental behavior:

1. First of all, they are manifested by unstable mood, rapid exhaustion, sleep disturbances and other general neurotic disorders.
2. Personality changes occur according to the alcoholic pattern with a reduction in a person’s range of interests and a predominance of egocentrism, deceit, and irresponsible behavior. “Reformatting” of personal characteristics in the direction of their deterioration leads a person to complete degradation. Take a closer look at the dirty “guests” of the station areas and the morning “researchers” of garbage cans in the local areas.
3. Alcohol delirium is the most severe form of mental disorder. The essence of this phenomenon is contained in the name. As a rule, this is a chronic course of the disease that lasts almost a lifetime. Closer to old age, it may lose emotional fullness. And this is with a successful life scenario.
4. Pathological jealousy has no chance to listen to and perceive even compelling arguments. For a person with such a defect, there is only one correct opinion - his. Any other explanation of the situation causes additional suspicion and even greater irritability. Can you imagine what it’s like to live with such a person until old age, when, perhaps, something will change in him! What if it’s not?

Who is ready and for what reason to endure constant showdowns, threats, fights? It’s not just uncomfortable to live with such a person. The other half has to walk in the line of fire all his life: the slightest hint of jealousy can explode the patient’s psyche until he loses control over himself and ends tragically.

1. “Squirrel” is a typical image of the manifestation of alcoholic psychosis. In specialist circles it is also called delirium delirium. It appears, as a rule, with interruptions in sleep, just at the moment when a person is trying to make a sharp break with the past. This is the very case when it is impossible to “slow down” sharply. But the goal is right. To achieve it, you need to stock up on sleeping pills that will ensure a restful and long sleep.
2. Internal anxiety and fear constantly increases as withdrawal symptoms become more complicated, accompanied by sweating, insomnia, and rapid heartbeat. They are followed by hallucinations through the organs of vision and hearing. The patient loses his sense of reality, he is poorly oriented in space and time: the influence of hallucinations and delusional fantasies takes its toll. The emerging fear is replaced by unpredictable outbursts of emotions: a person becomes both dangerous: for his own life and for those around him. At this stage, only a psychiatric clinic and prolonged sleep under the supervision of doctors will help him. Their task comes down to finding effective and safe doses of sleeping pills that, in addition to their main task, would ensure the normal functioning of the patient’s internal organs. The problem is that weakly active drugs are not able to kill the “squirrel”, and an overdose can disrupt the activity of the cardiovascular system and breathing, or even block them completely.
3. Patients perceive auditory hallucinations or “voices from space” as real. They strain to determine where the sounds come from, are perplexed and lost in their guesses. The “voices” sound very different; they seem scary to the patient and have unpredictable consequences.
4. Alcohol hallucinations are similar in their effect to delirium tremens: they also arise during the hangover period with sleep disturbance. But their depth of darkness is not so active.
5. Alcoholic paranoid, delusional fantasies of persecution appear in the patient’s body, exhausted by a hangover and sleepless nights. With every fiber of his soul, he “feels” someone’s pursuit for the purpose of murder. Everything that happens around him seems to him to be elements of careful preparation for committing a crime against him. He begins to come up with the most intricate options for saving his life.

If paranoid, as well as hallucinations, are not stopped with medication, attacks can develop into delirium tremens. This “couple” has one starting point.

1. Patients rarely suffer from chronic alcoholic hallucinosis. But he can pester the patient for years with auditory deceptions. A gradual habituation to “sounds from nowhere” is formed and the alcoholic endures the attacks relatively calmly, outwardly, he does not pretend that he is “hearing voices.” Such chronically ill people were given the name “voice bearers.”
2. Asthenia, in the form of a drop in the level of personal qualities, psychopathization, rudeness in behavior, is also often observed in the behavior of alcoholics.
3. Effective disorders include sudden changes in mood, depression and dysphoria, as well as a predisposition to psychopathization and suicide.

Scientists have long been convinced that alcohol penetrates and affects almost all human organs. Affecting with toxins, it temporarily creates a deceptive feeling of flying in a state of high and against the backdrop of well-being. In fact, alcohol, penetrating into the body, only complicates life with worries that can be formulated in several problems: how not to succumb to alcohol addiction and whether there are methods of prevention against alcoholism.

stopalkogolizm.ru

Alcoholism is a huge problem for modern society. Conventionally, the consequences of alcoholism can be divided into two categories. The first is the consequences for a person who abuses alcohol related to his health and personality. The second is the consequences for society, the growth of social problems that are directly related to alcoholism in the population.

There are quite a few points that can be attributed to the personal problems of an alcoholic:

· Aggressive behavior and loss of self-control when intoxicated or with a hangover;

· Frequent accidents, overheating or hypothermia due to negligence or severe alcohol intoxication;

· Poisoning with low-quality alcohol;

· Risks of developing cirrhosis, some types oncological diseases, problems with the cardiovascular system;

· Loss of human performance;

· Development of mental illness;

· Problems with legislation;

· Constant conflicts within the family and its subsequent destruction;

· Money difficulties and increased crime.

At the stage of physical addiction, alcoholism begins to cause many problems of a psychological and mental nature. Please note that people who abuse alcohol may develop the following diseases:

Gastritis and peptic ulcers duodenum and stomach (very often during binge drinking, perforation of ulcers occurs with further internal bleeding and death);

· Liver diseases (hepatosis, dystrophy, cirrhosis, etc.);

· Heart failure and ischemia, which lead to heart attacks and seizures. Also happens during drinking bouts;

· Hypertension (increased pressure, including in the blood vessels of the brain, which leads to stroke);

· Tuberculosis and emphysema, as well as other pathologies of the respiratory system that develop when a person’s immunity is weakened;

· Infertility in women and impotence in men. In addition, alcoholism causes miscarriages and the formation of congenital pathologies in children (cleft palate, dementia, developmental problems, heart defects).

Separately, it is necessary to note how alcohol affects the human nervous system. Alcoholism causes necrosis of some areas of the brain (often very large), which lead to a variety of alcoholic psychoses. Alcoholics often experience:

· Alcohol hallucinations (visual, auditory and many others, sometimes long-lasting);

· A feeling of persecution that develops during binge drinking;

· A feeling of jealousy, which usually develops in men after 40 years of age and in some cases is accompanied by erectile dysfunction. An alcoholic will suspect his wife of cheating and behave aggressively towards her;

· Alcoholic encephalopathies are serious disorders that are accompanied by memory impairment, motor and other dysfunctions of the human body, which in some cases lead to paralysis;

· Delirium tremens - better known as delirium tremens. It is an acute psychosis that combines hallucinations, motor agitation and narrowing of consciousness;

· Dementia (alcoholic dementia). The disease will occur when brain cells die when exposed to alcohol and toxic substances;

· Epilepsy;

· Suicidal tendencies.

In addition, the state of intoxication in alcoholics is often accompanied by memory loss (alcoholic palimpsest) and severe stimulation of the nervous system. People will suffer from sleep disturbances, constant anxiety, fear of a hangover, and tremors.

If a person has been diagnosed with alcoholism, then his appearance may be as follows: the person looks much older than his actual age, he has an unhealthy complexion, reddish eyes, dull hair, loose skin with a noticeable network of blood vessels. Alcoholism will have a very negative impact on appearance women. In this case, the person will have a puffy appearance with obvious signs of aging skin. Due to its characteristics, female alcoholism will develop faster than male alcoholism, therefore it carries more dangerous consequences and quickly progresses and develops into a chronic condition.

Alcoholism is also dangerous for its social consequences. The disease leads to degradation of a person's personality. The patient begins to lose basic moral qualities, he loses family and spiritual values. A person considers the main goal of his existence to be the achievement of alcoholic intoxication, because in this state he will feel as confident and comfortable as possible.

For society, the consequences of alcoholism are destructive, because intoxication and hangover lead to:

· Numerous fatal accidents;

· Offenses (in a state of intoxication or with a hangover, when a person becomes aggressive and cannot adequately perceive reality);

· Accidents in working conditions and everyday life;

· Absenteeism and decreased productivity.

Often, alcoholics, as the disease progresses, begin to look for less qualified work, and then do not want to work at all, because during a hangover it is simply impossible. Alcoholism will force a person to look for the easiest ways to make money. First of all, alcoholics will spend all their savings, their own and their family’s, after which they will begin to ask for loans from relatives and friends, and then they will begin to steal and receive funds in other criminal ways.

The consequences of female alcoholism are seen as more serious because many women become mothers. If the expectant mother consumes alcohol during pregnancy, the likelihood that the child will be born with serious morphological abnormalities greatly increases. These include incorrect proportions of the body, head, limbs, and problems with the sensory organs, as well as any other underdevelopment of the fetus as a result of congenital pathologies.

In addition to external signs, children in this case will most likely experience brain failure, expressed in hypermobility, lack of concentration, a tendency to destruction or aggressiveness. Mental and motor development in children who were born alcoholics is slow or unsatisfactory, so they cannot fully master all the necessary skills.

If parents are drunk, then children develop in a very difficult environment that traumatizes their psyche, so they often develop: stuttering, enuresis, night terrors, stubbornness, and aggressiveness. Such children have very unstable emotional development: they may experience anxiety, depression, and have a tendency to commit suicide. With mental development disorders, there will be great difficulties in learning and contact with peers.

Consequences of childhood alcoholism

If, due to physiological characteristics, the female body is more susceptible to the effects of alcohol than the male, then the children's immune system cannot cope with toxins at all. To become an alcoholic, a child must drink alcohol for only a few months. And after this there are terrible consequences.

Alcohol will destroy the baby's developing organs. The cardiovascular system and liver will suffer to a greater extent. There is a slowdown in mental development and aggressiveness. Under the influence of alcohol, children lose the ability to think normally, so their actions can be very cruel. Without sufficient funds to buy alcohol, they will definitely commit some kind of crime. If there is not enough money for beer, vodka or wine, then alcoholics will simply sniff glue. When a person becomes a substance abuser, he quickly degrades and destroys himself mentally and physically.

Consequences of beer alcoholism

Today, beer alcoholism is so widespread that society is forced to seriously think about the future of the country. Young people are confident that this drink is completely harmless and even useful to some extent, which is why it is young people, in most cases, who become beer alcoholics. There is no big difference whether beer alcoholism or regular alcoholism, because the disease in any case is an addiction that causes serious harm to the body. Beer alcoholism has many consequences.

Periodic consumption of beer is the cause of the development of various diseases. Young people suffer from mental and sexual development disorders. Alcohol toxins contained in beer lead to disorder critical systems. First of all, the brain, cardiovascular system, liver, and gastrointestinal tract will suffer.

Excessive consumption of beer also has a significant impact on the heart. Beer is instantly absorbed in the stomach, so the bloodstream becomes congested, increasing the load on the heart. This causes the veins and borders of the heart to expand, which leads to a “beer heart” condition. Such an organ will pump blood poorly and become flabby.

Beer alcoholism also affects the nervous system. First of all, the people around you will suffer. Beer leads to outbursts of aggression and stupidity. What could be more terrible? People who constantly drink alcohol are violent. Beer contains psychoactive substances that are present in hops. That is why it gives a stupefying and intoxicating effect. The worst thing is that soon the human nervous system begins to get used to this, so without beer the alcoholic will no longer be able to relax, rest and calm down.

The effects of beer on the brain are also destructive because the drink will kill cells. Dead cells will be excreted in urine, which is filtered by the liver. In the brain, dead cells are not restored, so with systematic drunkenness, a person begins to become dull before our eyes. At a young age, the consequences of alcoholism are more pronounced because there is a decrease in intelligence and loss of learning ability.

It should be noted that beer contains cadaverine, a cadaveric poison that has a toxic effect on the brain.

Abuse of beer leads to negative impact on reproductive functions. The alcohol contained in beer stimulates the degeneration of the seminiferous tubules, and beer heavy metals will disrupt the functioning of the endocrine system. In addition, beer will begin to suppress the production of testosterone, so the man will begin to resemble a woman in some ways - his chest will enlarge and his pelvis will expand.

These are pronounced and known consequences of beer abuse. Every year, experts publish new facts that confirm the harm caused by beer.

Alcoholism and other addictions greatly complicate the normal life of society, so it is very important to take some preventive measures that will prevent the formation of alcohol addiction in young people. Sports, creativity, culture, as well as many other ways of developing the human personality should be cultivated.

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Effects of alcohol on the brain

Alcohol is made up of incredibly simple molecules: two carbon atoms, a few hydrogen atoms and a hydroxyl. A simpler molecule could hardly be found.

Nevertheless, alcohol has quite a strong effect on the brain. For example, it gets into small pockets in certain signaling molecules in the brain, such as chemical signaling receptors called neurotransmitters. Alcohol changes chemical connections in the brain.

One of the most powerful effects of alcohol is a decrease in the ability of glutamate (the main neurotransmitter of the cerebral cortex) to send signals through NMDA receptors. Notably, this is the same receptor that painkillers such as ketamine or phencyclidine (PCP) bind to.

Alcohol does not block NMDA receptors very effectively, but when consumed in large quantities over a long period of time, the number of these receptors increases. When this happens, the brain becomes less sensitive to alcohol and more sensitive to glutamate.

When an alcoholic suddenly stops drinking, he releases more glutamate than usual and at the same time becomes more susceptible to its effects.. As a result, the brain becomes more excitable, and this causes serious and life-threatening complications of withdrawal syndrome, including seizures, delirium tremens, and various psychoses.

Other systems in the brain also adapt to alcohol. One such system is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This is the most important inhibitory transmitter of the cortex and limbic system of the brain. Alcohol generally suppresses neuronal activity and also enters GABA membranes. Thus, it stimulates receptors and imitates the action of neurosteroid hormones. It is for this reason that alcohol is a muscle relaxant, anxiolytic and sedative. In particularly high doses, alcohol can suppress breathing, which is one reason why overdose can be life-threatening.

The brain also adapts to alcohol's overstimulation of GABA receptors, making those receptors less sensitive. GABA adapts in a rather complex way. One of the important stages as a result of which the brain becomes immune and dependent on alcohol is the switching of the brain from the active functioning of GABA receptors to less active one.

Decreased GABA receptor activity contributes to decreased susceptibility (in other words, the ability to drink more alcohol without feeling intoxicated). However, when a person stops drinking, the decreased activity of GABA receptors cannot compensate for the loss of neural inhibition, the brain becomes more excitable, and signs of withdrawal appear. After a week of sobriety, high-functioning GABA receptors appear and withdrawal symptoms disappear.

Therefore, if you drink heavily and systematically, many changes can occur in your brain.

The most important of these are the following: the excitatory glutamate system becomes more sensitive, and the inhibitory GABA system becomes less sensitive. This causes the brain to become more excitable, and this imbalance between excitation and inhibition leads to many of the symptoms we associate with alcohol withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety, hyperexcitability, fearfulness, and seizures.

Likewise, medications that reduce glutamate signaling or increase GABA signaling, such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and anticonvulsants, reduce brain overexcitability and relieve withdrawal symptoms.

Severe consequences of alcoholism

People who are physically dependent on alcohol are at risk of severe consequences such as seizures. In extreme circumstances, they may have moments of confusion.

There is an extreme form of alcohol withdrawal syndrome called delirium delirium. It can be accompanied by metabolic hyperactivity and even lead to death. Most people who drink heavily are not at risk of these most dangerous symptoms. They tend to appear in people who have had several episodes of physical dependence on alcohol. Typically, people do not have seizures until they have had 5 to 10 episodes of severe intoxication, marked by the need to detoxify, or are experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

Other causes relate to the variety of symptoms and problems that complicate alcohol use disorders. People may develop depression and anxiety, and may have seizures. During withdrawal episodes, some nerve cells may become more vulnerable to damage or even death, and therefore people who have had several episodes of withdrawal symptoms may have problems with concentration or memory that is not always fully recovered.

There are several particularly dangerous conditions that can develop with alcoholism. They are not pure pharmacological consequences of alcohol, but rather consequences of more complex syndromes of alcoholism. One of these conditions is nutritional problems.

When people change their diet because they drink a lot of alcohol, their diet is often unbalanced; they develop severe thiamine and folic acid deficiencies. When combined with alcohol, this can create vulnerability to other factors.

One of them is called Wernicke's syndrome, or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome , and it includes severe memory impairment in which people may not even remember their own name, or what they were doing, or where they were going. This is a consequence of severe memory impairment that occurs if the brain is deprived of nutrition and subjected to the metabolic regression of alcohol addiction and abstinence.

Treatment of alcoholism

Medicine for a long time recognized the consequences of alcoholism as suitable for medical research, even when pathological drunkenness was recognized as a sign of moral weakness rather than disease.

However, as we have learned more about the biological factors that interact with the physical and social factors that drive pathological drinking, doctors have become more involved in studying alcohol and medical treatments that could reduce its effects.

The turning point was the emergence of the disease concept of alcoholism, put forward by Professor Alvin Jellinek of Yale University in the 1940s and 1950s. Within this concept different kinds pathological drinking have been considered as subtypes of a medical disorder called alcoholism. The first medical drug for pathological drunkards - disulfiram - was invented in the 1920s, but began to be prescribed to patients much later.

When taken daily, this medication inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme responsible for breaking down alcohol molecules called acetaldehyde. If you take disulfiram and drink alcohol, high levels of acetaldehyde will accumulate in the body and this will cause illness. Disulfiram can be very helpful in quitting alcohol if taken regularly, but many people don't benefit from it because they get off track.

Some patients, for example, stop taking their medication when they want to drink. However, this medicine can be very effective if family members or employers supervise the taking of the pills.

There are other medications to treat alcoholism. Naltrexone blocks the effects of opioids such as morphine, and some believe it reduces the beneficial effects of alcohol. Others believe it reduces alcohol consumption.

Acamprosat is approved for the treatment of alcoholism in the United States, but its mechanism of action is not fully understood, and the drug was not effective in the longest study testing the drug, the NIAAA Project COMBINE.

Newer anticonvulsant drug topiramate , which has not yet been approved for use in the United States, also shows promise.

Other types of medications are used to relieve withdrawal symptoms.

Inherited risk of alcoholism

Based on the available data, it can be assumed that the risk of developing alcoholism is approximately 40–50% due to genetic inheritance, and another 40–50% is determined by the environment.

Much research work has been done to determine the genetic nature of alcoholism. The greatest progress in identifying the genes for alcoholism came when scientists found genes that are protective and alter the metabolism of alcohol. For example, a mutation in a gene that reduces the function of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase is very common among people in the Chinese sample.

These people are protected from developing alcoholism because their bodies metabolize alcohol as if they were taking disulfiram (a drug that inhibits the same enzyme).

Another defense mechanism occurs in the gene encoding alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). Variations of this gene are found in some groups of European ancestry. In this case, increased ADH function leads to rapid accumulation of toxic acetaldehyde.

Some people learn to overcome their inhibitions and drink heavily despite these mutations, but they do so at some risk. Sustained high levels of acetaldehyde in the body may contribute to the development of some forms of cancer.

Other gene variants have been discovered, but there is still much we do not understand about the genetics of alcoholism. One clue we have is that people who are prone to developing alcoholism have an innate sensitivity to alcohol.

This doesn't just mean that they are less sensitive to alcohol in general, but that they experience fewer effects and fewer negative effects, and they are particularly less sensitive to them. And when they drink, they experience only pleasant sensations without side effects, which protect against problems associated with alcohol use.

So how does it work? One proposed method takes us back to alcohol's blockade of NMDA glutamate receptors. In other words, when alcohol blocks NMDA receptors, we become uncoordinated, our memory declines, and this may contribute to the feeling of dizziness that many people experience after drinking heavily.

But it seems that people with a family history of alcoholism have an innate tolerance especially to this mechanism, so they are less sensitive to drugs that block NMDA glutamate receptors, such as ketamine, and they are less susceptible to the negative effects of alcohol.

It appears that part of the inherited risk for developing alcoholism is regulated by mechanisms by which alcohol affects chemical signals in the brain.

Alcohol and motivation

Do people at risk for alcoholism only have an altered sensitivity to alcohol, or are there other things that are inherited? Scientists have found that people with a similar family history of alcoholism who have altered sensitivity to ketamine also have distorted perceptions of the world.

An important risk factor for addiction problems is how a person weighs the rewards and punishments in life. If people think about the risks of drinking alcohol, they drink less. For example, they tell themselves, “Okay, you can drink, but then you'll lose your driver's license.” But others think: “I’ll drink this drink now and think about future problems as they arise.” Such people underestimate long-term risks and overestimate short-term benefits.

How people balance between long-term and short-term rewards and punishments is an important factor in how they choose the amount of alcohol they drink. It turns out that People who have a family history of alcohol use not only tend to drink alcohol, but also choose short-term benefits and are oblivious to the threat of future consequences. . Therefore, they choose pleasure, despite the fact that they may get problems from it. Their body perceives alcohol as attractive, and their motivational system makes them want short-term benefits like the pleasure of drinking. So it's interesting how we can teach people to focus on long-term rewards.

Social factor

The environment is an important factor in vulnerability to alcoholism. Stress is a good example. When we are under stress, the mechanisms that control our behavior and help us function are weakened. Judgment changes and the ability to resist certain stimuli and say “no” decreases, and people may do things they would not do without stress. The social factor is as complex as the genetic one. It's easy to say no when you're alone at home, but if you're at a party and surrounded by people who are drinking, there's a social tension that drives people to drink.

People often want to feel connected to other people and to feel comfortable and relaxed in the company of other people. Even when people find themselves in such situations and do not want to consume alcohol because they know that they will have problems as soon as they start drinking, social environment reduces this confidence.

We usually talk about alcoholism as if it were a rational choice made by a rational person, such as “I would like to have a drink, so I will,” but it turns out that people who are addicted to alcohol have a slightly more complex system of behavior .

Alcoholism as a habit

In alcohol research we use the term “habit”, by which we mean a situation in which very often people drink automatically when they find themselves in a certain set of situations. They do this not because alcohol makes them feel good, not because they consciously make such a choice, but simply because this behavior has become routine, the context of certain situations excites the desire to drink.

People often say that they drank in a situation where they had no intention of drinking at all. For example, they were driving home, without thinking twice they stopped at their favorite bar and had already drunk a glass before they realized what was happening. This is difficult to explain because people themselves do not understand their behavior. In other words, they don't understand why they start drinking alcohol even though it doesn't make them feel good.

Cognitive and behavioral treatments for alcoholism are designed to teach people to avoid doing things automatically. We tell people to avoid people, places and situations that trigger cravings for alcohol. It could be stress, bars or parties. If people around us drink, we teach them to recognize the risks and evaluate the chances when consuming alcohol.

We now understand that alcoholism develops under the influence of society, and then becomes a habit as a result of a biological process in the brain. These types of alcoholism work through adjacent but different circuits in the brain.

You can think like this: the things we choose to do are by nature under our control and we can suppress them, but behavior that emerges from the primitive parts of the brain is difficult to control . It's like trying to eat just one potato wedge when we have a whole bag of chips. Scientists are trying to understand the neurobiology of the habit of drinking alcohol in order to develop medications that can make the procedure of drinking alcohol not habitual, but focused on specific goals.

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Consequences of alcohol abuse

• Development of serious diseases. Liver cirrhosis, oncology, heart and vascular problems. And this is far from

  All. Depending on the individuality of the body, any organ can be affected. Alcoholics often forget to eat and do not get the vitamins and minerals they need for health. And alcohol itself interferes with the absorption of many beneficial substances.

• Mental changes. Alcohol causes a severe blow to the nervous system. As a result, serious changes in behavior may occur. Manifestations of outbursts of aggression, irritability, depression. Serious mental disorders also develop.
• Personality degradation. Alcohol abuse leads to memory loss, impaired concentration and dementia. At the second and third stages, the alcoholic loses interest in life values, ceases to be interested in social life. All his worries come down to finding the next alcohol.
• Loss of ability to work. As a result of chronic drunkenness, a decrease in intelligence occurs and a person loses the ability to perform his professional duties. Frequent lateness to work and absenteeism force the employer to dismiss such an employee. Also, as a result of personality changes, regular conflicts with colleagues and management occur, which leads to disruption of the stable work of the team.
• Family relationships become tense. Constant quarrels against the background of alcoholism lead to the deterioration of relationships and the destruction of families. Children suffer the most. They suffer serious trauma while living with an addicted person. Such a parent is not capable of raising his child and cannot give him the necessary care and attention. Can be rude and use physical force under the influence of alcohol.
• Problems with law. Under the influence of alcohol, a person is capable of the most unreasonable acts. Statistics show that the largest percentage of crimes occur while intoxicated. This does not reduce responsibility, since drinking alcohol is voluntary. Hooliganism, robbery, violence and even murder are committed with particular cruelty. The reason is the loss of control over one’s actions under the influence of alcohol.

In addition, driving while intoxicated leads to traffic accidents. A large percentage of workplace injuries also occur due to the fault of drunken persons.

Consequences of female alcoholism

In addition to the fact that health is destroyed and the same problems arise as in drinking men, female alcoholism leads to impaired reproductive function. Very often the problem of conceiving and bearing a fetus arises even after treatment for alcohol addiction. U drinking women sick children are born. These may be serious genetic problems that cannot be treated.

Even the appearance of babies born alcoholics can indicate the fact of alcohol abuse during pregnancy. Incorrect body proportions, too large head, deep-set or spherical eyes and other signs.

But even if a newborn does not outwardly differ from healthy peers, he may be diagnosed with developmental delays. They acquire physical skills later, are restless, and sleep poorly. Such babies often suffer from hypermobility and aggressiveness. They do not know how to play calmly and focus their attention on a specific activity.

Very often, children born to drinking mothers do poorly at school and have behavior problems. And if they live with parents who drink regularly, they suffer serious psychological trauma, leading to problems such as stuttering, enuresis, night terrors and other mental disorders.
IN adolescence Such children show signs of aggression and cruelty. They find it difficult to communicate with peers and adults. These are the guys who are at risk for possible suicide or addiction to alcoholism.

The consequences of female alcoholism occur much earlier than in men, since the female body is more vulnerable to alcohol.

Consequences of childhood alcoholism

When a child at 8-10 years old begins to try alcohol, he may not like the taste and may feel disgusted. But there are a number of reasons that can lead to regular alcohol consumption. Children from disadvantaged families are most at risk of alcohol dependence. They do not receive proper attention, often run away from home and lead a wandering life. In the company of other street children, they try alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.

But it also happens that children from wealthy families are at risk. Excessive guardianship does not allow the child to express himself, and at the first opportunity, having received a little freedom, he does not use it for the best purposes.
Imitating idols or more popular peers, loneliness, misunderstanding of others - all this can lead to the first attempts at alcohol. The teenager will want to repeat the resulting state of euphoria if the slightest difficulties arise. It will take very little time for a fragile body to become dependent on alcohol.

Children and teenagers are not aware of the dangers of such pranks. For the human body, alcohol is a poison, and for a developing personality it can cause a slowdown in development and the appearance of all kinds of diseases.

The consequences of childhood alcoholism are irreversible, since health will never become standard.

To prevent alcohol addiction from ruining your life, it is very important to be careful with alcoholic beverages. Drinking on holidays can very quickly develop into the first stage of alcoholism. If you don’t stop in time, you won’t be able to do without the help of a narcologist in the future. Therefore, the consumption of alcoholic beverages should be minimized, or even better, completely abstain from them.

Attention, TODAY only!

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The effect of alcohol on the liver

As you know, it is this organ that suffers most from alcohol. The liver is an element that plays an important role in the human body, since it removes dangerous substances and also prevents them from damaging tissues and muscles. The entry of alcohol into the liver begins with the rapid breakdown of the drink into safe components. However, excessive consumption of beer or other strong drink leads to rapid destruction of the organ, because it can protect internal systems and organs from ethanol, but is not able to provide protection for itself.

As a result of severe alcohol dependence, alcohol penetrates the liver and forms a harmful toxin that cannot be eliminated from the body in full - this leads to its accumulation in the liver, which causes the development of many dangerous pathologies that aggravate its work.

The most dangerous diseases caused by alcoholic beverages are:

• cirrhosis;
• hepatitis;
• carcinoma;
• aggravation of the work of the body or violation of its direct “responsibilities”.

With frequent exposure of the liver to ethanol, its cells are very quickly destroyed and destroyed. In addition, they begin to be replaced by fatty or scar tissue, since the cells of the organ are not able to recover. This leads to severe impairment of functionality, which certainly affects human health.

Alcohol has the most serious consequences for the liver, since it is affected most quickly, while aggravating the functioning of the entire body. The most dangerous disease is cirrhosis, which causes the organ to dry out and decrease in size, as well as changing its structure. In addition, with the development of pathology, a disruption in the functioning of blood vessels occurs - they have an increased load, they are compressed and lead to an increase in pressure, and blood flow is disrupted. As a result, in the absence of treatment and measures to restore the body, blood vessels rupture, which causes instant death.

The effect of alcohol on the brain

The consequences of alcoholism also negatively affect the human brain. Since the blood circulation in it is much greater than in other organs, blood penetrates into it in large quantities - and if ethanol is present in it, this will certainly affect the human condition.

It is important to note that alcohol, first of all, begins its negative effect on the brain, since it penetrates it within 10 minutes after the start of drinking alcohol. Over time, neurons begin to suffer from such a harmful hobby and die every time you drink strong drinks. After this, in the absence of treatment, a person experiences a gradual death of parts of the brain and destruction of the cortex - this leads to a lot of unpleasant consequences:

• memory impairment or loss;
• lack of coordination;
• deterioration of memory and thinking;
• inability to perform any mental tasks.

On average, personality degradation after frequent drinking occurs after 1-4 years during advanced alcohol dependence. Since the brain is an organ that is not subject to self-healing, treatment in this case will be carried out only to normalize its general condition, as well as nutrition.

Important: from alcohol, the brain begins to become covered with ulcers and scars, the vessels become wider, the organ swells, and ruptures and cysts form in the most damaged areas. This condition often causes death in the absence of medical care.

The influence of alcohol on the psyche and central nervous system

Constant drunkenness, especially uncontrolled, leads to the destruction of the human psyche. At the same time, his behavior completely changes as the alcoholic degrades. Alcohol along with nervous system, can completely destroy a person, because a mental disorder aggravates an inadequate perception of personality.

Why alcohol is harmful to health, and in particular to the psyche and central nervous system:

• attention disorder;
• worsening memory;
• emotional disorders;
• the occurrence of polyneuritis, the symptoms of which are itching, pins and needles, burning, muscle pain;
• damage to nerve fibers;
• deterioration of central nervous system conductivity;
• loss of sensitivity (numbness of the limbs, lack of response to temperature);
• increased irritability.

Based on this, it can be noted that alcohol causes great harm to the psyche and nervous system. What exactly are the consequences of alcoholism that can be expected from excessive consumption of strong drinks:

Delirium tremens

It appears as a result of a long absence of alcohol consumption. This condition is accompanied by fever, hallucinations, headaches, delirium and the possibility of suicide. This condition occurs due to a violation of nerve endings, which greatly worsens a person’s well-being.

Encephalopathy

This disease is caused by a lack of vitamins in the body. , included in group B. Encephalopathy develops only in chronic drunkards. Symptoms of the pathology are disruption of the vestibular apparatus, impaired quality of vision, as well as the appearance of confusion.

Epilepsy due to alcoholism

This condition is characterized by seizures and a sharp deterioration in health.

Korsakov psychosis

As you know, any type of psychosis leads a person to rapid degradation, while greatly disturbing the general condition of the drunkard. This diagnosis is given to people who suffer from the last stage of alcohol dependence.

As it turned out, alcoholism and its consequences for the central nervous system and the general condition of the body are quite deplorable, so in order to avoid such problems, you should avoid frequent drinking of alcohol, since these drinks greatly worsen human health.

The effect of alcohol on blood vessels and the heart

Pathologies associated with the heart muscle as a result of alcohol intake are the most common cause of death today. And this is correct, because strong drinks do not have the best effect on the condition of the heart and blood vessels.

Due to the fact that a person drinks alcohol every day, the heart muscle begins to greatly increase and become overgrown with fat - this negatively affects the general condition of the organ, which leads to disruption of its functioning. Strong drinks also have a negative effect on blood vessels, disrupting their tone and impairing conductivity.

Heart diseases caused by drinking large doses of alcohol:

• arrhythmia;
• hypertension;
• atherosclerosis;
• heart attack

Each of these pathologies causes serious harm to health, especially if, along with these conditions, a person drinks large doses of alcohol. Treatment in this case is carried out by complete deliverance drinking from alcoholism - only after this can one hope for positive treatment.

The effect of alcohol on the kidneys

The kidneys are rightfully considered an important organ, which is responsible for the normal removal of fluid from the body, as well as for cleansing the blood flow of harmful elements. Constantly drinking strong drinks forces the kidneys to work at maximum load in order to quickly remove dangerous alcohol breakdown products from the body.

If the kidneys are damaged, this will lead to a host of dangerous conditions, namely dehydration, the appearance of sand and stones in the organ, the development of tumors and infections of the urinary system. In addition, ethanol, which negatively affects the mucous membrane, can quickly destroy the calyces of the kidneys, which will lead to irreversible consequences - the kidney will have to be surgically removed.

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general information

Alcoholism is a rather serious disease that occurs due to frequent consumption of alcoholic beverages, resulting in a strong addiction. According to experts, it refers to one of the types of drug addiction, since alcohol literally acts on the central nervous system like a drug. Due to prolonged consumption of alcohol-containing drinks, irreversible changes gradually begin to develop in the human body, which often end in death.

The problem of alcoholism has recently caused a lot of concern on the part of doctors. Every year the number of “sick” people only increases. As you know, any disease is treated by a doctor. In this case, it is necessary to seek qualified help from a psychiatrist-narcologist, because alcoholism provokes the development of serious mental and physical changes in organism. As practice shows, it is possible to cope with this disease on your own in exceptional cases. However, timely contact with the appropriate doctor allows not only to restore health, but also to eliminate the existing addiction.

Main reasons

According to experts, all the causes of alcoholism can be divided into three categories.

1. Physiological factors.
2. Psychological factors.
3. Social factors.

One of the main points is the presence of a predisposition to alcoholism at the genetic level, which occurs due to mutations in genes. Due to such changes in chromosomes, the rate of development of the disease increases several times. Taking into account the fact that recently this disease has been diagnosed more and more often, the likelihood of children being born with an existing tendency increases several times. However, the presence of a genetic predisposition still does not provide a 100% guarantee that the child will subsequently suffer from alcoholism. Of particular importance in this matter is education and social status.

In addition to genetic predisposition, there are physiological causes of alcoholism. In some diseases related to the central nervous system, metabolism or liver, this problem manifests itself more quickly. Men and women who drink alcohol-containing drinks very often become depressed and have so-called manic personality changes. It is safe to say that alcoholism and its consequences are terrible from a psychological point of view, since the person himself is very much degraded. Some people start drinking out of despair (breaking up with a loved one, getting fired from work), others perceive alcoholic drinks as an opportunity to relax after a hard day. However, taken together, all this causes constant alcohol consumption, which in the future can provoke addiction.

There is also a socio-economic factor (all the conditions in which we directly live). Depending on the environment, there may be a tendency to drink alcohol or give it up. Traditions, upbringing, family values ​​- all this influences how a person spends his leisure time and copes with emerging difficulties. If a child had a clear example of alcoholism before his eyes in childhood, the likelihood of addiction in the future increases several times. The younger generation believes that if parents could not otherwise cope with their problems, then beer or wine is really the only way out.

Stages

First of all, it should be noted that there are two types of addiction: psychological and physical. The first appears due to the influence of alcohol on the central nervous system, and the second due to the inclusion of a substance (ethanol) in metabolic processes. Alcoholism in men and women usually develops gradually. To confirm the presence of this problem, the doctor evaluates four signs:

1. Degree of craving for alcoholic beverages.
2. Change in tolerance to alcohol.
3. Withdrawal syndrome (formation of psycho-neurological symptoms after stopping the use of alcoholic beverages).
4. Damage to some internal organ systems.

A psychiatrist-narcologist always first evaluates the accompanying signs of the problem in order to understand the severity of the condition. The most important symptom is an irresistible desire to drink alcohol, regardless of the situation. There are three stages of the disease in total.

The first stage is characterized by the appearance of dependence. A patient with alcoholism experiences an unbearable desire to drink alcohol. Even if such an impulse occurs only once a week, this symptom should still not be ignored. The alcoholic at this stage does not yet realize the full danger of the disease; he prefers to satisfy the existing need rather than try to fight it. Gradually, control over the amount of alcohol consumed is lost. This means that a person drinks until he becomes intoxicated. The next day he usually suffers from a hangover.

What is different about the second stage of alcoholism? Symptoms in this case may vary. A clear sign is the appearance of the so-called withdrawal syndrome. If the desire is not satisfied in time, a number of mechanisms are triggered that worsen the mental/physical state of a person. Thus, the body literally requires a new portion of alcohol each time. Blood pressure rises, irritability, insomnia, and vomiting appear, including after the next meal. Psychosis often begins with hallucinations. This condition is dangerous not only for the patient himself, but also for those around him. This is exactly how alcoholism develops consistently. The symptoms listed above cause a lot of concern. To avoid their development, a person continues to drink alcohol-containing drinks, which already leads to real binge drinking.

The third stage is considered the final stage. It is characterized by a decrease in tolerance to alcoholic beverages. A person needs a small amount of alcohol to become intoxicated. Personality gradually degrades, intelligence and the ability to think disappear. The influence of alcoholism almost always entails irreversible consequences for all internal organ systems.

Features of female alcoholism

The main patterns of development of the disease in both female and male bodies are almost identical. However, experts name a group of characteristic features that make it possible to isolate this problem.

• Relative psycho-emotional lability. Higher nervous activity women are arranged in the direction of superiority of the so-called intuitive activity of the brain, rather than logical. As a result, they are more emotional and susceptible to the negative effects of stress factors.
• The harm of alcoholism is indeed more pronounced among the fair sex. The thing is that liver tissue has increased sensitivity to the toxic effects of ethanol against the background of reduced abilities of enzyme systems for its subsequent processing. As a result, women require a smaller dose of alcohol to become intoxicated.
• Already at the initial stages of the development of the disease, a disruption in the transmission of nerve impulses occurs due to the fragile structure of interneuron connections.
• Rapid absorption of alcohol in the intestines.
• Incompatibility of sex hormones and the direct breakdown products of alcohol-containing drinks.

Very often a situation arises that a woman herself does not notice that she begins to feel the need for alcohol. As a result, self-criticism decreases, and any comments from loved ones are denied. Damage to the brain, liver and other internal organ systems is observed even faster. Ultimately, all these features merge into a severe form of alcoholism, and with persistent dependence.

What should the treatment be?

What treatment options do modern alcoholism treatment clinics offer?

1. Complex aspect. The most effective approach to treatment is considered to be a combination of psychotherapy and the use of medications. In this case, therapy involves learning new forms of behavior, managing emotions, and improving family relationships. As for medications, nootropic drugs are most often prescribed to restore and strengthen the central nervous system and suppress the craving for alcoholic beverages.
2. The fight against alcoholism through biological methods involves the use of blocking drugs. As a rule, Esperal and Torpedo are used. They are given by injection or implanted subcutaneously. Blocker drugs not only suppress persistent cravings for alcohol, but also provoke pronounced incompatibility reactions when drinking alcohol.
3. In the presence of alcohol dependence coupled with a depressive state, therapy is first prescribed to eliminate the underlying disease. Its treatment allows you to eliminate the main reason for drinking alcohol and achieve sobriety.

Some alcohol treatment clinics only offer one treatment option. Before choosing a particular institution, it is recommended to first study reviews about the methodology used, its effectiveness and side effects. Many clinics today offer treatment options different from the above, for example, using acupuncture or hypnosis. Preference should be given only to those specialists who have the appropriate medical education and a license to perform certain procedures.

Please note that you should not try to overcome alcoholism on your own. Reviews about folk methods treatments, as a rule, prove the ineffectiveness of our grandmothers' recipes. Moreover, during the time that close relatives spend on such “therapy”, the disease can develop into a chronic stage.

Coding and alcoholism

Coding is not really a panacea for alcoholism. In the vast majority of cases, it only delays the next binge. For some people, such a “rest” can last only a few days, for others it can last several years.

The fight against alcoholism in this case involves the introduction of special medications into the body, which, when interacting with alcohol, provoke the appearance of severe physiological reactions. This may include a drop in blood pressure, redness of the skin, and tremors. Today, coding is carried out not only in specialized clinics; a doctor can visit a potential patient directly at home. Unfortunately, not all patients benefit from such treatment in practice.

1. Liver pathologies. The main “fuel” for the cells of this organ is fatty acid. However, with regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, the liver is primarily forced to process alcohol. Unbroken fatty acids consistently accumulate, causing changes in liver tissue. As a result, dystrophy develops, which after some time can develop into fibrosis and even cirrhosis.
2. Exhaustion. Chronic alcoholism contributes to a constant feeling of euphoria and simultaneous suppression of appetite. As a result, a person eats less, which entails a deficiency of certain vitamins and nutrients.
3. Oncology. As a rule, the liver and pancreas are affected. In addition, cancer of the rectum, prostate, larynx and esophagus is common among alcoholics.
4. Peptic ulcer disease. Excessive consumption of alcohol-containing drinks disrupts the balance of aggressive and protective factors in the stomach, resulting in damage to the mucous membrane of the digestive tract.
5. Pancreatitis. According to experts, up to 80% of cases of this disease are caused by this particular problem.
6. Diabetes.
7. Bleeding. Against the background of liver disease, varicose veins of the esophagus itself often develop. Their rupture leads to massive bleeding, which often ends in the death of a person. In addition, the veins of the esophagus are very easily damaged by vomiting.
8. Depression and psychosis. Against the background of these diseases, the risk of suicide increases several times. That is why qualified psychotherapeutic assistance can not only cope with a depressive state, but also save a person’s life.
9. Heart diseases. Chronic consumption of alcoholic beverages increases blood pressure and increases the concentration of cholesterol and its derivatives.

What's going on with your personal life?

1. Losing friends. With this disease, people lose their former common interests, they become more withdrawn and look for a company with the same problem.
2. Problems in study/work. Alcoholism, as a rule, interferes with the performance of usual duties, a person becomes less organized, and character and behavior change. All this, of course, affects work and educational activities.
3. The social consequences of alcoholism are also expressed in a tense family environment. Alcoholics are not interested in the ordinary life of the average person; over time, they cease to fulfill their direct responsibilities. This state of affairs, as a rule, does not satisfy relatives and friends. Any attempts to help or correct the situation end in scandals and resistance from the drinking person.
4. Financial difficulties.
5. Chronic alcoholism increases the risk of committing illegal acts, as well as criminal offenses.

Consequences of female alcoholism

Abuse of alcoholic beverages by the fair sex has even more terrifying consequences, since all ladies sooner or later become mothers. If a woman continues to drink alcohol during pregnancy, the likelihood of having a child with the so-called alcohol syndrome increases. These are gross morphological disorders, characterized by incorrect proportions of the face and body. A newborn may have a wide bridge of the nose, spherical eyes, underdevelopment of the jaw bones, or other pathologies.

In addition, alcoholism and its consequences for the mental development of a child are simply terrible. Such children, as a rule, are diagnosed with congenital brain failure and delayed mental development.

Children with alcoholic parents grow up in a very difficult environment, which affects their psyche. That is why they are often diagnosed with enuresis, stuttering, aggressiveness, and leaving home are possible. The emotional state of such children is extremely unstable, in some cases there is a tendency towards suicide.

Consequences of beer alcoholism

Currently, beer alcoholism has become widespread, which is increasingly forcing society to think seriously about the future of the country. Young people mistakenly believe that intoxicating drinks are absolutely harmless to the body, because they contain a small proportion of alcohol. Boys and girls are not concerned about beer alcoholism and its health consequences. However, this addiction actually causes a lot of harm to the young body.

Constant drinking of beer primarily provokes the development of quite serious pathologies. Young people experience disturbances at the sexual and mental levels of development. The cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract are affected by alcohol toxins.

Beer is absorbed very quickly, which leads to overflow of the bloodstream, increasing the load on the heart. This alcoholic drink contains psychoactive substances. They have a stupefying and intoxicating effect; people become aggressive and cruel.

What else is dangerous about beer alcoholism? The consequences for the brain are often irreversible. This intoxicating drink consistently kills his cells. Subsequently, they are excreted from the body along with urine. Dead cells are not restored, and as a result, when drinking beer, a person literally becomes dumb. In youth, the results of such addiction are most pronounced, since learning abilities and intelligence levels are noticeably reduced.

The intoxicating drink also has a detrimental effect on reproductive function body. The alcohol contained in beer entails the degeneration of the seminiferous tubules. In addition, testosterone production is suppressed. As a result, men are becoming more and more like the fair sex. For example, their pelvis expands and their breasts enlarge.

Conclusion

The problem of alcoholism has recently increasingly attracted specialists from all over the world. In almost every case, this disease requires a qualified approach to treatment, as well as appropriate rehabilitation. No less important is the attention from family and friends, their persistent desire to help the person.

We hope that all the information presented in this article will be truly useful to you. Be healthy!

Alcohol abuse in Russia, unfortunately, is very common. At the same time, the majority of drinkers are confident that they are leading not just a normal lifestyle, but rather even a modern one, inspired by the cream of society. After all, wherever you look, from TV screens or advertising boards, the average person is followed everywhere by at least an advertising slogan alcoholic drink. Such almost aggressive advertising of booze over time plunges the majority of members of our society to the social bottom. After all, neither advertising nor fashionable films talk about what drunkenness leads to. In the material below we will look in detail at what alcohol addiction can lead to and how to protect yourself from it.

Consequences of drunkenness

It is worth understanding that for drinkers, the consequences of alcohol abuse can be divided into three components:

• Personal (physiological) problems. Here we see chronic pathologies that develop under the influence of constant libations. It’s not without reason that every advertisement for an alcoholic drink says that alcoholism and its health consequences are not the most rosy message. In particular, an alcoholic has problems with the liver, heart and brain. As a result of addiction, the patient gradually turns into a disabled person, and then ends his life altogether in a deplorable condition or under difficult criminal circumstances.
• Social. Here, rather, the role of the alcoholic’s relationship with society and the environment and all the ensuing consequences is evident. Moreover, it is worth noting that the influence of alcohol addiction affects almost all areas of a person’s life (family, work, relationships with friends, etc.).
• Socio-economic. Here the problem is already at the state level, ranging from the degradation of the nation and demographic decline to economic instability from the decline in the nation’s working capacity to the need to pay benefits for disability earned due to alcohol addiction.

Important: in order to overcome the national scourge called alcoholism, powerful comprehensive prevention is needed to prevent addiction among young people in the first place.

Physiological consequences of alcoholism

If the reader is interested in a message on the topic of alcoholism and its consequences, then the information below will be of interest. First of all, let’s consider why a dependent person (leading an alcoholic lifestyle) becomes disabled over time. In particular, the following diseases lead to disability of drinkers:

• Cirrhosis of the liver. It develops against the background of constant poisoning of the body with ethanol. Over time, in people who drink, healthy liver cells are replaced by fibrous tissue, which leads to the death of the organ. As a result, the body, which is not freed from toxins, dies. Death with cirrhosis is very painful. A person dies either from internal bleeding, or from encephalopathy (brain death and coma), or from a critical drop in all vital signs. important indicators body.
• Heart failure. Heart pathologies rank second among alcohol-related diseases. The mortality rate from heart attack among people leading an immoral lifestyle in alcohol addiction is 40-60%.
• Alcoholic encephalopathy. That is, the death of brain cells. A person who drinks not only degrades, but over time becomes a vegetable. And if death does not overtake such an alcoholic in painful attacks of panic attack or delirium tremens, then the alcoholic can subsequently live as a disabled person who does not perceive reality and burdens his relatives.
• Diabetes. The development of such a disease also occurs under the influence of constant libations. As a result, it leads to a painful existence with possible amputation of limbs, etc., which sooner or later will lead to death (if the person does not give up the addiction).

Important: in addition to these terrible diseases, in the early stages of addiction, an alcoholic’s libido decreases, impotence/frigidity sets in, metabolic processes suffer, etc. Alcohol addiction also leads toto development degenerative features of the human body.

Social consequences of alcohol addiction

If we consider alcoholism and its consequences from this point of view, then for a person leading such an alcoholic lifestyle, everything is much more complicated. In particular, the patient faces a number of social problems.

Family destruction

Relationships built over years collapse almost overnight if a person gives preference to alcohol. Once close people become enemies. In the home of an alcoholic, fear, tension, resentment, bitterness and aggression are constantly present. Scandals and fights are possible, which will lead to psychological trauma in children (if there are any in the family of a drunkard). Children may develop mental illnesses later on. In addition, against the backdrop of constant drunkenness, the family’s material wealth declines to the point that all members of the drinking person’s family begin to be in dire need of the basic necessities. The overall impact of this situation on society is extremely negative.

Disruption of connections with society

People who drink because of their own addiction lose not only relatives, but also friends/colleagues. And if at first the environment of an addicted person tries to save him (to solve problems, relieve pain or help cope with a difficult situation that provoked alcoholism), then over time, if drinkers lack the motivation to quit drinking, the entire environment simply turns away from the alcoholic and his illness. After all, it is easier to distance yourself from a terrible disease than to take on all the dirt and filth that alcoholism entails. As a result, only drinking buddies remain around the drinking person.

Job loss

The decline of a person’s moral character as a member of a healthy society entails his degradation. Over time, even a very good specialist who drinks heavily will become unnecessary in production or at an enterprise. His work efficiency will decrease, and the risk of injury at work will increase. In addition, it is unlikely that any adequate employer will want to pay such an employee. And the alcoholic will be absent more and more often. The result is job loss and new stress that you want to drown in wine. This will create a vicious circle.

Increased crime rate in the country

In particular, statistics have proven that most illegal actions are committed under the influence of alcohol and other drugs. The development of this trend is obvious. A drunk person becomes either cheeky, which pushes him to rash actions, or aggressive, which completely turns off his brain and pushes him into the hands of the criminal world. Depending on the root cause of alcoholism, a drinking person can do anything. Abandoned husband - kill or maim an unfaithful wife; unrecognized genius - to take revenge on his offenders; a once oppressed child - to win his place in the sun by committing a serious crime, etc. But the worst thing here is that after what he has done, there is no turning back. A person who commits a crime is tainted for the rest of his life.

Increase in the number of road accidents

Alcohol is a common cause of most accidents today. A drunk driver cannot control his reactions. The concentration of attention of such a car owner is reduced several times even after 100 grams. vodka. And these are precious seconds on the road, which can cost the lives of both the driver and other road users.

Important: just 80 ml of strong alcohol or a glass of beer is eliminated from the body for at least 20 hours. Therefore, it is not recommended to drive even in this condition.

Suicidal tendencies

The consequences of developing addiction are no less terrible here. In addition to the tendency to commit serious crimes, alcoholics may also decide to commit suicide. Most often, such attempts end successfully. In the worst case, the alcoholic survives, but has concomitant illnesses (illnesses) or becomes disabled and a burden to his loved ones. As a result, the life of both the drinking person and his children is ruined.

Socio-economic and demographic consequences of alcoholism

As for alcohol addiction in relation to the state, here the country is undergoing no less negative changes. In particular, the country's economy is forced to be rebuilt to accommodate the payment of benefits to disabled alcoholics who have ruined their health and lives.

In addition, teenage alcoholism in society has the greatest impact on the gene pool of the nation, forming genetic diseases. If mass national alcoholism is not stopped in time, then within two or three generations the nation will simply degrade. The intellectual abilities of the Russian person will decline to the level of primitivism.

Important: it is worth remembering that alcoholism in children and adolescents develops much faster and is much more difficult to treat. Therefore, it is necessary now to carry out prevention of childhood alcoholism at the state level, before it (alcoholism) takes away hope for a healthy future and provokes various mutational diseases.

And finally, it is worth understanding that the mortality rate in Russia today from alcoholism is about half a million people per year. This number is truly terrifying. Especially when you consider that the gap between mortality and fertility is increasing every year. Moreover, even people who do not drink alcohol frequently can conceive a child with the genes of an alcoholic or provoke further diseases in the fetus.

Important: the life and health of each person is only in his own hands. And if at least once you have to choose between drinking or not, then it is better to vote for a sober lifestyle. A healthy nation is most important!

Alcoholism is a phenomenon of truly frightening proportions. People sometimes don’t even realize how severe the damage from this phenomenon can be. But to do this, you just need to turn to statistics, which are extremely disappointing. The fact is that almost every third death in our country is, if not directly, then indirectly caused by alcohol consumption. And this is not counting all the numerous diseases, abnormalities and pathologies that occur in the bodies of men and women under the influence of alcoholic beverages.

Unfortunately, people are either not sufficiently aware of the problem or do not want to admit it. And therefore, every year, instead of decreasing, this problem develops and progresses. And needless to say, how this negatively affects both the health of the entire nation and the processes that occur in individual families. The latter often collapse because of this, because if someone in the family is an alcoholic (which applies to both men and women), then this is a real problem. Therefore, let’s deal with the main dangers that are fraught with a terrible phenomenon called alcoholism - let’s look at alcoholism and its consequences.

Description of the problem

In its general form, alcoholism is an addiction to drinks containing ethyl alcohol. This addiction includes both physical and psychological dependence. Over time, a person cannot control the amount of alcohol he consumes, he begins to drink more and more, his organs are damaged, his memory deteriorates - but he continues to drink. It is believed that there are about 140 million alcoholics in the world (of which many are women) - a frightening figure that can be compared with the population of Russia. So the problem is very serious.

Causes

A very important point is a genetic predisposition to alcoholism; such a phenomenon exists. Psychological aspects are also important, because for many people, alcohol intoxication is a very simple and accessible method of escapism that helps to forget and escape from the problems of the world around them. Sometimes it all starts small - a person drinks in small quantities just to relax, for example, after a hard day at work (or, which is especially bad, after caring for a child, if we talk about women). He does not believe that the smaller portions he consumes are capable of causing any significant harm. And therefore, he gradually develops an addiction, which after some time he can no longer control normally.

As for the social factor, it all depends on the environment that is inherent in to this person. If there were alcoholics in the family, then a person may develop a subconscious association that drinking alcohol is the norm. They say it helped my parents, why wouldn’t it help me too? And with such a deliberately incorrect belief, a person becomes addicted to destructive alcohol. This usually happens in men, but the possibility of this also cannot be ruled out in women. Of course, these are not all the reasons, but they are the most common.

Stages

Conventionally, several stages of alcoholism can be distinguished:

Consequences

Alcoholism has many consequences that can be frighteningly negative. Here are just a few examples:

• gastritis and ulcers;
• liver fibrosis and cirrhosis;
• poor heredity in children (not only when women drink, but also when the father drinks);
• problems with the functioning of the reproductive system (primarily in women, in men too, but in women the problem is more pronounced);
• problems with the nervous system, which leads to epilepsy, psychosis, and so on;
• increased likelihood of cardiovascular diseases and pathologies, for example, hypertension, strokes, myocardial ischemia, and so on;
• risk of developing schizophrenia;
• increasing the likelihood of various pulmonary pathologies, for example, tuberculosis and emphysema.

These are just some of the consequences of alcoholism. We should also not forget about various social factors, for example, limited communication with many people, difficulties in adapting to a team, and so on - these are just some of the social consequences of alcoholism. In a word, if you have alcoholism, you can safely forget about living a full life - now the alcoholic, no matter whether he is a man or a woman, has to live with restrictions.