Alcoholism is a disease that causes somatic complications and mental disorders. A person addicted to alcoholic beverages acquires specific habits and character traits, which make it easy to guess that he is a binge alcoholic. It is useful to know about the consequences of alcoholism and how quickly it develops and progresses before picking up the first glass of alcohol.
Who is at risk?
Myths about the safety of alcohol are often associated with the widespread belief that not everyone can become alcoholics, no matter how much alcohol they consume. But alcoholism is an irreversible outcome of uncontrolled alcohol consumption. But how quickly addiction will develop depends on individual health characteristics.
Ethanol entering the digestive tract goes through transformations that convert it into a toxin, and then into safe compounds that can be excreted through the kidneys, intestines and skin.
Enzymes are involved in this process:
- alcohol dehydrogenase;
- acetaldigidderogenesis.
The number of enzymes produced by the body is individual. If the first enzyme is produced in a normal amount, and the second is not enough, even a small dose of ethanol leads to poisoning. Statistically, such people are less likely to encounter alcoholism than others, since they usually avoid alcohol.
In another case, when, against the background of a deficiency of the first enzyme, the second is present in large quantities, taking alcohol leads to pleasant sensations. It seems to a person that alcohol does not cause him any harm, because after consuming any dose, he does not encounter manifestations of intoxication. If he drinks a lot, his liver is damaged, and the number of enzymes decreases. Therefore, gradually such people begin to tolerate alcohol worse, but if they form the habit of drinking regularly, it will be more difficult to give up alcohol.
In most, both enzymes are produced in an average amount, so they experience unpleasant symptoms when drinking alcohol in large quantities, and relatively easily tolerate minor intoxication. In most cases, they are prone to alcoholism if they start taking alcohol regularly, achieving an increase in alcohol resistance.
It will be easier to give up alcohol if you know what consequences it causes for men and women.
Somatic complications: health problems
Alcohol is a toxin that causes intoxication. Acetaldehyde, formed during the decomposition of ethanol, is a poison, and many doctors call ethyl alcohol a legalized drug.
Every person who drinks alcohol faces an increased risk of developing diseases, while every 20th dying person in the world dies from alcohol-related diseases.
- Cardiovascular catastrophes are the main risk factor. Under the influence of ethanol, there is a sharp expansion and then narrowing of blood vessels, as well as an increase in cholesterol levels. Addicts often face the "bull heart" syndrome - cardiomyopathy, in which the size of the heart muscle increases, but the organ cannot perform the functional load in full. With acute intoxication, alcoholics face arrhythmia, angina pectoris, heart attack.
- The liver is an organ that bears a heavy load when drinking alcohol, since it is this organ that neutralizes poisons, and also produces enzymes for the breakdown of ethanol. Therefore, the liver of alcoholics becomes inflamed, increases due to fatty hepatosis or decreases due to fibrosis. The functionality of the organ decreases, and the person needs an organ transplant. Liver cancer can also develop – a deadly disease with an unsatisfactory prognosis.
- The kidneys are a paired organ through which most toxins are excreted from the body. The increased load causes inflammation, which can lead to scarring of organ tissues, in which a person needs a transplant or lifelong hemodialysis procedures. The risk of developing diseases against which kidney damage occurs (glomerulonephritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis) increases due to disorders in the immune system.
There is no organ that does not suffer as a result of intoxication caused by regular alcohol consumption. Bad habits shorten life expectancy, lead to disability of a person.
Specific diseases that occur in men or women include pathologies related to the work of the reproductive system.
Male alcoholics usually experience infertility associated with disorders in the hormonal system and changes in the composition of seminal fluid, as well as sexual dysfunction, leading to severe emotional discomfort and an additional reason to drink. The risk of developing prostate inflammation also increases, including in young addicts.
Alcoholism causes the feminization of men: a syndrome in which the concentration of female hormones in the blood increases, which leads to a change in appearance. Hair loss, breast enlargement, fat accumulation in the hip area are the hallmarks of an alcoholic.
In women, the list of serious complications includes breast cancer, infertility and the risk of having a child with severe defects. Due to hormonal changes, the appearance of women changes: male features appear in it.
Specific somatic complications depend on a person's medical history, his chronic diseases and heredity. There are no cases when regular ethyl intoxication does not lead to any consequences, although this myth is diligently supported by alcoholic beverage manufacturers and marketers.
Mental consequences of alcoholism
The personality of a person who drinks alcohol is changing. This is due to the toxic effect of ethanol on the brain and neurotransmitters that control human behavior and emotions.
First of all, dopamine, the hormone of joy and motivation, reacts to intoxication. It is thanks to him that, against the background of intoxication, a person feels euphoria, which helps him to distract himself from sad thoughts. With frequent use of alcohol, it is no longer possible to achieve such an effect from intoxication, but in a sober state a person suffers from a reduced mood, apathy, depression.
When taking alcohol for a long time or taking a large amount of it, there is an effect on GABA – gamma-aminobutyric acid. It has a sedative, calming effect, so alcoholics with GABA-type addiction fall asleep quickly when intoxicated. When sober, it is already more difficult for them to relax, so they are forced to drink constantly to stop anxiety and other unpleasant emotions. And most importantly, to restore well-being with excessive sedation, the brain begins to produce neurotransmitters that can neutralize GABA and cause a person to be cheerful. That is, at a certain point, an alcoholic is constantly faced with increased excitability, nervousness, as well as aggression.
Violation of cognitive functions of the brain in a dependent provokes:
- absent-mindedness, inability to concentrate;
- memory impairment and its lapses after drinking alcohol;
- increased emotional lability.
In addition, the addict suffers from feelings of guilt for his behavior, especially if other people suffer from his bad habits. Because of his addiction, he cannot find another source to restore his emotional state, except alcohol.
How the personality of a person abusing alcohol will change cannot be predicted in advance. Some people change dramatically, from a calm and gentle person turning into a conflicted, rude, aggressive, from cheerful - sad, depressive, melancholic. In other people, existing character traits are aggravated.
It is difficult to identify the features of changing the behavior of women and men. Many women suffering from ethyl addiction become masculine, rude. Disorders of neurotransmitters lead to sexual promiscuity, leading to promiscuous sexual relations and sexually transmitted diseases. Sometimes they become tearful, emotional, overreacting to any external stimuli. Men can become aggressive, and they are also more likely to have suicidal attempts.
Social consequences of chronic alcoholism
Ethyl addiction is a socially reprehensible disease. A regular drinker suffers from the condemnation of others, which affects the quality of his life.
- Addicts often lose their jobs, as employers and colleagues cannot have confidence in a person who is in the grip of alcohol addiction. This leads to financial problems and debts.
- The alcoholic's inner circle gradually turns away from the patient. Firstly, he ceases to be interested in activities that are not related to alcohol, so the idea of going for a walk or shopping does not cause him enthusiasm. Secondly, psychological changes become the basis for conflicts. And finally, people with alcoholism unconsciously or consciously change their environment, communicating only with those who share his lifestyle.
- The fact of contacting a narcologist becomes a cause of problems even after giving up a bad habit. The reputation of a former addict and the inability to get a certificate from a narcologist do not allow you to get a driver's license, get a prestigious position, become a political or public figure. For this reason, many people who need medical care refuse it, thereby aggravating their condition.
In the West, the attitude towards former alcoholics is more loyal. The fact of overcoming addiction can be a reason for pride. But alcoholics who have not been able to overcome addiction, and continue to drink alcohol in large quantities, are condemned in any society.
Professional help
If a person cannot give up alcohol, he is addicted. His condition will constantly deteriorate, and the time interval from the first glass to the degradation of the personality may be small. Alcoholism develops especially quickly in women, due to the peculiarities of the psyche and the reduced production of enzymes for the breakdown of ethanol.
It is possible to restore health only with the help of narcological treatment of alcoholism, which not only frees from pathological dependence, but also helps to eliminate complications.
The correct treatment program provides:
- detoxification to remove substances from the blood that poison the body and lead to health problems;
- diagnostics that helps identify risk factors;
- correction of psychoemotional states;
- treatment of somatic complications;
- socialization of the patient.
You can consult a doctor at any stage of the disease and in any physical condition of the patient, including during a binge.
It is impossible to perform treatment without the help of a doctor. You can find out about the therapy that will restore well-being, stop the diseases that have developed against the background of addiction, and ensure lifelong remission at the Premium Clinic rehabilitation center at 8 800 555-14-67.
