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Currently, alcohol abuse is an important problem in Russia. According to statistics, as of 2019, the number of patients with alcoholism exceeded 5 million people, or 3.7% of the total population. Complications of alcoholism have become one of the leading causes of premature death. In addition, the largest number of all crimes were committed while intoxicated. Frequent use of alcohol inevitably leads to dependence; alcoholism and its consequences destroy not only health, but also life.

What is alcoholism

Alcoholism is a mental disorder characterized by the 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, well-being and moral character decrease. A person becomes dependent on alcohol at the physiological and mental levels. Alcoholism is incompatible with normal social, personal life. With prolonged use of high doses of alcohol, irreversible mental disorders inevitably occur.

Causes

There are many causes, conditions that can lead to chronic alcoholism. As a rule, this is stress as a result of an emotional conflict, domestic, domestic problems, the 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 matters (father, mother or other blood relatives suffer from alcoholism), as well as various negative factors of the environment and culture, upbringing, and the availability of alcoholic beverages for minors. In addition, the low standard of living of the population, the lack of good work, and the opportunity to get an education contribute to the use of alcoholic beverages.

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 fact that a person increases the dose of alcohol and drinks more often. He drinks a lot, often, coming up with excuses for drinking alcohol. At the same time, characteristic symptoms begin to develop: a person quickly loses control over his behavior, is inadequate. The next day, after drinking alcohol, there is a feeling of poor health, but without the need for a hangover. A clear sign of the onset of alcoholism is a person's persistent confidence that he can stop drinking at any time.
  2. Second stage. It is observed in patients who are registered in narcological dispensaries. A person's resistance to alcohol increases, so the doses of alcohol gradually and imperceptibly increase. In 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 one is manifested by severe complications. At the third stage, the patient begins to have a mental disorder and alcoholic degradation of all vital organs of the body. Resistance to ethyl alcohol increases, a person drinks systematically, daily, several times a day, but in small doses.

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

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

Harm of drinking alcohol

AT initial stage the development of alcoholism, the consequences of alcohol poisoning are manifested ( headache, nausea). Over time, the symptoms of regular drinking become apparent: the mood changes frequently, changes dramatically, and depends on the use of alcohol. Without drinking, the patient becomes aggressive and inadequate, memory lapses appear. An alcoholic thinks only about drinking, there are no other joys, hobbies and needs for him, and even the need to eat fades into the background.

The second stage of the development of dependence is characterized not only by the psychological, but also by the 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, becomes apathetic, depressive. The patient can no longer stop drinking on his own.

At the third stage of the disease, a person quickly degrades as a person, the psyche is disturbed. Morphological destruction in the central nervous system, the work of organs and systems of the body lead to a partial loss of movement and speech, there is a sudden paralysis of the whole body. develop in liver cells malignant neoplasms, there are severe diseases of the kidneys, blood vessels. 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 danger to life and health. Such alcoholism has a direct negative impact on all body systems. Among the most unpleasant consequences of beer addiction is the damage that the drink causes to the heart. Large doses of "foamy" will affect the general well-being and the state of its 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 time to pathologically change as a result of the daily consumption of large amounts of beer. This condition is characterized by the following features:

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

Consequences of alcoholism

Over time, excessive alcohol consumption 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 break 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 drinking.

alcohol poisoning

The negative consequences of binge drinking and alcohol intoxication can be irreversible for human health. Often there is a fatal outcome when drinking critical doses of alcohol in conjunction with sedatives, narcotic substances. Detox symptoms:

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

Children of alcoholics

The reproductive system is one of the first to suffer from the uncontrolled use of alcohol-containing drinks, so healthy children are rarely born from chronic alcoholics. A child who was conceived by drinking people often has genetic mutations (Down's disease, Turner's syndrome, phenylketonuria). Anatomical disorders often occur during intrauterine development: heart defects, underdevelopment of organs, anencephaly, hydrocephalus, etc., an alcohol syndrome develops.

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

Social Consequences

Alcohol is often an impetus for criminal behavior, as it it relaxes the human mind, gives a feeling of impunity. The 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 reflex rejection of alcohol or emotional disgust. In modern narcology, there are several types of such a procedure:

  1. Medical. Application medicines causing intolerance to even small doses of ethyl alcohol.
  2. Psychotherapy. Usage modern methods impact on mental perception.
  3. hardware coding. The use of physiotherapy to develop alcohol intolerance.
  4. Hypnotherapy. Use of sessions of individual or group hypnosis.

Coding is considered successful, after which a person physically cannot drink any alcohol, even if he wants to. When alcohol is taken, 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 provided in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials of the article do not call for self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give recommendations for treatment, based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Alcoholism and its consequences for human health - harm from regular drinking

Narcologists and psychiatrists all over the world are well aware of the consequences of the harm of alcohol for the body. Complications for the female and teenage organism can be especially dangerous, since the problem of alcoholism affects different age groups and gender.

Today it has become customary in companies to appear with a bottle of beer in their hands or a slight smell of fumes. Some people feel its presence after a short time, others can drink alcohol for years, not paying attention to the appearance of the first alarming symptoms. Doctors say that many people would be able to give up alcohol if they had an idea about the dangers of alcohol.

The reaction of the body to ethanol

When alcohol is consumed, all organs and systems of the body suffer. Ethanol - good solvent. When it is used, part of the alcohol enters the blood, the other - into the stomach. At the same time, erythrocytes, which supply oxygen to organs and tissues, lose their fatty lubricant, since it dissolves in ethanol. Therefore, blood cells begin to stick together.

When six red blood cells stick together, they resemble a bunch of grapes, which makes it difficult for them to pass through the capillaries to the neurons in the brain. The capillary begins to clog, as a result of which the neuron cannot receive oxygen and dies. With the death of a huge number of nerve cells, a person begins to experience relaxation, a feeling of pleasure appears. Thus, it becomes clear the main harm of alcohol on the human body.

Also, alcohol negatively affects the rest of the body. As a result of alcohol abuse for a long time, a person often develops cirrhosis of the liver. An estimated 600,000 people die every year from alcohol-related complications. For the rest, the average life expectancy is reduced by ten or even fifteen years.

Why is alcohol dangerous? It provokes the development of the following pathologies:

  • mental disorder;
  • Disorder of the functionality of vital organs;
  • Increased blood pressure;
  • Increased risk of stroke or heart attack;
  • Alcohol intoxication;
  • Development of delirium;
  • Fatal outcome.

Briefly about the dangers of alcohol on the human body

Alcoholism is classified as one of the addictions of a person, in some states it is classified with a mental illness. With prolonged alcohol consumption, irreversible changes occur in the body:

  1. The brain suffers the most. With alcoholism, the areas of the brain that are responsible for cognitive processes, as well as human behavior, are damaged. Therefore, an alcoholic often changes his mood, memory is lost, thinking is slowed down. Over time, the degradation of personality occurs.
  2. The cardiovascular system. Alcohol provokes a violation of the functionality of the heart and blood vessels. A person develops pain in the region of the heart, circulatory disorders, shortness of breath, changes in blood pressure, arrhythmia. All this can lead to acute heart failure and death. Pathologies associated with this organ often develop.
  3. Respiratory system. In alcoholics, lung damage often occurs, since in addition to alcohol, many still abuse nicotine. All toxins enter the respiratory tract through the respiratory tract. There is a cough, shortness of breath, the protective functions of the body are reduced, which leads to the frequent defeat of viral and infectious diseases.
  4. Digestive system. First of all, the mucous epithelium of the stomach suffers. The severity and depth of the lesion depends on the period of alcohol abuse. In chronic alcoholism, pathologies of all digestive organs develop. In the best case, there is diarrhea or constipation, vomiting, in the worst case, a stomach ulcer.
  5. Liver. Many people know about the dangers of alcoholism. All liver functions are disturbed, fatty degeneration of the organ develops, which does not pose a serious danger, or protein degeneration, which provokes cell death. Often develops hepatitis, cirrhosis, which can lead to death.
  6. Kidneys. Often there is the development of acute nephropathy, kidney failure, glomerulonephritis.


With timely access to a doctor and undergoing therapy in a hospital, a person has a chance for a full recovery.

Alcohol and teenagers

The harm of alcohol on the body of a teenager is enormous, since at this age the body is still fragile, it is most vulnerable. In adolescence, the liver is characterized by high throughput, fragile structure. Therefore, pathologies of this organ can develop even with the use of a small amount of alcoholic beverages.

Ethanol has a detrimental effect on the entire body of the child. In adolescents, addiction develops faster, which is difficult to cure.

Alcohol and the female body

What is harmful alcohol is already known. But how does it affect women? Ethyl alcohol has an even more terrible effect on the female body. Women become addicted to alcohol faster. In addition, it increases the risk of infertility or the birth of children with serious defects that lead to disability.

When it enters the female body, ethanol is distributed to all organs and tissues. It has a detrimental effect on the hormonal system, it contributes to the death of most of the eggs, the other part can be seriously affected, which often leads to mutations.

As a result, the risk of having a sick child increases. Every woman who wants to become a mother in the future should know about the dangers of alcohol.

According to the results of many studies, it has been established that the use of ethanol during pregnancy leads to underdevelopment of the fetus or its organs, which leads to deformity in the future. In some cases, the fetus may die in the womb.

Ethanol, which enters the body of a child with breast milk, provokes a disorder of the nervous system, mental disorders, pathologies of the digestive tract and of cardio-vascular system.

According to the results of a study by the French doctor Demme, it was found that 50% of the children of alcoholics died in early childhood, 10% had epilepsy and dropsy of the head, 12% suffered from idiocy, the rest were healthy.

The harm of alcoholism on human health. Seven reasons why you should stop drinking

Alcohol is injurious to health. Doctors identify seven main reasons why it is necessary to refuse it:

  1. Pathology of the heart. Often, under the influence of ethanol, the heart begins to increase in size, especially when drinking beer. Scars form on its tissue, which provoke the development of a heart attack, often leading to death.
  2. Mental disorder. Ethanol causes euphoria for half an hour or one hour. Then comes depression, which may be accompanied by aggression or panic attacks. Thinking is disturbed, the person loses orientation.
  3. Death of neurons. Alcohol, even in small quantities, contributes to the death of millions of nerve cells. This process is irreversible. Also, erythrocytes stick together, which clog the capillaries, provoking the development of a stroke.
  4. The development of chronic pathologies. Alcohol is a slow poison. Gradually, a person begins to feel weakness, malaise, physical and mental activity decreases, apathy develops. Over time, they form chronic pathologies internal organs, for example, pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer.
  5. Poor heredity as a result of DNA mutation. In 90% of cases, children with mental retardation or cerebral palsy are born to alcoholics.
  6. Indecent behavior due to the effect of ethanol on the centers in the brain that are responsible for morality. A person's behavior becomes unpredictable, he can be aggressive, nervous, angry.
  7. Deteriorating financial condition. Drinking alcohol is expensive.

How to prevent the negative effects of alcohol?

Many are wondering how to reduce or even eliminate the harm from alcohol. The answer is tritely simple - you do not need to drink. But some people can't do it, some people can't imagine themselves, for example, without a bottle of beer on a day off. In fact, there are millions of people around the world who lead a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, they live long and quite happily.

For a deep understanding of the problem of alcoholism, doctors suggest that you familiarize yourself with the numbers:

  • Thirty milligrams of ethanol a day, which is equivalent to two shots of vodka or a bottle of beer, increases the risk of developing liver cirrhosis many times over. At the same time, for women, one third of this figure will be sufficient for the appearance of pathology;
  • The risk of damage to cerebral vessels increases by 48%;
  • The probability of death from myocardial infarction increases by 37%;
  • 50% increased risk of suicidal behavior;
  • The average life expectancy is reduced by 10-15%;
  • 30% of women have an inability to breastfeed;
  • By the age of thirty, a woman looks much older, by the age of forty she turns into an old woman when she abuses alcohol.

The harm of alcoholism is undeniable. At the same time, beer alcoholism is also dangerous.

This drink contains hops, which contain the female hormone estrogen. This threatens men with the fact that they gradually lose willpower, their stomach grows, potency develops, libido decreases.

Frequent complications

The most common complications of alcoholism include:

  • Alcoholic delirium or, as it is popularly called, delirium tremens. This is an acute psychosis, manifested in hallucinations, sleep disturbance, tremor of the limbs. At night, a person develops a panic fear, as he experiences hallucinations of a threatening nature, he begins to fear for his life. In some cases, suicidal attempts are possible.
  • Epilepsy. Such a pathology can be provoked by alcohol and is characterized by the occurrence of convulsive seizures. At this time, the skin of a person turns pale, he loses consciousness, falls and convulses. In this case, the danger is the possible receipt of serious injuries, sometimes incompatible with life.

Alcoholism is one of the most complex problems of modern society. Alcohol and its effect on the body is the subject of discussion by scientists of various specialties who are trying to establish the causes of the rapid increase in the incidence, ways to get people out of this condition, as well as risk factors for the development of a tendency to regularly drink alcohol. The harmful effect of alcohol on the body begins to manifest itself after the first few days of the systematic intake of a toxic substance.

At first, alcohol-induced changes in the internal organs are not characterized by a sharp violation of their functionality. But over time, the effect of alcohol on a person increases, leading to acute disorders in the activity of the vital systems of the body and breaking the chain of complex mechanisms of its neurohumoral regulation.

Features of the mechanism of action

How does alcohol affect the body? Once in the human stomach, alcohol is almost instantly absorbed into the bloodstream. Few people know, but alcoholic beverages begin to decompose even in oral cavity, so the blood is saturated with alcohol from the first minute of its contact with the body. From this moment begins the harmful effects of alcohol on human organs. About 20% of alcohol is neutralized by the liver enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, which deactivates substances containing alcohol toxins.

The bulk of alcohol continues to act in the small intestine. It is from here that alcohol penetrates into all water areas of the body, in order to be partially excreted with sweat, urine, saliva and the like, and partially oxidized and accumulate in most organs for several days. During this period, alcohol works like a poison, slowly poisoning all the cells of the body, affecting the development of a person, the state of his psyche and the functionality of internal structures.

The effect of alcohol on the central nervous system

The human brain is one of the most important organs of the body, which is constantly exposed to destructive external factors especially alcohol. When drinking alcoholic beverages, few people think about the serious damage it causes to the nervous system. Each glass of alcohol is a kind of blow to the head, which leads to mental disorders, partial memory loss, far-fetched anxiety, hallucinations and much more.

Alcoholic encephalopathy is one of the most severe brain diseases caused by the effects of alcohol on the body. This pathological condition is the most complex psychosis of a complex nature, which is expressed in numerous mental disorders, accompanied by neurological and somatic symptoms classic for alcoholism. Alcoholic encephalopathy is manifested by the following set of symptoms:

  • the patient develops the so-called short-term alcoholic paralysis, during which all the muscles of the body are in great tension;
  • the disease is characterized by motor excitation, which manifests itself in the form of rhythmic and monotonous actions;
  • patients are tormented by hallucinations, anxiety, depressive moods, mania;
  • incoherent speech and memory impairment are often diagnosed;
  • It is impossible to have a constructive dialogue with such people.

In addition, alcoholic encephalopathy, which progresses rapidly against the background of regular abuse of strong alcoholic beverages, sooner or later ends in a deep cerebral coma. It is extremely difficult to get a sick person out of this state, so most often he dies. In surviving patients after such a pathological condition, persistent mental, motor function and sensitivity disorders remain, which do not allow them to return to a full life.

It is important to understand that damage to the tissues of the central nervous system by an active toxin begins already from the first glass, regardless of what kind of drinks a person consumes: strong or low alcohol. According to studies, severe forms of encephalopathy develop within 3-5 years of systematic use of alcoholic beverages. The influence of alcohol on the body is often the cause of the development of life-threatening conditions, including special attention deserve a stroke.

Harm of alcohol for the liver

Alcoholism is the first doctor of the liver. A glandular organ that performs an antitoxic function in the human body, under harmful influence alcohol begins to be reborn, while changing its structure. Depending on the duration of alcohol consumption and the severity of liver disorders, doctors distinguish three main stages of alcoholic degeneration of the gland:

  1. alcoholic fatty degeneration of the organ, which in clinical practice is manifested by attacks of heaviness in the projection of the liver, pain in the right hypochondrium, general weakness and poor health;
  2. toxic alcoholic hepatitis, which is characterized by signs of hepatomegaly, soreness in the right side, yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes, as well as changes in appetite and digestion;
  3. alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver, as a rule, occurs in the later stages of the disease, provoked by the harmful effects of alcohol on human organs, and is manifested by the classic symptoms of portal hypertension, increasing ascites, excessive thinness of the patient, frequent nausea and vomiting, a sharp increase in the liver in size, a gross violation of the digestive function , apathy and general malaise.

Reversible changes are typical only for the first stage of alcoholic liver damage, while hepatitis and cirrhosis have an irreversible detrimental effect on the gland, resistant to all types of modern therapeutic methods. And if patients with hepatitis have a chance for a partial recovery with a long-term remission, then people with cirrhosis are simply doomed, since they have already experienced liver degeneration with a violation of the organ's architectonics. Cirrhosis is characterized by a high mortality rate already in the first three years after the diagnosis.

The impact of alcohol on other systems and organs

The harmful effects of alcohol on the human body is expressed not only in violation of the function of the brain and liver. Alcoholism has a negative impact on all organs and systems of the human body. In short, the regular use of alcoholic beverages completely destroys the model normal functioning the patient's body, have a detrimental effect on his full-fledged life and are one of the main causes of mortality among people of working age.

The detrimental effect of alcohol on the human body is largely related to its effect on the cardiovascular sphere. In systemic alcoholics, the risk of developing deadly forms of acute myocardial ischemia, strokes, and also a hypertensive crisis increases significantly. Doctors have proven that even small concentrations of alcohol provoke the appearance of arrhythmic activity of the heart, an increase in blood pressure and a strong expansion of blood vessels, followed by their reflex spasm. Similar Effects over time, they can negatively affect the myocardium, as they are able to develop myocardial dystrophy and hypertrophy of the heart chambers.

Answering the question of how alcohol affects the human body, one cannot ignore the problem of respiratory disorders. Alcoholics are more likely than other people to be diagnosed with tuberculosis, bronchial obstruction, inflammation of the lung tissue and emphysema. From the negative effects of alcohol suffers and gastrointestinal tract. In particular, the gastric mucosa is exposed to the aggressive action of toxins that provoke the development of gastritis, enteritis, peptic ulcer, and the like. The pancreas and kidneys are very sensitive to alcoholic poisons. Under their influence, these organs become inflamed and cease to function normally.

Alcohol affects the function of the immune system and contributes to the development of allergic reactions. In patients who drink alcohol, a number of disorders of the endocrine glands, a deterioration in the condition of the skin, and weakening of the muscles are determined. Patients suffering from alcoholism, from time to time complain of sexual disorders, note sexual impotence, decreased libido, and infertility.

Influence on the psyche

Probably, each of us knows how alcohol affects the human psyche. Heavy drinkers may experience hallucinations, overwhelming feelings of anxiety, apathy, and prolonged depression. Alcoholics completely lose their own "I". These people become asocial, pay little attention to their appearance, they are no longer worried about everyday human chores, family care, and the like.

It is important to note that the harmful effects of alcohol are expressed in its systemic effects on the human body and triggering the mechanisms of its premature aging. The life expectancy of individuals who consume alcoholic beverages is reduced by about 15 years compared to the average. All this means that if it is possible to drink a glass of alcohol, a person should think about his health and replace alcohol. useful juice or a glass of milk.

Content

For many people, alcoholic beverages are essential attribute any holiday or party. Often, drinking another glass of wine or a glass of strong liquor, a person does not think that in addition to pleasant sensations, the heady liquid is harmful. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to irreversible consequences: at certain stages alcohol addiction severe pathologies of the nervous and other systems of the body are detected.

What is alcohol

From a scientific point of view, alcohol is directly ethyl alcohol. Ethanol is a colorless liquid with a specific taste and smell. This type of alcohol is obtained by fermentation or artificially. The substance is used as a disinfectant, fuel, solvent. In everyday life, alcohol is called drinks, which include ethanol in different concentrations.

What harms alcohol

Once in the human body, alcohol acts as a solvent, destroying the fatty membrane of red blood cells. As a result, the blood cells stick together. Such formations can block blood flow in small capillaries. The process leads to the fact that the brain receives insufficient oxygen and nutrients its cells are dying. Malfunctions of the central nervous system contribute to the disruption of the functioning of other organs. A large number of alcohol causes chronic, irreversible pathologies.

What happens if you drink

The consequences of drinking alcohol are associated with the toxic effects of ethyl alcohol on the body of men and women. The severity of the side effects of drinks is related to their strength, quantity and frequency of drinking. Drinking small amounts of alcohol at important events may not be harmful. Excessive consumption threatens the development of alcoholic encephalopathy, the formation of dependence, disruption of the internal organs, social degradation and other negative consequences.

moderate use

According to some experts, moderate drinking in quantities permitted by the WHO does not cause much harm to the body, does not form dependence, and does not lead to a state of intoxication. Alcohol in small doses can be useful for disease prevention, as it makes the defense systems work. It should be remembered that this method of preventing ailments is very dangerous, especially for people who have a genetic predisposition to alcoholism.

Daily use

Representatives of the World Health Organization warn that the use of ethanol on a daily basis is strictly prohibited. Drinking every day, a person runs the risk of gradually becoming addictive. There is a risk of loss of control, the desire to systematically increase the dose - this is a direct path to alcoholism, the acquisition of mental and physical health disorders. It is recommended to take breaks of several days so that toxins are eliminated from the body.

Abuse

The body perceives increased doses of strong alcohol as poison, so you harm yourself, even if you get drunk very rarely. A large amount of alcohol negatively affects the brain, liver, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract. Constant abuse of alcohol can cause persistent dependence, which leads to irreversible consequences.

alcohol addiction

Once inside the body, elevated concentrations of alcohol can cause persistent dependence. This is explained by the toxic properties of ethanol. Alcoholism is a disease that is characterized by constant, uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, a pathological attraction to the state of intoxication, a change in tolerance to alcohol. Experts distinguish the following signs of the disease:

  • The presence of alcohol withdrawal syndrome - when you refuse to drink alcohol, the patient experiences negative physical and psychological changes.
  • The desire to drink appears in any situation that has emotional significance.
  • Changes in behavior are detected: memory lapses, aggressiveness, lack of desire to communicate with loved ones, etc.
  • Lack of a system, alcohol consumption can last more than a day (binge binges).
  • Increased tolerance to ethyl alcohol, increased alcohol rejection threshold.
  • Constant hangover, desire to drink to remove its symptoms.
  • The presence of certain external manifestations (bruising, thickening of the veins, rapid aging of the skin).

When is a person considered an alcoholic?

Experts recommend to distinguish between domestic drunkenness and alcoholism. In the first case, a person can afford to drink systematically, however, stopping the use of alcohol-containing drinks does not bring serious consequences, aggression, occurs at will. This condition is not classified as a disease. An alcoholic is a person who suffers from alcoholism. He is not able to control his desire to drink, the amount of alcohol consumed, he is prone to binges.

Causes

Every person can get addicted to alcohol if they stop controlling themselves, since some cultural characteristics provoke people to use intoxicating drinks during hours of joy, sadness, and on holidays. There are 2 groups of citizens who are especially prone to addiction to ethanol. Experts identify the following causes of alcoholism:

  • hereditary predisposition. People with alcoholic ancestors may receive genetic material that is responsible for a high risk of addiction to alcohol.
  • Psychological factors. Emotional experiences (loss of work, unhappy love, death of loved ones) can cause addiction to alcohol. A person tries to drink alcohol to relax, to avoid moral trauma. As a result, he acquires a constant craving for ethanol.

How alcoholism develops

A dangerous factor in the development of alcoholism is that persistent addiction can occur unnoticed by the patient. A person begins to drink alcohol in companies on holidays or periodically drink to calm his nerves. At this stage, ethanol may not cause adverse reactions. The feeling of relaxation and fun leads to the fact that drinking becomes more frequent. As a result, a person becomes addicted, he begins to show symptoms of alcoholism. Gradually, there is a decomposition of the personality, there comes a physical craving for alcohol.

Stages of alcoholism

Experts distinguish 3 degrees of alcoholism. Each stage is characterized by the following factors:

  • First degree - at this stage of the development of the disease, the patient often has a desire to drink alcohol. If it is not satisfied, it disappears after a while. When the patient drinks, there is a sharp loss of control over the amount of alcohol consumed. The person becomes aggressive, irritable, there are episodes of memory loss. Every drunkenness has some reason or other that the patient thinks up to justify it. An alcoholic ceases to evaluate it as a negative phenomenon.
  • The second stage is characterized by an increase in tolerance to alcoholic beverages. At this stage, physical dependence is formed: withdrawal syndrome, headache, thirst, irritability, hand and body tremor, sleep disturbances. With a sharp interruption of binge, complications may occur.
  • The third stage is the craving for alcohol. There are mental disorders leading to amnesia. There is a rapid growth of physical, social and personal degradation. Binge provokes severe depletion of the body, if its interruption occurs without medical intervention, the occurrence of metal-alcohol psychosis is possible.

Life expectancy of an alcoholic

The question of how long alcoholics live cannot be given an unequivocal answer, since the body of each person individually reacts to ethyl alcohol. An important factor is the quality of drinks and the quantity of their use. Drinking a good glass of wine with dinner can help you live a long life. happy life. According to many scientists, some people may even benefit from it.

The use of cheap drinks, a surrogate, can cause not only damage to internal organs, but also acute intoxication. According to statistics, the average life expectancy of an alcoholic is 48-55 years. However, the period may be shorter for women, heavy drinkers and people who started drinking alcoholic beverages as teenagers. Patients in the 3rd stage of addiction have the highest risk of mortality. They die from severe organ pathologies, living 6-7 years after such a diagnosis.

Consequences of drinking alcohol

Excessive alcohol consumption at any age causes an increased risk of diseases of the body systems, disrupts the activity of the human brain. The consequences of such processes are irreversible changes in the psyche, a decrease in social activity, and physical harm to the patient. With regular use, a person experiences constant poisoning, which causes deposits of harmful substances inside the body.

Social Consequences

Alcohol addiction directly affects not only the patient himself, but also his family, circle of friends, and career. The patient faces economic difficulties, since a lot of money is spent on the purchase of alcohol. In addition, addiction can cause problems at work, because the alcoholic is unable to perform their functions properly, misses working days because of a hangover.

Constant drunkenness also has a devastating effect on the patient's family. This happens because conflicts become more frequent, the patient becomes aggressive. The life of the alcoholic and those around him is threatened by drunk driving. When driving after drinking alcohol, the likelihood of an accident increases significantly. People who are under the influence of alcohol are more at risk of committing a crime.

Health implications

Alcohol dependence has a significant impact on the patient's physical and mental health. Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can cause the following effects of alcoholism:

  • The toxic effect of ethanol on neurons (nerve cells) and brain structures begins even when small doses of the substance enter the body. Experts note a violation of the activity of control centers, failures in the regulatory mechanisms of the cortex. Such processes contribute to a rapid change in mood, partial loss of control over actions, irritability, aggressiveness, and the emergence of mental disorders.
  • Pathological processes in neurons adversely affect the functioning of the sense organs, the intellectual abilities of the patient, his memory. With the systematic consumption of alcohol, chronic encephalopathy is observed, a cerebral infarction is possible. Prolonged exposure to alcohol provokes Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's.
  • Cerebral vessels become brittle, aneurysms can form with subsequent ruptures. The risk of blood clots, circulatory disorders, atrophic phenomena of the auditory and optic nerves, ischemic strokes of the spinal cord and brain increases. Gradually, chronic alcoholism leads to irreversible mental illness, complete degradation of the personality.
  • The consequences of drinking alcohol on the part of the cardiovascular system are: cardiomyopathy with the development of heart failure, hypertension with a tendency to rupture of arteries, veins, aneurysms, ischemia, myocardial infarction, blockade and arrhythmias.
  • Negative impact frequent alcohol consumption on the human reproductive system is a violation of the viability and maturation of germ cells, the formation of infertility, a high risk of congenital fetal pathologies. For men, the danger is a decrease in erection, leading to the gradual development of impotence. Also, with prolonged use, persistent hormonal disorders occur.
  • Frequent consequences of alcoholism are ulcerative-necrotic and inflammatory processes of the stomach (gastritis, peptic ulcer), lesions of the pancreas, accompanied by chronic pancreatitis and diabetes. Gradually, doctors note the exhaustion of the whole organism, associated with metabolic disorders and a decrease in appetite. Perhaps the appearance of oncological diseases of the stomach and intestines.
  • Liver diseases are considered by experts as the most dangerous consequences of systematic drunkenness. Organ cells cannot cope with chronic intoxication, so alcoholics often suffer from fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatitis.

Alcoholism is rightfully considered one of the most serious problems of modern society, as the rate of spread of this disease is increasing every year. The constant advertising of alcoholic beverages and the availability of alcohol play a negative role, because it contributes to the spread of alcohol addiction among the population. “Advertising” has a particularly negative effect on teenagers, since everything that is forbidden always attracts. Youth alcoholism is a common phenomenon. In order to get rid of an irresistible desire to take alcohol, a person needs to make a huge effort.

Alcoholism - what is it?

It is generally accepted that alcoholism is a disease caused by frequent use alcoholic beverages and characterized by the appearance of a strong addiction to alcohol. It is classified as one of the types of drug addiction due to the fact that alcohol acts like a drug on the central nervous system. Due to prolonged and intense alcohol abuse, characteristic changes in internal organs Therefore, this fact is also attributed to the symptoms of alcoholism.

Any disease should be treated by a specialist. In this case, you should contact a psychiatrist-narcologist, since alcoholism is a serious problem that causes psychiatric and physical changes in the body. Most often, it is impossible to cope with this disease on your own, especially when it comes to the second and third stages of alcoholism. As a result, a timely visit to a doctor will help restore health and eliminate addiction.

Causes of alcoholism

AT recent times All causes of alcohol addiction are divided into three large groups:

  1. Physiological factors.
  2. Psychological factors.
  3. social factors.

One of the most important points is the presence of a genetic predisposition to alcoholism, which occurs due to the occurrence of a mutation in the genes. As a result, a person with such changes in chromosomes becomes an alcoholic much faster than others. Since over the past decades, a huge number of people have begun to suffer from alcoholism, the likelihood of having children with an existing predisposition is very high. But the presence of such a cause of alcoholism is not necessary for its occurrence, since great importance provide education and social status.

In addition to genetic predisposition, physiological factors include the state of human health. In some diseases related to the nervous system, metabolism or liver problems, alcoholism occurs more quickly. Psychological changes in an alcoholic are most often present from the onset of the disease. A person who abuses alcohol often experiences depression and anxiety, has manic personality changes. Alcoholism and its consequences are psychologically terrible, as a person's personality is greatly degraded. Many people begin to "take a drink" from hopelessness, others believe that alcohol gives them the opportunity to relax after a day's work. Together, this causes regular alcohol consumption, which in the future will lead to addiction.

The socio-economic factor is the conditions in which a person exists. Depending on the environment, a person is either inclined to drink alcohol or not. Upbringing, traditions and family values ​​affect how a person relaxes and solves problems. If there was a negative example before his eyes, that is alcoholism in the family, the likelihood of dependence is significantly increased. This is due to the fact that the fear of drinking alcohol disappears. If it was possible for parents, then it is possible for me too - this is what most of the youth think when it comes to alcohol and cigarettes.

Stages of alcoholism

There are two forms of addiction - psychological and physical. The first arises due to the influence of alcohol on the central nervous system, the second - due to the inclusion of ethanol in the metabolism. Alcoholism develops gradually, depending on the frequency of drinking and the amount of alcohol consumed. In order to diagnose a pathological addiction to alcohol, the doctor evaluates four signs:

  1. The degree of attraction to alcohol.
  2. Change in alcohol tolerance.
  3. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (appearance of psycho-neurological and somato-vegetative symptoms that occur after the cessation of alcohol intake). Symptoms of alcoholism always include withdrawal symptoms, which are characteristic of all drug addicts.

In order to understand the severity of the condition, the addiction psychiatrist always evaluates the signs of alcoholism. The most important thing remains addiction to alcohol, that is, an irresistible desire to use it regardless of the situation. Doctors also distinguish three stages of alcoholism:

  1. The first stage is characterized by the emergence of dependence. The person has a strong desire to take alcohol. Even if the desire is aggravated once a week, it is still a formidable symptom. The alcoholic does not realize the danger of what is happening and prefers to satisfy the need, rather than fight it. Control is lost in relation to the amount of alcohol, that is, he drinks until the moment when intoxication sets in. A person is often aggressive and irritable, which is very striking. The next day there is a hangover, but there is no need to get drunk yet. There is no vomiting. Alcoholism and its stages proceed in different ways.. The first stage necessarily passes into the second, but always for different periods of time.
  2. The second stage is characterized by the fact that alcohol tolerance increases, that is, more alcohol is needed in order for a state of intoxication to appear. The addiction becomes very strong. Control is lost while drinking alcohol, and its amount is constantly growing. Alcoholism and its causes lead to retrograde amnesia. The main difference between the first stage and the second is the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms. If you do not satisfy the desire to drink alcohol, then a number of mechanisms are launched that worsen the physical and mental condition person. Thus, the body requires the next serving of alcohol.
    There is irritability, increased blood pressure, trembling of the hands, eyelids, increased heart rate, insomnia, vomiting after eating or drinking, and not after alcohol. In addition to physical signs, psychosis with hallucinations may begin. The condition is extremely dangerous both for the alcoholic and for those around him. In order to prevent such severe symptoms, the alcoholic continues to take alcohol, which leads to binge drinking. The consequences of alcoholism are still reversible, but only if all conditions of treatment are met. Alcoholics can stay at this stage for a very long time, sometimes for the rest of their lives.
  3. The third stage is the final one. It is characterized by the fact that stamina to alcohol falls sharply, that is, a small amount of alcohol is required in order to get drunk. Withdrawal syndrome is very bright, leads to the daily use of alcohol. The personality of a person changes for the worse, as the intellect and the ability to think completely disappear. Chronic alcoholism leads to irreversible changes in the internal organs.

Treatment and consequences of alcoholism

The main point in the treatment of alcoholism is the complete rejection of alcohol for life, since even a single use of alcohol returns the alcoholic to the same path. At the beginning of treatment, a special role is given to the elimination of the withdrawal syndrome and the mitigation of alcohol dependence. To stop alcohol intoxication, drugs are used that increase metabolism and remove ethanol from the body. Alcoholism and its consequences lead to the fact that only drug treatment extremely difficult to limit. Alcoholics need intensive psychotherapy, since a stable remission is possible only with a full treatment.

In order to appreciate the seriousness of such a problem as chronic alcoholism, it is necessary to realize the social damage. Because of the addiction to alcohol, families break up, sick children are born, who in the future can also become alcoholics. The number of crimes committed due to intoxication or in order to obtain alcohol is steadily increasing. Due to the prevalence of alcoholism, there is a decrease in the general intellectual level of society, which leads to the degradation and disappearance of cultural values. Due to health problems, the number of able-bodied population is decreasing. The consequences of alcoholism are terrible not only for the person himself. They affect society and degrade the genotype of the entire nation. Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the prevention of this terrible disease, and not on its treatment.

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