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In the usual view of people, an alcoholic is an antisocial person; he looks bad, speaks slurred, and is dressed unkemptly. The human form is completely lost. But in reality the situation may be different. Decently dressed, has a job, sociable, average age 33 years. This is the portrait of patients who seek help from a doctor.

Alcoholism- a disease that has assumed frightening proportions, the number of patients with such a diagnosis is catastrophic, sad numbers. Moreover, most of them do not even think about contacting doctors. And this is a serious mistake. An experienced doctor will help you cope with the disease, otherwise alcoholism and its consequences can lead to tragedy.

1. Stages of alcoholism

In order to correctly determine the treatment algorithm, the doctor uses many diagnostic methods. One of the methods for determining the development of the disease is the classification of stages. There are three stages of alcoholism, each of which flows into the next.

First stage. Characteristics:

  • Drinking alcohol is associated with certain occasions, holidays, life situations, intellectual work and even minor troubles;
  • The dose of alcohol increases;
  • “Gaps” appear in memory;
  • The behavior is cheeky, intrusive.

Second stage and its distinctive features:

  • “binges” lasting several days;
  • aggression and anger are replaced by depression and apathy;
  • no control over what you drink;
  • irresistible craving for alcohol;
  • rebellion and opposition to society;
  • damage to the central nervous system;
  • damage to internal organs.

Third stage. Symptoms:

  • periods of sobriety decrease;
  • extensive damage to internal organs;
  • intoxication occurs even from small doses of alcohol;
  • frequent vomiting;
  • paralysis of limbs;
  • amyotrophy;
  • complete personality change;
  • increased risk of suicide.

2. Effects on physical health

The harm caused to a person’s physical health is extremely great. Alcoholism and its consequences are of disaster proportions. As a result of drinking alcohol, all organs and systems are affected, causing serious illnesses.

It is impossible to overestimate the damage caused to health.

Liver: cirrhosis, renal failure, toxic hepatitis, cessation of functions.

Vessels: atherosclerosis (narrowing of the lumen of the coronary arteries), increased blood pressure, hypertensive crisis, increased risk of stroke.

Heart: chronic heart failure, increased blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, damage to the heart muscle, increased risk of heart attack, alcoholic cardiomyopathy.

PROVEN: Men who drink are 22 times more likely to be diagnosed with cardiovascular disease than men who don’t drink.

Pancreas: chronic pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, skin itching, acute pancreatic necrosis.
Blood: deficiency of essential microelements and vitamins, development of anemia.

Reproductive system: in men - impotence, infertility, suppression of testosterone production; in women - frigidity, infertility, premature menopause, dysfunction of the ovaries.

Mouth: violation of saliva viscosity, tooth decay.
Stomach: gastritis, atrophy of stomach cells, ulcers, stomach cancer.
Brain: organic brain damage.

3. Mental and neurological complications

The mental and neurotic consequences of alcoholism have an impressive list. Here are some of them for you to read.

"Delirium tremens" or acute alcoholic psychosis develops after a long, massive alcohol binge. The precursor to “delirium tremens” can be long-term insomnia (2-3 nights). A state when a person is confused, cannot eat, sleep, and experiences anxiety. In a state of acute alcoholic psychosis, a person sees and hears something that is not really there.

First of all, micropsia (hallucination of small animals: birds, bees, rats and even devils) is characteristic of “delirium tremens”.

At this time, the patient experiences uncontrollable fear, consciousness is darkened, absent critical thinking. In this state, the patient can jump out of the window, injure himself and loved ones, commit murder or suicide. Deranged and frightened, he defends himself from the objects of hallucinations. It is important to consult a doctor in time before the onset of delirium tremens. The attention of loved ones should be drawn to the drinker’s confusion, insomnia, and anxiety.

In the absence of timely treatment, acute alcoholic psychosis can result in salivary pneumonia, cerebral edema and death.

Suicidal attempts. Urgent problems with loved ones, friends, work colleagues, neighbors and family members depress a person suffering from alcoholism. The emotional background between him and society is different.

The main difficulty is non-recognition of the disease, and therefore refusal of treatment. Any word addressed to a patient, even a seemingly harmless one, can lead to emotional stress. You need to understand that drinkers are very touchy, aggressive, and their mood often changes. All these traits are caused by damage to the nervous system and personality disorder.

Reluctance to accept the diagnosis and undergo the necessary treatment leads to worsening tension in relationships. There seems to be only one way out of this vicious circle - suicide.

Not always, suicide attempts bring a desire for death. Often they are of a demonstration nature, but still end in death.

4. Social consequences of alcoholism

Road accident. According to statistics, in most cases, drunk driving is the cause of road accidents. When drinking alcoholic beverages, the reaction and clarity of perception decreases. The consequences can be irreversible, often resulting in disability or death.

Violation of law and order. Loss of self-control and lack of sense of responsibility leads to crime under the influence of alcohol. This condition is an aggravating factor and has no justification.

Unhappy families. In a family where drunkenness has settled, constant conflicts and disagreements appear. Added to this is the risk of having seriously ill children. Alcoholism, destroying a person’s personality, makes him irresponsible. Good parents cannot stand behind carelessness and indifference. In word and deed they set an example of how to build an unhappy family life.

Seeing and living in such an atmosphere, the child absorbs the images of his father and mother. He will later project them when creating his family. This is how the number of divorces and abandoned children increases. Against the backdrop of such a situation, the mass of the degrading population is increasing. Accidents and injuries at work. An absent-minded mood, thoughts about a pleasant evening or a bad state after yesterday - all this increases the risk of injuries at work. Decreased performance. It has been proven that if a person drinks 200 ml of vodka, his performance will decrease by an order of magnitude for a period of up to 14 days. At this time, inspiration will not come to him, work motivation is reduced, and general lethargy. Just think about it, two weeks.

With alcoholism, the drinker drinks much more often than twice a month, and there can be no talk of any performance. The social health of the population consists of many, many grains. “Infection” of alcohol addiction even among part of this population has a bad effect on the situation as a whole. Drinking man He doesn’t always suffer from his illness; he causes big problems for those around him.

Regardless of the degree and severity of the disease, alcoholism brings negative phenomena to society.

5. Economic consequences of alcoholism

Hearing that alcoholism harms not only the drinker, but also the country as a whole, it is difficult to imagine the scale of the complications.

It is common to see only the family problem. In a situation where hundreds of thousands of people suffer from such a complex diagnosis as alcoholism, the impact of this factor on the country as a whole is often underestimated. Costs from the budget for maintaining them in hospitals, paying ambulances and drug treatment clinics is not a complete list of government expenditure items.

The budget burden from drunkenness is extremely high. Sick children are born, the number of abandoned children increases, and people die working population. While fires, murders, violence, road accidents and much, much more occur, each item entails a waste of the country's state budget.

6. Beer alcoholism

It is beer that becomes a springboard on the path to a painful dependence on alcohol. Beer is a weak alcohol, but any addiction begins with a small dose. Drinkers underestimate the harm of beer, since such thinking is imposed by the marketing policies of manufacturers. The image of beer is imperceptibly and firmly driven into people's minds.

A noble drink that quenches thirst, is perfect for young people, almost indispensable when watching sporting events... but in reality the situation is different: by drinking a glass of beer, a person exposes himself to the risk of being diagnosed with alcoholism; a light attitude towards this drink makes it possible to drink more often and more population.

ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS: The result of drinking beer can be infertility. In recent decades, drinking beer has become the norm. Beer is a very insidious drink. It is addictive and carries a lot of negative effects. It contains heavy metals, and intoxication is accompanied by lethargy, weakness, and loss of interests. This state is confused with rest and relaxation. The drinker does not notice heavy intoxication. Those who drink beer for a long time notice changes in their appearance. In men, the body becomes “loose”, obese, a “beer” belly, breasts appear, and adipose tissue is deposited according to the female principle in the pelvis, buttocks and thighs.

Women develop hair growth, behavior, appearance and character in a masculine manner. NONALCOHOLIC BEER is not an alternative. It awakens a craving for alcohol.

7. Once upon a time they studied well and were completely extraordinary individuals.

Childhood alcoholism. If treatment for alcohol-dependent teenagers is not started in time, the consequences of alcoholism will cancel out the prospects for a healthy family, for making dreams come true, for developing talent... It all starts with drinking alcoholic cocktails and beer. After a short period of time, internal organs are affected, and after another couple of months, addiction sets in.

Parents, as a rule, do not suspect that trouble has already arrived. An alarming signal may be delirium tremens, psychosis, hallucination or other obvious manifestations. Alcohol dependence and degradation in children develops tens of times faster than in adults. The average age of patients is 13 years. And this terrible figure tends to decrease.

ACCORDING TO SCIENTISTS: 90% of teenagers begin their acquaintance with alcohol through drinking beer. This is explained by many factors, some of which are: the marketing policies of manufacturers and the lack of a gag reflex (unlike strong alcoholic drinks). Not so long ago, doctors dealt with asocial teenagers from orphanages, dysfunctional families, and boarding schools. Today, the picture has changed somewhat: children from prosperous families are increasingly becoming addicts. They study in music and sports schools, know several foreign languages and do not at all arouse suspicion on the part of adults.

IN adolescence The vast majority of alcohol addicts drink alcohol because they enjoy it. A distinctive feature of childhood drunkenness is the consumption of alcoholic beverages in huge quantities; they cannot limit themselves to a small dose.

A teenager does not stop at one glass. The amount a child drinks can kill an adult. Another feature is that sooner or later a teenager begins to mix alcohol with drugs; this is due to the desire to experiment and learn new facets. In this case, alcohol gives rise to several types of addictions at once. Teenage maximalism does not provide the opportunity to stop and resort to critical thinking.

At the age of 20, a teenager drinking beer is already comparable in physical criteria to a 40-year-old person. Irreversible destruction begins imperceptibly. Polyneuritis is added to the primary somatic and mental lesions. This is indicated by limb spasms.

Doctors also note some delayed consequences. One example is the pathology of newborns born to alcohol-dependent teenagers, even if these are no longer teenagers, but mature people. There is no statute of limitations; the consequences of alcoholism are irreversible if you do not seek the help of a specialist in time.

Headaches, fatigue, dizziness are all signs of brain damage. Parents often attribute these symptoms to adolescence and hormonal changes inherent in their children at this age.

Memories are still fresh about how gifted the child was, how easy it was for him to study, what bright dreams inspired him. With the advent of alcohol in a teenager’s life, the personality undergoes strong changes. Distinctive features of the drinker appear: deceit, anger, aggressiveness, depression, and the range of interests narrows.

Teenagers do not have critical thinking; it is not possible to independently look at what is happening as a problem. The course of events and changes that led to addiction are taken for granted. It is necessary to seek help from a doctor, otherwise childhood alcoholism will forever ruin their talents, health, dreams of a family... and their lives.

8. Female alcoholism

Women's alcoholism differs from men's. This is due to both physiological and mental differences. Several factors:

  • The process of getting used to alcohol among representatives of the fairer sex is very fast. For example, a man will need six months to a year of systematic use to become dependent on alcohol, while a woman will need 2-3 months.
  • A drinking person never immediately admits that he is sick. A woman, unlike men, is even more stubborn, it is difficult to convince her of the need for treatment, and, as we know, therapy without the consent of the patient is extremely ineffective.
  • A woman is subject to frequent emotional changes. Alcoholism, developing in the body, affects the nervous system. Psychological disorders are severe. The mood often changes from euphoria to depression.
  • The liver is designed in a slightly different way, so it is more susceptible to alcohol. As a result, liver cirrhosis, toxic hepatitis and death.
  • Reproductive function may be completely or partially impaired. Offspring are at risk of severe illness.
  • A woman is guided mainly by intuitive rather than logical activity, which means she is more susceptible to emotions. In turn, this provokes frequent alcohol consumption.
  • Female hormones are incompatible with ethyl alcohol.

Representatives of the fairer sex carefully hide their excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. The latent period is so hidden that neither family, nor colleagues at work, nor friends know that alcoholism has already started. In order to seek help from a doctor, a woman needs to overcome the shame imposed by society.

After all, for a long time, drunkenness was considered a male ailment. An alcohol-dependent woman in society is considered a disgrace to the family; it is this fact that makes timely examination and diagnosis of alcoholism difficult. A drinking mother is a colossal tragedy. Over time, the maternal instinct, responsibility for the child and the “human face” disappear.

ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: Alcohol is the third leading cause of death in the world, after cancer and cardiovascular diseases. In other matters, alcohol is directly related to both cancer and heart disease. - a difficult diagnosis. It is extremely difficult to cope with it alone. It is important to contact specialists in time and receive qualified assistance.

Specialist in the field of chemical dependency. Psychologist, psychotherapist.
Graduated from school with chemical dependency. Regular participant in all-Ukrainian trainings for advanced training. Founder of the SNIPER Charitable Foundation. 10 years of professional experience in the field of rehabilitation and psycho-social adaptation of addicted people.

Content

Drinking alcoholic beverages in large doses has a negative impact on health, as a rule, the pathophysiological effect of alcohol on human body due to its strength and numerous harmful impurities. Alcoholism develops with regular drinking of alcoholic beverages. Given mental illness severely deteriorates health, while a person’s ability to work and moral values ​​decrease.

What is alcohol

The modern market in our country is replete with a variety of alcoholic drinks, which differ in strength, manufacturer and composition. As a rule, the effect of alcohol on the human body is always negative, because when it gets inside, it quickly spreads through the blood to all organs, often causing their destruction. Ethanol (ethyl alcohol), C2H5OH, is a toxin, when taken, the liver tries to neutralize it. This volatile transparent liquid, which has a characteristic odor and pungent taste, is easily diluted with water.

This yeast fermentation product can be produced chemically. It burns well, is easily ignited, and is used as a technical brake fluid, as a solvent or fuel. Often a disease such as alcoholism is hereditary; if both parents drank in the family and they were not given proper treatment, then their child may also become an alcoholic in the future.

How alcohol affects the human body

People who love strong drinks are often interested in the question of how alcohol affects the human body? Ethanol tends to concentrate in the brain and liver and can quickly kill cells in these organs. In addition, alcohol is a mutagen. As a rule, in an adult body, mutant cells are eliminated by the immune system, but if it fails, then people with alcoholism develop cancer of the stomach, oral cavity, liver, and esophagus. Alcohol also affects

in the following way:

  • Disturbs fetal development. The brain often suffers, the child’s heart is affected, and limbs are underdeveloped.
  • Activates receptors for the amino acid GABA, the main inhibitory transmitter in the nervous system. As a result, cell excitability decreases.
  • High ethanol content enhances the synthesis of endorphins and dopamine. The patient experiences euphoria.
  • Disturbs metabolism in the body. This factor provokes the development of a psychological syndrome.
  • Toxic effect. As a rule, it is determined by an increase in pulse, lack of air, and disruption of the heart.
  • Systematic consumption of strong drinks provokes fatty degeneration and inflammation of the liver. Hepatocytes are destroyed and cirrhosis occurs.
  • Provokes alcoholic encephalopathy. The disease begins with mental disorders with static or monotonous visual illusions and hallucinations.

Lethal dose

The harmful effects of alcohol on human health are impossible only when a man or woman does not drink strong drinks at all. Everyone else, as a rule, experiences the harmful effects of drinking ethyl alcohol. Alcohol is good for the body only in small doses, but if you drink a little too much, there will be more harm than good. Each person has their own lethal dose of alcohol. For a 70 kg man who does not drink, this is:

  • 750 ml of vodka, drunk over five hours;
  • 300 ml of pure alcohol drunk over five hours.

For women it is:

  • 450 ml of vodka, drunk over five hours.

If a person constantly drinks alcohol, he can die from 3 bottles of vodka or 600 ml of pure alcohol, drunk in 5 hours or less. Blood can normally contain 0.4 ppm (‰) and this is an acceptable level. When the alcohol concentration is more than 3.8 ppm, paralysis of the respiratory tract can occur, resulting in death. Death is still possible when the concentration reaches 2.2-3.2‰.

What does alcohol affect?

People are often interested in the question of what organs are affected by alcohol? Based on research, doctors say that it has a negative effect on the entire body, but in varying degrees. The basis of alcoholic beverages is ethanol, a compound that has a toxic effect. When it enters the body as part of vodka, beer, wine or another drink, it is quickly absorbed from the intestines. Then ethanol is distributed to all internal organs. At the same time, alcohol has a devastating effect on the heart, brain, stomach and reproductive system.

On the respiratory system

It is known that breathing is life. When alcohol affects the lungs and bronchi, the functioning of the lung tissue is disrupted, which leads to a malfunction of the entire respiratory system. The mucous membranes dry out, the body's immunity weakens, and there is a high risk of tuberculosis. The first sign of its appearance is a severe cough, which can occur on the second day after excessive drinking. In addition, the negative effects of alcohol on the respiratory system can cause the following diseases:

  • emphysema;
  • tracheobronchitis;
  • Chronical bronchitis.

On the stomach

Alcoholic drinks have a detrimental effect on the cells of the digestive organs, destroying them, causing burns, and resulting in tissue necrosis. In this case, the pancreas atrophies, and the cells that produce insulin die. This contributes to the fact that the absorption of beneficial nutrients is disrupted, the secretion of enzymes is inhibited, and food stagnation occurs in the intestines and stomach. As a rule, the negative effects of alcohol on the stomach can cause:

  • diabetes;
  • chronic stage of pancreatitis;
  • gastritis;
  • stomach cancer;
  • severe abdominal pain.

To the reproductive system

Strong drinks are considered especially dangerous for girls and women, because their dependence on alcohol occurs quickly. Girls suffering from alcoholism are susceptible to damage to the ovaries, which ultimately disrupts menstruation. Representatives of the stronger half of humanity also suffer from excessive drinking of strong drinks. The harmful effect of alcohol on the male reproductive system is expressed in a decrease in libido, the development of impotence and infertility. Drunkenness also provokes testicular atrophy, leading to the birth of an unhealthy child.

On the human cardiovascular system

Alcoholic drinks provoke the destruction of blood cells - red blood cells. This causes deformation of the red cells, and they do not transfer the required amount of oxygen from the lungs to other tissues. In addition, sugar regulation is disrupted, which causes irreversible consequences: improper brain function, diabetes, vascular problems. The effect of alcohol on the human cardiovascular system has negative consequences. The following diseases may indicate this:

  • high blood pressure;
  • atherosclerosis;
  • arrhythmia;
  • ischemic heart disease.

How does alcohol affect the brain?

The central nervous system and brain are most often affected by ethyl alcohol. The concentration of alcohol in such organs after consumption becomes higher than in the entire body. Alcohol is toxic to brain tissue, so intoxication can often occur after drinking strong drinks. Alcohol can cause destruction, numbness and death of the cerebral cortex. Negative effects of how alcohol affects the brain:

  • endocrine functions are disrupted;
  • brain centers that regulate vascular tone are affected;
  • the reaction of vegetative origin changes;
  • problems arise with the psyche, memory, and mental development.

Effect on skin and muscle condition

Chronic consumption of strong drinks often provokes weakening and wasting of muscles. In addition, 50% of alcoholics develop skin diseases, because the immune system only works halfway and cannot cope with various viruses. The liver also cleanses the body not in full force, so ulcers, boils, allergic rashes and pimples begin to appear on the surface of the skin. Alcohol's effect on the skin and muscle condition is manifested in the following:

  • dehydration occurs;
  • testosterone decreases;
  • estrogen increases;
  • muscle mass decreases;
  • muscles weaken, atrophy, lose tone;
  • protein synthesis decreases;
  • there is a deficiency of minerals (phosphorus, calcium, zinc) and vitamins (A, B and C);
  • there is an uncontrolled replenishment of calories in the body.

Positive effects of alcohol on the human body

Few people believe that the effect of ethyl alcohol on the human body can be positive. Indeed, in small dosages, ethanol is beneficial for humans. For example, red wine contains trace elements and antioxidants that the body needs. In this case, you should drink no more than three glasses a week. In addition, red wine removes waste and toxins, normalizes metabolism, and is an excellent preventative against atherosclerosis. Based on the drink, we can highlight the positive effects:

  • champagne can be taken in small doses for a weak heart;
  • mulled wine supports the body during bronchitis, colds, pneumonia, and flu;
  • vodka can lower cholesterol;
  • beer slows down the aging process and reduces the risk of heart disease.

But what dose of alcohol is good for a person? Doctors recommend that men drink no more than 20 g of pure alcohol, and women - 10 g. As a rule, this amount is contained in 100 grams of wine, 30 grams of vodka and 300 ml of beer. Taking one spoon of alcohol twice a week can act as a mobilizer for the body, i.e., a hormesis effect occurs. This method helps a person to shake himself up quickly. It is strictly forbidden to give strong drinks to a child. If alcohol accidentally enters the child’s body, urgent rinsing should be done and a doctor should be called.

Video: The effects of alcohol

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 make treatment recommendations based on individual characteristics specific patient.

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Discuss

How alcohol affects the human body - toxic effects on organs and systems

Alcohol abuse is a real social and medical problem.

Life modern man full of stress, negativity, tension. And many people, instead of confronting these stresses, “wash them down” with alcohol. However, you need to think about the consequences of drinking too much alcohol. The “green snake” affects absolutely all areas of a person’s life, and the consequences come much faster than anyone who is addicted to it thinks.

The effects of alcohol on physical health

Alcohol has a detrimental effect on the physical condition of the body.

At the same time, it affects all organs and systems. As a result of drinking vodka and other alcoholic drinks, a person can develop very serious, life-threatening diseases. Here are some of them:

  1. Liver diseases (hepatitis, cirrhosis).
  2. General exhaustion of the body, which appears due to a deficiency of vitamins, microelements and other important substances. For this reason, any disease is much more severe than in people who do not drink alcohol.
  3. Oncological diseases (in particular, the following organs are at risk: prostate, esophagus, throat, mammary gland, rectum).
  4. Ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.
  5. Diseases of the cardiovascular system (heart attack, stroke, etc.).
  6. Pancreatitis.
  7. Nervous system disorders.
  8. Endocrine system disorders.

In addition, among alcoholics the number of accidents and injuries (even fatalities) is increased.

The effect of alcohol on human organs and systems

The liver, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and nervous system and other organs. This is what will happen to these organs if you abuse alcohol:

  • pancreas;

Alcohol disrupts the functioning of the gland in two ways: firstly, when drinking alcohol, the level of of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which is responsible for stimulating the pancreas. Accordingly, this imbalance cannot but affect her work. Secondly, ethanol entering the blood has an irritating effect on the gland, which leads to an increase in the amount of insulin produced. If you abuse alcohol, the gland will not be able to produce insulin in the required quantity, which leads to diabetes, itchy skin, frequent urination, boils, etc.

  • gastrointestinal tract;

The stomach is the first organ to take the blow of ethanol. As a result of excessive alcohol consumption, gastritis and protein starvation can develop (as pepsin, which breaks down food proteins, sharply decreases). All this leads to disruption of the process of assimilation of products that enter the stomach, and general exhaustion of the body occurs. Further, the excretory function is disrupted: an alcoholic may have constipation or disorders, vomiting, nausea, etc. In addition, stomach ulcers and enterocolitis develop.

  • kidneys;

The kidneys carry out water-salt metabolism, are responsible for the acid-base balance, and remove toxins from the body. Due to alcohol abuse, these functions are disrupted, pyelitis, nephritis, and kidney stones develop. In addition, alcohol destroys kidney tissue and its cells, as a result of which the kidneys decrease in size.

  • reproductive system.

Alcohol has equally negative effects on both sperm and eggs. On the one hand, ethanol affects the gonads themselves and the cells they produce; on the other hand, it has a detrimental effect on the embryo and the further development of the fetus and then the already born child. In addition, the structure of the sperm itself is disrupted (they may, for example, not have a head or tail), which makes fertilization of the egg impossible, that is, the man develops infertility. There is also a decrease in libido and the onset of impotence, suppression of testosterone production and, in some cases, its conversion to estrogen. Women also experience frigidity, premature (at about 40 years of age) menopause, and various ovarian dysfunctions: amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, hypermenorrhea.

The effect of alcohol on the psyche

The consequences of drinking alcohol in excessive doses cause enormous damage to the human psyche. This influence occurs on two levels: physiological and mental. Firstly, sooner or later this leads to alcoholism, that is, mental dependence on drinking alcohol. Secondly, it leads to brain and mental disorders: various disorders and diseases.

The influence of alcohol on the psyche: physiology

To begin with, you should know that ethanol simultaneously triggers two processes in the body, which explain the further influence of alcohol on the psyche:

  1. Increases the amount of endorphin-like substances in the blood and brain. They are released from brain neurons that are dissolved by ethanol.
  2. It enhances the synthesis of dopamine, which is responsible for the condition of blood vessels (their tone), as well as for a person’s mood and activity. IN in this case ethanol affects nerve impulses that pass from the synthesis regulation centers and back.

That is why a person, when he drinks a few glasses or glasses, feels euphoria, joy, and lightness. In other words, during alcohol intoxication the state of a person’s psyche changes.

In acceptable doses, it helps a person to relax, communicate more easily and naturally, and even socialize. This is explained by the fact that ethanol inhibits the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for conscious human behavior. This applies to all areas, including social and personal prohibitions of a person. This also includes ethical standards accepted in society.

But if a person increases the dose of alcohol, then the inhibition process increases, which subsequently leads to the blocking of prohibitions and norms. This manifests itself in a person’s loss of control over himself and his actions, in other words, over his own consciousness. But it is precisely this property of people that distinguishes them from animals. In addition, subconscious desires and aspirations come to the surface, which take over during severe intoxication.

Each person has his own norm of the drink he drinks, after which he begins to “carry.” This is a very personal moment. It depends on the personal characteristics of the person, and on the state of health, and on the duration of drinking alcohol. It is worth noting that if a coded person drinks alcohol, the negative impact of ethanol will be many times stronger than that of a non-coded person.

Alcohol addiction: mental aspect

Mental dependence manifests itself in a person’s irresistible craving for drinking alcoholic beverages and is called alcoholism. Women are much more likely to develop a long-term addiction to alcohol than men, and it is much more difficult for them to break their addiction. IN last years early teenage alcoholism is observed. This is a real problem in society: under the influence of advertising, teenagers try beer and low-alcohol drinks out of interest and don’t even think about the consequences. In addition, adolescents develop any addiction much faster than adults.

What is the manifestation of mental dependence on alcohol?

All alcoholics and people on the verge of developing a persistent addiction have many common features:

  1. They always find a reason to drink.
  2. For any problems, stress, failures, etc., they seek solace in alcohol.
  3. Any joyful events are also accompanied by drinking.
  4. They lose control of themselves if they drink more than their limit.
  5. They hide their addiction from those who condemn drinking.
  6. Memory loss occurs during severe intoxication.
  7. The number of acquaintances and friends who drink little decreases significantly over time, but the number of drinking friends increases.
  8. They always have an explanation ready for why they drink: failures, problems, lack of prospects in life, etc.

These are the characteristics of people who have developed an unhealthy addiction to alcohol.

Consequences of drinking alcohol for the psyche

If a person does not stop in time, then this threatens with dire consequences for the psyche. The most common ones are:

This is a disorder that is accompanied by feelings of fear, panic, anxiety, and increased anxiety. A person is haunted by visual and auditory hallucinations, and autonomic disorders are observed. There is disorientation in time and space. Against the backdrop of all this, suicides or murders are possible.

  • personality degradation;

It manifests itself in the fact that a person’s circle of interests is narrowed only to drinking. In addition, there is a catastrophic decrease in the level of intelligence and memory impairment in the form of amnesia (a person can forget not only what happened during the period when he was drunk, but also about important events that happened in his life, names, phone numbers, etc.). d.).

  • persecution mania;

This symptom is often accompanied by delirium tremens, but it can also occur outside of this condition. A person may feel that someone is persecuting him or that everyone is against him, plotting, ridiculing, etc. In such a state, a person can either commit suicide or, conversely, take a defensive position and harm other people.

  • rave.

A very common syndrome is delusions of jealousy, which manifests itself in the fact that a spouse (usually a husband) suspects his other half of cheating. At the same time, the husband is so sure of adultery that he finds confirmation of this in everything, monitors his wife, and demands recognition. Over time, he can get so worked up that he begins to beat his wife, insult, humiliate, and in the end he can even kill.

What alcoholism leads to: psychological and social aspects

In addition to physical and mental health, all other areas of a person’s life suffer: work, career, family, social connections and contacts.

  • area of ​​work and career;

When a person long time regularly drinks alcohol, sooner or later this becomes known at work. Society has a negative attitude towards alcoholism, especially at work, because no one wants to have an employee with an addiction on their staff. It is difficult and scary to rely on such a person, since he can let you down at any moment, fail to cope with the task, or derail the project by going on a binge. And even if a person does not reveal his problem at work except for the smell, stereotypes in this case have a strong influence in society.

In addition to such subjective reasons, there are also quite objective ones, since over time a person really begins to make mistakes, to treat work less responsibly, since ethanol has a detrimental effect on intelligence and memory, as a result of which a person becomes absent-minded, forgetful, and inattentive. If he has entered the stage of chronic drunkenness, then the situation is aggravated by frequent absenteeism. In addition, alcoholics are more likely to be injured, and what employer would want to have problems with a work-related injury? As a rule, an alcoholic is fired from his job, but finding another one is a big problem for him because of his drinking. Accordingly, another problem is added – a material one.

  • family sphere;

Alcoholics very often show signs of aggression, often beat their wives and children, they are irritable, intolerant, and have constant mood swings. This is a difficult experience for family members because it is very difficult to predict what will happen next. Family life assumes that its members care about each other, are interested in each other, etc., but alcoholics are not interested in the people around them, unless they are connected by a common addiction to drinking. If family members try to help an alcoholic, this only causes additional outbursts of aggression. Eventually the family members get tired of dealing with the alcoholic, and he is left alone.

  • sphere of friends.

The same picture happens with friends: those of them who drink alcohol in small quantities usually distance themselves from their alcoholic friend, since sloppiness, imbalance, a narrow circle of interests, and constant offers to drink very quickly become boring to those around them who are not familiar with the problem of alcoholism. But a person cannot live in isolation, so the alcoholic finds himself an appropriate environment - the same comrades who are not averse to drinking.

When this happens, it becomes extremely difficult to help an alcoholic, since the most difficult thing in the fight against any addiction is to tear the person out of his usual environment and stop his influence.

Thank you for your feedback

Comments

    Megan92 () 2 weeks ago

    Has anyone succeeded in ridding their husband of alcoholism? My drink never stops, I don’t know what to do anymore ((I was thinking about getting a divorce, but I don’t want to leave the child without a father, and I feel sorry for my husband, he’s a great person when he doesn’t drink

    Daria () 2 weeks ago

    I have already tried so many things, and only after reading this article, I was able to wean my husband off alcohol; now he doesn’t drink at all, even on holidays.

    Megan92 () 13 days ago

    Daria () 12 days ago

    Megan92, that’s what I wrote in my first comment) I’ll duplicate it just in case - link to article.

    Sonya 10 days ago

    Isn't this a scam? Why do they sell on the Internet?

    Yulek26 (Tver) 10 days ago

    Sonya, what country do you live in? They sell it on the Internet because stores and pharmacies charge outrageous markups. In addition, payment is only after receipt, that is, they first looked, checked and only then paid. And now they sell everything on the Internet - from clothes to TVs and furniture.

    Editor's response 10 days ago

    Sonya, hello. This drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence is indeed not sold through pharmacy chains and retail stores in order to avoid inflated prices. Currently you can only order from official website. Be healthy!

    Sonya 10 days ago

    I apologize, I didn’t notice the information about cash on delivery at first. Then everything is fine if payment is made upon receipt.