Signs of alcoholism

The signs of alcoholism are well researched and are no secret.

We tried to briefly describe all the signs of alcoholism and answer basic questions.

How can you tell if a person just likes to drink or if he shows signs of alcoholism?Is there a line between “recreational” drinking and alcoholism?

What are the signs of alcoholism?

1. Craving alcohol.This can be manifested by the emergence of reasons to drink that were not present before.Waiting for a glass of drink, the mood improves, people are excited and full of enthusiasm.Stock up on beer, wine and vodka that may appear at home.
2. Everything related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages is guarded and jealously guarded.Alcoholic friends gain authority and respect.A list of excuses for your hangover appears.Life values are changing, moral principles are being restructured.Criticism of one's behavior disappears.
3. Loss of control over alcohol dosage.An alcoholic cannot limit his drinking;he cannot stop at small doses.When he starts drinking, he drinks to the last drop (or until he passes out).
4. Do not vomit when drinking a lot of alcohol.The vomiting reflex is the body's defense response against alcohol poisoning.In drunk people, this reflex disappears.
5. Changes in tolerance (sensitivity) to alcohol.In the initial stages of alcoholism, it develops (the person drinks a lot and does not get drunk), over time it gradually decreases, and the alcoholic becomes drunk after drinking a small amount of strong drink.
6. Drink regularly.It is believed that if a person rarely drinks alcohol, he or she is not an alcoholic.Meanwhile, regularly drinking beer, wine, cognac or vodka, even once a week, is already a cause for concern.If this happens more often, we can talk about alcoholism.

How to recognize signs of alcoholism in yourself?

• Try to answer some questions honestly.
• Have you started drinking more often?Drinking alone?Do you secretly drink with people?
• Are you excited about the upcoming holidays or weekends when you can drink alcohol?
• Does your personality change when you are sober and when you are drunk (you can ask relatives and friends)?
• Do cases of disorientation in time and space occur when drinking alcohol?Do you have memory loss the morning after a party?
• Have you ever had withdrawal symptoms?
• Does the thought of having to quit drinking make you angry?
• Can you reduce the amount you drink?
• Have you ever been drunk?
• Have you ever had problems at home or at work because of drinking?
• Has your appearance changed recently?Do you take care of your clothes, hairstyle, appearance?
• Are you worried about your heart, liver, or stomach?

Positive answers to the above questions are a signal that you need to think seriously about solving the problem of alcoholism.

Reasons for drinking alcohol

Perhaps you have heard the saying many times: "Drink a glass to warm yourself up."In everyday life people believe that alcohol is a good way to warm the body.It is not without reason that alcohol is often called a "strong drink".On the contrary, doctors believe that people with stomach ulcers should absolutely not drink alcohol.What is the truth?After all, small doses of alcohol really stimulate the appetite.Or another popular belief among people: alcohol stimulates, invigorates, improves mood, spirit, makes conversation more exciting and interesting, which is very important for a group of young people.It is not without reason that alcohol is drunk to "fight fatigue", when feeling unwell and at most celebrations.One of the conferences of doctors passed a resolution on the dangers of alcohol: "... there is not a single organ in the human body that is not subject to the destructive effects of alcohol; alcohol has no effects that cannot be achieved by another pharmaceutical drug, its action is more useful, safer and more reliable; there is no condition so painful that alcohol must be prescribed for long periods of time."So talking about the benefits of alcohol is a fairly common misconception.Take, for example, an obvious fact - the stimulation of appetite after a glass of vodka or wine.But this only lasts for a short time, and alcohol causes "ignition".Later, drinking alcohol, including beer, is only harmful to digestion.

Alcohol

Alcohol paralyzes the functioning of important organs such as the liver and pancreas.The need for alcohol is not one of the natural needs in human life, such as the need for oxygen or food, and therefore alcohol itself does not motivate humans.This need, like some other human “needs” (e.g., smoking) arises because society, first, produces this product and, second, “reproduces” the customs, forms, habits and prejudices associated with its consumption.Of course, not everyone has these habits to the same degree.

Effects of alcohol on the human body

Alcohol from the stomach enters the bloodstream two minutes after drinking.Blood carries it to all cells of the body.The cells of the cerebral hemispheres are mainly affected.Human conditioned reflex activity worsens, the formation of complex movements slows down, the ratio of excitation and inhibition processes in the central nervous system changes.Under the influence of alcohol, voluntary movements are impaired and a person loses the ability to control himself.

Effects of alcohol on the nervous system

Signs of alcohol addiction begin to form due to its specific effects on the nervous system.The penetration of alcohol into the cells of the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex releases a person's emotions, causeless joy, stupid laughter and easy judgment appear.After increasing stimulation in the cerebral cortex, the inhibition process will be significantly weakened.The cerebral cortex stops controlling the work of the lower parts of the brain.A person loses restraint, modesty, he says and does things that he would never say or do if sober.Each new portion of alcohol increasingly paralyzes the higher nerve centers, as if connecting them and not allowing them to interfere with the work of the lower parts of the brain: coordination of movements is disrupted, such as eye movements (objects begin to double), and an awkward, staggering gait appears.Disruption of the nervous system and internal organs is observed with the use of any alcohol: one-time, episodic and systematic.

Where does the drunkenness start?

The need for alcohol is not one of the natural needs in human life, such as the need for water or food, and therefore alcohol itself does not motivate people.So what is the reason for drinking alcohol?

Before the age of 11, the first acquaintance with alcohol occurs by accident, or it is given "to satisfy an appetite", "treated" with alcohol, or the child tries alcohol himself out of curiosity (a motive mainly characteristic of boys).At older ages, traditional reasons first become motives for drinking: “holidays,” “family parties,” “guests,” etc.

From 14-15 years old, reasons such as "it's inconvenient to walk behind friends", "friends persuaded", "for companionship", "for courage", etc.Boys are characterized by all of these groups of motives when first introduced to alcohol.For girls, the second group of “traditional” motives is mainly typical.This often happens, so to speak, with an “innocent” drink in honor of a birthday or other celebration.And although this happens with the consent of the parents, in the family it is still very dangerous to introduce children to alcohol.After all, once you touch alcohol, the psychological barrier is erased, and the teenager considers himself the right to drink with friends or even alone, if there is such an opportunity.No wonder people often say: "river begins with a stream, drunkenness begins with a glass of wine".

Wine is a popular topic for those unfamiliar with it.A company has gathered, everyone is somewhat restrained.They drank - you see, they laughed, danced, got to know each other, had fun.Gradually, alcohol became an indispensable attribute in communication.Alcohol quickly and easily creates the illusion of psychological safety and a problem-free life.A person gets used to this illusory way of solving problems and increasingly moves from practical actions to retreat into an alcoholic fog.

Where is the line?

An alcoholic is someone who suffers from alcoholism.Before the disease develops, there is usually a period of more or less prolonged alcohol use.This period in medicine is called the period of alcoholism.The onset of the disease is considered a transition to systematic daily alcohol consumption.The answers to the questions below will help you determine how susceptible you are to alcoholism.Try to answer them honestly.

1. Have I tried repeatedly to limit my alcohol intake?
2. Do I regret drinking?
3. Do I drink alcohol in the morning to ease my hangover?
4. Do I have difficulty enduring criticism from colleagues and loved ones about my drinking?

If you answered yes to at least two questions, you are in danger and should take appropriate action as soon as possible.

Signs that alcoholism is a disease

There is a reasonable question that is easy to ask when looking at an alcoholic from the outside: "If you show signs of alcoholism and have a problem with alcohol, then why don't you stop drinking? Stop - that's it."The first obvious answer: “No will” is incorrect.Not only weak and weak people suffer from alcoholism that cannot be cured, but also people who achieve success, know how to cope with difficulties, know how to win.The problem is not a weak will but a strong enemy.Alcoholism is a serious chronic disease, which in most cases is difficult to cure.It develops on the basis of regular and long-term use of alcohol and is characterized by a special pathological state of the body: uncontrolled craving for alcohol, changes in the level of tolerance and deterioration of personality.Alcoholism develops according to this pattern:

First stage: poisoning leads to memory loss, "eclipse".A person often thinks about alcohol, it seems to him that he has not drunk enough, drinks to save for the future and develops a greed for alcohol.However, he remained conscious of his guilt and avoided talking about his craving for alcohol.

Critical stage: loss of self-control after the first sip of alcohol.The desire to find an excuse to drink, resists all attempts to suppress his desire to drink.A person develops arrogance and aggression.He blames others for his troubles.He started drinking, and random drinking buddies became his friends.He was forced to leave his permanent job and lost interest in everything not related to alcohol.

Chronic phase: daily hangover, personality breakdown, memory loss, confusion in thinking.A person drinks alcohol substitutes, technical liquids and perfumes.He developed unfounded fears, delirium tremens, and other alcohol-induced psychoses.One of the typical complications of binge drinking is delirium.Delirium tremens is the most common alcohol-induced psychosis.It often occurs in a state of hangover, when a drunk person develops unpredictable fears, insomnia, hand tremors, nightmares (chases, attacks, etc.), auditory and visual deceptions in the form of noises, ringing and movements of shadows.Symptoms of delirium are especially pronounced at night.The patient begins to experience vivid experiences of a frightening nature.As for the Drunkard, there seems to be a conspiracy against him.There is no way out of this situation, he can commit suicide.

Wine and people

Signs of alcoholism and the effects of alcohol on a person are immediately noticeable.And if you ask drinkers how often they drink, most will say it's not often.However, even after drinking alcohol once, people still have a restless night and wake up in the morning with a swollen face and a sore head.As a rule, the working day is ruined, and if a person's work is associated with machines, such as machine tools or cars, be aware that on this day he has a sharply increased risk of an accident or even a disaster.As for intellectual workers, after drinking alcohol, their thinking processes are significantly impaired, the speed and accuracy of calculations decrease, and, as they say, their work falls out of reach.So, even after accidental infrequent drinking of alcohol, serious problems occur in the body, indicating severe poisoning.If alcohol use becomes systematic, a person drinks at any time, looking for any reason to get drunk, then this is already called family drunkenness.To a drunkard, the meaning of the festive event does not matter;he doesn't care whether others approve of his behavior or not.At this stage of starting to drink alcohol, the drinker's attitude towards other people, towards accepted and generally accepted norms of behavior changes significantly.Signs of alcoholism are actively forming.For a drunkard, his closest people are his drinking buddies, even if this is the first time they sit at the same table.The time, place and environment in which people drink becomes less important.Thus, the difference between occasional drinking and drunkenness lies not only in the number of times of drunkenness but also in the psychological attitude of the drinker.In the first case, a person celebrates some solemn or important event, and in the second case, he just drinks to get drunk.If you stop a person from drinking alcohol in time, this will prevent him from falling and developing alcoholism.

What does it mean to have a chronic illness?

This means that the signs of alcoholism and the changes in metabolism that systematic alcohol consumption brings to the body are very difficult to reverse.Those things.For the rest of your life, the body remains “ready” to resume the whole picture when it first drank alcohol.Signs of alcoholism quickly return, even if this happens years or even decades after stopping drinking.

Can alcoholism be cured?

Yes and no.No – in the sense that it will never be possible to continue “cultured drinking”.The brain's metabolism is disrupted and normal response to alcohol is never restored.Any consumption of alcohol will inevitably lead to a breakdown, either immediately or some time later.If metabolic disorders occur, consider your tank or tank drunk.Even years of abstinence will not allow you to believe that "the body has been purified" and you will be able to drink alcohol in a cultured way.

Yes - in the sense that even with severe alcoholism, complete and long-term abstinence from alcohol is possible.Humans are more than just a physical body.And his soul includes not only what the disease brings but also untapped resources.Man is characterized by higher moral emotions - love, desire for beauty and harmony.Having done long and difficult work on his own (with help, of course), developing psychologically and spiritually, a person can change his attitude towards alcohol and abandon it forever.But of course, we can only talk about absolute sobriety.To drink or not to drink – alcoholism has no third option.With steadfast determination and medical support, even seriously ill patients can achieve amazing results.

What to do if the patient does not agree to treatment?

If there are signs of alcoholism, it is imperative to make continuous efforts to convince the patient of the need for treatment.It requires the joint efforts of all those who care and are important to the patient (relatives, friends, spouses, employees, teachers, etc.).There is a method specifically developed to encourage alcoholics to seek help, called “intervention”.Each participant in the intervention (parent, spouse, child, boss) tries to help the patient recognize the presence of a problem by reporting changes in him and changes in their life caused by drinking.When the desired result is achieved, they offer a solution - treatment at a specific medical facility, a rehabilitation program.This method often requires the participation of a psychotherapist to coordinate and quantify the actors' efforts.

Is it possible to treat a patient without his consent?

In our country, support for patients with alcoholism is regulated by the Law of our country “On psychiatric care for the people and the rights of citizens to provide it”.According to the law, the treatment of patients with drug addiction, substance abuse or alcoholism is carried out on the basis of the person's voluntary consent.Treatment without the patient's consent is carried out only by court order when the citizen is criminally responsible.

As mentioned earlier, alcoholism is a disease and like any disease, it requires thorough and long-term treatment.Calling on dubious "specialists" to treat alcoholism "with photos", "without the patient's knowledge", is firstly a waste of time, secondly, it makes the patient believe in the possibility of curing this disease.

What does helping patients overcome?

Such support includes several stages.First, patients need help during the "abstinence" period.This problem is usually solved by doctors, preferably with medication or psychiatric hospital treatment.After 5-10 days, the so-called post-withdrawal period begins, which lasts up to 1.5 months.There are two approaches to managing patients at this stage.

The first is to continue drug treatment for the patient to stabilize the physical and mental condition: improve mood, restore sleep, reduce the severity of the desire to drink alcohol (called alcohol craving) and correct behavioral disorders.During this time, the patient should be isolated from their usual environment and stay in the hospital.

Another approach to managing patients in the post-detox phase that has a psychotherapeutic and immediate focus involves placing the patient in one or another rehabilitation program with psychotherapeutic management, as well as in a hospital or rehabilitation center setting.

The third stage is rehabilitation.It usually takes place on an outpatient basis.The patient continues to follow the chosen program, participating in psychotherapy or self-help groups.The goal of rehabilitation is to teach alcoholics how to live without alcohol.

Is it possible to stop drinking alcohol at home?

It is best to treat patients in the alcohol withdrawal stage at a medical hospital under 24/7 medical supervision.Home care only worsens the course of the disease.The disease not only becomes more severe but also develops serious accompanying diseases.In addition, it becomes much more difficult to persuade patients to undergo formal therapy.

How can you “encrypt”?

As already noted, the power of alcohol dependence is enormous.The attraction to its use often exceeds even the fear of mortal danger.Coding doesn't help people stay around for a while.It cannot be considered an independent method of treating patients with alcoholism.Rather, it gives some patients the benefit of time as they can begin to work on themselves, develop psychologically and spiritually, and enter one rehabilitation program or another.This method has a very important negative side - it is the replacement of one's own will and responsibility for abstaining from alcohol and behavior in general with an artificially imposed attitude.

What are the results of treating patients with alcoholism?

Worldwide, the effectiveness of helping alcoholics is the same.Help is limited to the first stage (“withdrawal” or “encoding”) with very poor results.But completing a patient's rehabilitation program will increase the effectiveness of care nearly 10 times.

After what time can we talk about the reliability of the results achieved?

Experts who deal with alcoholism agree that the process of psychological and social recovery takes about five years.It is very important that in the future the recovering person constantly develops psychologically and spiritually.

Chemical protection method

"Torpedo".One of the most radical and popular methods of treating alcoholism.A group of drugs is injected into a vein and introduced into the patient's tissues.This method does not have a negative effect on the body, it only reduces the craving for alcohol, but when exposed to alcohol, it forms a powerful toxin (poison) that can cause serious health problems, even death.

“Physical nerve blockade” is a treatment that uses weak electrical pulses to certain parts of the brain.This achieves the effect of normalizing the state of the central nervous system and its regulating effect on other systems of the body.As a result of treatment, cravings for alcohol are suppressed, irritability, anger and aggression decrease.

"Acupuncture" One of the oldest proven treatments for alcohol, drug and nicotine addiction.Select points, method of impact on them (needle, electromagnetic wave, laser).

"Biocoding".The most reliable radical treatment for alcoholism.After intravenous injection of the drug, to check the effectiveness of the drug, a small amount of alcohol should be drunk, that is, incompatibility between alcohol and the drug used has been proven.This method allows you to dispel doubts and give the patient confidence in the effectiveness and high reliability of drugs for alcohol addiction.Coding is performed only in the intensive care unit or intensive care unit;Food and liquids are prohibited 3 hours before the procedure.

Intramuscular injection of a long-acting anti-alcohol medication helps suppress alcohol cravings.In addition, the drug is a highly effective therapeutic agent (increases human immunity, improves liver and brain function).Within 3 days, the medicine will adapt to humans.The drug is then “released” into the bloodstream at a frequency depending on the patient's circadian rhythm, over a period of time determined by the patient.

Drug implants are a reliable and decades-tested method of treating alcoholism.In 1996, production of a drug that reacts more strongly and longer with alcohol was continued in France using new advanced technology.The surgery is performed in a hospital setting using aseptic and antiseptic methods.After anesthesia with Novocaine, the drug is administered through the incision in the skin and the incision is sutured.