Dependence alcoholism stage. Chronic alcohol intoxication. Treatment of alcoholism without the knowledge of the patient

Alcoholism - a disease that occurs with the systematic abuse of alcohol, characterized by mental dependence in intoxication, somatic and neurological disorders, degradation of personality. The disease can also progress with abstinence from alcohol.

In the CIS, 14% of the adult population abuse alcohol and another 80% drink alcohol moderately, which is due to certain drinking traditions that have developed in society.

Such factors as conflicts with relatives, an unsatisfactory standard of living, and the inability to realize oneself in life often lead to abuse. AT young age alcohol is used as a way to feel inner comfort, courage, overcome shyness. In middle age, it is used as a way to relieve fatigue, stress, and get away from social problems.

Constant recourse to this method of relaxation leads to persistent addiction and inability to feel inner comfort without alcohol intoxication. According to the degree of dependence and symptoms, several stages of alcoholism are distinguished.

Stages of alcoholism

The first stage of alcoholism

The first stage of the disease is characterized by an increase in doses and the frequency of alcohol intake. There is a syndrome of altered reactivity, in which alcohol tolerance changes. Disappear defensive reactions body from an overdose, in particular, there is no vomiting when drinking large doses of alcohol. With severe intoxication, there are palimpsests - memory losses. Psychological dependence is manifested by a feeling of dissatisfaction in a sober state, constant thoughts about alcohol, raising the mood before drinking alcohol. The first stage lasts from 1 to 5 years, while the attraction is controllable, since there is no syndrome of physical dependence. A person does not degrade and does not lose the ability to work.

Complications in alcoholism of the first stage are primarily manifested by the liver, there is alcoholic fatty degeneration . Clinically, it almost does not manifest itself, in some cases there may be a feeling of fullness in the stomach,. A complication can be diagnosed by an increase and dense consistency of the liver. At the edge of the liver is rounded, it is somewhat sensitive. With abstinence, these symptoms disappear.

Complications of the pancreas are acute and chronic . At the same time, abdominal pains are noted, which are localized on the left and radiate to the back, as well as a decrease , nausea , flatulence , unstable chair.

Alcohol abuse often leads to alcohol , in which there is also no appetite and nausea occurs, pain in epigastric region.

Second stage

Alcoholism of the second stage has a progression period of 5 to 15 years and is characterized by an increase in the syndrome of altered reactivity. Tolerance to alcohol reaches a maximum, there are so-called pseudobingers , their frequency is not associated with the patient's attempts to get rid of addiction to alcohol, but with external circumstances, for example, lack of money and the inability to get alcohol.

For changing sedative effect alcohol comes activating, memory lapses when consumed a large number alcohol are replaced by the full end of intoxication. At the same time, daily drunkenness is explained by the presence of a syndrome of mental dependence; in a sober state, the patient loses the ability to mental work, and disorganization occurs. mental activity. There is a syndrome of physical alcohol dependence, which suppresses all feelings except for the craving for alcohol, which becomes uncontrollable. The patient is depressed, irritable, incapacitated, after taking alcohol, these functions fall into place, but control over the amount of alcohol is lost, which leads to excessive intoxication.

Treatment of alcoholism in the second stage should be carried out in a specialized hospital, by a doctor narcologist or psychiatrist. Abrupt refusal of alcohol causes such somatoneurological symptoms of alcoholism as, mydriasis , hyperemia upper body, fingers, nausea, vomiting, bowel indulgence, pain in the heart, liver, headaches. Appear mental symptoms degradation of the personality, weakening of the intellect, delusional ideas. Often there is anxiety, nighttime restlessness, seizures, which are harbingers of acute psychosis - alcoholic delirium, popularly called delirium tremens .

Complications of alcoholism of the second degree from the side of the liver are presented alcoholic hepatitis , often chronic form. The disease is more common in a persistent form than a progressive one. As well as complications in the first degree, few clinical symptoms. It is possible to diagnose a complication by gastrointestinal pathology, heaviness appears in the epigastric region of the stomach, right hypochondrium, slight nausea, flatulence is observed. On palpation, the liver is compacted, enlarged and slightly painful.

Alcoholic gastritis in the second stage of alcoholism can have symptoms masquerading as manifestations of withdrawal symptoms, the difference is painful repeated vomiting in the morning, often with an admixture of blood. On palpation, there is pain in the epigastric region.

After prolonged binges, acute alcoholic myopathy develops, weakness, swelling in the muscles of the hips and shoulders appear. Alcoholism most often causes non-ischemic heart disease.

Third stage

Alcoholism of the third stage is significantly different from the two previous ones, the duration of this stage is 5-10 years. This is the final stage of the disease and, as practice shows, most often it ends in death. Alcohol tolerance decreases, intoxication occurs after small doses of alcohol. Binges end with physical and psychological exhaustion.

Many days of drunkenness may be replaced by prolonged abstinence, or systematic daily alcoholism persists. There is no activating effect of alcohol, intoxications end in amnesia. Mental dependence does not have pronounced symptoms, since deep mental changes occur in the third stage of alcoholism. Physical dependence, for its part, manifests itself quite strongly, determining the way of life. The person becomes rude, selfish.

In a state of intoxication, emotional instability manifests itself, which presents the symptoms of alcoholism, gaiety, irritability, anger unpredictably replace each other.

Degradation of the personality, decrease in intellectual abilities, incapacity to work, lead to the fact that an alcoholic, having no money for alcohol, uses surrogates, sells things, steals. The use of such surrogates as denatured alcohol, cologne, polish, etc. lead to serious complications.

Complications of alcoholism of the third stage are most often represented by alcoholic liver cirrhosis . There are two forms of alcoholic cirrhosis - compensated and decompensated the form. The first form of the disease is characterized by persistent anorexia nervosa, flatulence, fatigue, low-apathetic mood. thinning occurs skin, white spots appear on them and spider veins. The liver is enlarged, dense, has a sharp edge.

The appearance of the patient changes greatly, there is a sharp weight loss,. The decompensated form of liver cirrhosis differs in three types of clinical symptoms. These include portal hypertension, which leads to hemorrhoidal and esophageal bleeding, ascites - accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity. Often there is jaundice, in which the liver is significantly enlarged, in severe cases it occurs liver failure, with the development of coma. The patient is found increased content which gives the skin an icteric or earthy tint.

Diagnosis of alcoholism

The diagnosis of alcoholism can be suspected by the appearance and behavior of a person. Patients look older than their years, over the years the face becomes hyperemic, skin turgor is lost. Face acquires special kind volitional promiscuity, due to the relaxation of the circular muscle of the mouth. In many cases, there is uncleanliness, carelessness in clothing.

The diagnosis of alcoholism in most cases turns out to be quite accurate, even when analyzing not the patient himself, but his environment. Family members of a patient with alcoholism have a number of psychosomatic disorders, neurotization or psychotization of a non-drinking spouse, pathologies in children. Most frequent in children whose parents abuse alcohol systematically, this congenital small cerebral insufficiency . Often such children have excessive mobility, they are not focused, they have a craving for destruction and aggressive behavior. Except congenital pathology the development of the child is also affected by the traumatic situation in the family. Children are found logoneurosis , , night terrors, behavioral disorders. Children are depressed, prone to suicide attempts, they often have difficulties with learning and communication with peers.

In many cases, pregnant women who abuse alcohol give birth alcoholic fruit . alcohol syndrome fetus is characterized by gross morphological disorders. Most often, the pathology of the fetus consists in the irregular shape of the head, body proportions, spherical deep-set eyes, underdevelopment of the jaw bones, and shortening of the tubular bones.

We have already briefly described the treatment of alcoholism depending on its stages. In most cases, relapse can occur after treatment. This is due to the fact that treatment is often aimed only at eliminating the most acute manifestations alcoholism. Without properly conducted psychotherapy, lack of support from loved ones, alcoholism recurs. But as practice shows, it is psychotherapy that is important component treatment.

The first stage of the treatment of alcoholism is the elimination of acute and subacute conditions caused by intoxication of the body. First of all, the binge is interrupted and the withdrawal disorders are eliminated. On the late stages therapy is carried out only under the supervision of medical personnel, since delirium syndrome that occurs when the binge is interrupted, requires psychotherapy and a number of sedatives. Relief of acute alcoholic psychosis is to quickly put the patient to sleep with dehydration and support for the cardiovascular system. In cases of severe alcohol intoxication, alcoholism treatment is carried out only in specialized hospitals or in psychiatric departments. On the early stages anti-alcohol treatment may be sufficient, but more often when alcohol is given up, neuroendocrine regulation is deficient, the disease progresses and leads to complications and organ pathology.

The second stage of treatment is aimed at establishing remission. A complete diagnosis of the patient and therapy of mental and somatic disorders are carried out. Therapy at the second stage of treatment can be quite peculiar, its main task is to eliminate somatic disorders, which are key in the formation of pathological craving for alcohol.

Non-traditional therapies include Rozhnov's technique , which consists in emotional stress therapy. A good prognosis in treatment is given by the hypnotic effect and the psychotherapeutic conversations that precede it. During hypnosis, the patient is instilled with an aversion to alcohol, a nausea-vomiting reaction to the taste and smell of alcohol. The method of verbal aversive therapy is often used. It consists in setting the psyche by the method of verbal suggestion, responding with a vomiting reaction to drinking alcohol, even in an imaginary situation.

The third stage of treatment involves the extension of remission and the return of a normal lifestyle. This stage can be considered the most important in the successful treatment of alcoholism. After the two previous stages, a person returns to his former society, to his problems, friends, who in most cases are also addicted to alcohol, to family conflicts. This has a greater effect on the recurrence of the disease. In order for a person to be able to independently eliminate the causes and external symptoms alcoholism requires long-term psychotherapy. Positive effect give autogenic training, they are widely used for group therapies. Training is about normalization autonomic disorders and removal emotional stress after treatment.

Applies behavioral therapy , the so-called correction of lifestyle. A person learns to live in a sober state, to solve his problems, acquiring the skill of self-control. Highly milestone in the restoration of normal life is the achievement of mutual understanding in the family and understanding of their problems.

For successful treatment it is important to achieve from the patient the desire to get rid of alcohol dependence. Forced treatment does not give such results as voluntary. But still, the refusal of treatment requires the local narcologist to forcibly refer the patient for treatment at the LTP. Therapy in the general medical network does not give positive results, since the patient has open access to alcohol, he is visited by drunken friends, etc.

In the case where alcohol abuse began in adulthood, required individual approach in the choice of therapy. This is due to the fact that the somato-neurological symptoms of alcoholism appear much earlier than the onset of addiction and mental disorders.

Mortality in alcoholism is most often associated with complications. There is a decompensation of vital organs caused by prolonged drinking, withdrawal states, intercurrent diseases. 20% of older alcoholics have symptoms, slightly less common acute Gaye-Wernicke syndrome . Attacks of both diseases during intoxication can be fatal. The presence of alcoholic cardiomyopathy significantly worsens the prognosis. Continued systematic alcohol consumption leads to mortality.

Less than 25% of patients with this complication live longer than three years after diagnosis. High percent mortality in alcohol intoxication takes death as a result of suicide. This is facilitated by the development chronic hallucinosis , alcoholic paraphrenia , delusions of jealousy . The patient is not able to control delusional thoughts and commits acts unusual in a sober state.

Each of us faces in life drinking people Many of them drink alcohol occasionally. At first glance, it seems that if you drink infrequently or drink beer, then it is impossible to become an alcoholic. But such luck does not happen to everyone. This disease has three levels. Consider how to determine the stage of alcoholism in men and women, what are the symptoms of each of them. This table will help us.

What are the signs of alcoholism

Who can become an alcoholic? A certain category of people who, due to their genetics, health status, lifestyle, social status, can become alcoholics in a short period of time without even fully understanding it.

Today, alcoholism, along with drug addiction, is one of the most common diseases. modern society. And if you choose between alcoholism and drug addiction, then it is better to make a choice in favor of healthy lifestyle life. It is most common among young people, since beer is more affordable and young people believe that beer alcoholism does not happen.

The first signs that will help to understand whether a person is addicted to alcohol are his unfailing desire to drink, or if a person becomes aggressive when drunk, or if a person does not drink alcohol for a long time, and he becomes either aggressive or depressed. These signs require immediate medical attention.

Since alcoholism does not appear after the first glass, but this process takes certain period time, then the narcologist must see all the symptoms to make the correct diagnosis.

A special place in narcology is given, because alcoholism in women occurs much more transiently than in men. Due to the peculiarities female body and treatment from it is much longer and more difficult. In women, the most important companion of alcoholism, may appear already in the first stage, as well as damage to other organs.

Stages of alcoholism in women and men

Medicine distinguishes three stages of alcoholism, but there is also a preliminary (zero) stage, when there is no alcoholism yet, but there is everyday drunkenness. Domestic drunkenness is when a person drinks in companies on holidays, and does not get drunk until he loses his memory, while a long absence of drinking does not bother him.

With regular domestic drunkenness it can go into the first stage of alcoholism, and take the first step towards cirrhosis of the liver. directly depends on the amount and frequency of alcohol consumed. The stages of female alcoholism differ little from the development of the disease in men. However, it is worth noting the presence of hysteria already at the first stage of alcohol dependence. In the third stage of intoxication, women are suicidal.

The main features of the first stage

The first stage of alcoholism should alert the relatives of the drinking man or woman. They themselves do not admit to themselves that something is wrong with them. It is very important to convince a person who has only the first stage of alcoholism to undergo treatment. The features of this stage are:

At this stage, problems with the liver are already beginning, which may not yet give signals of impending cirrhosis. In the first stage of female alcoholism, unreasonable mood swings can occur, just as relationships with men and women can go from love to hate and back again in one day.

The main signs of the second stage of alcoholism

The second stage of alcoholism contains all the symptoms of the first, only they are more pronounced, their own characteristics are added to them:

The second stage of alcoholism, although difficult, is treatable. Some comorbidities are chronic. If you do not produce enhanced treatment, the consequences will be serious, the forecasts are disappointing. How long a person will live before moving into the third stage is unknown, but with a constant high stage of intoxication, the bill can go on for months, not years.

The main signs of the third stage of alcoholism

The last stage of alcoholism is the most terrible. It almost always leads to delirium tremens and cirrhosis of the liver. In case of liver cirrhosis, men and women are provided with their last days on the hospital bed. The third stage of alcoholism makes a person deeply disabled, living in anticipation of an imminent death. The special signs of this stage of alcoholism in men and women include:

• The onset of intoxication from a small dose of alcohol, even a glass of beer.
• More severe hangover.
• Taste buds are disturbed, when a person is already drinking surrogates, he is indifferent to the taste and quality of the products.
• Amnesia.
• Complete degradation of the personality, a person's attitude to the quality of life completely changes, there is no concept of hygiene.
• Loss of all social connections.
• Irresistible craving for alcohol.
• Loss of appetite and severe weight loss.
• Pronounced alcoholic syndrome on the face.
• A sharp deterioration in the state of health in general, affects the brain, heart, kidneys, pancreas, liver (in 99% of cases, cirrhosis).

When this stage leads to delirium tremens, the person develops dementia. The third stage of alcoholism has irreversible consequences. If we talk about the work of systems and organs, then the pathologies are so great that a man or woman will no longer be able to return to a full life, diseases of the internal organs are chronic. What a person with a diagnosis of the third stage of alcoholism looks like can be seen in the photo.

How long do alcoholics live in the third stage of the development of alcoholism? It depends on the resources and resistance of the organism. As a rule, this process does not continue for more than 3 years. At this stage, a person practically rots from the inside, so even with enhanced, expensive treatment, the prognosis is not bright.

All these stages apply to beer alcoholism. Many people believe that drinking beer cannot lead to alcoholism, but this opinion is erroneous. Beer has the same effect on the body as vodka. All organs also suffer: heart, liver, brain, kidneys.

Beer alcoholism is more transient. If you drink 1-2 bottles of beer a day, then within 2-3 months, in the presence of some signs, being at an average level of intoxication and believing that as much as he drinks cannot threaten life, a person quickly passes to last stage development of alcoholism. The symptoms are as follows:

• The constant desire to drink beer to relax.
• The appearance of aggression in the absence of beer.
• Beer hangover.
• The appearance of a "beer belly".
• Decreased potency.

If they are present, beer alcoholism of the first stage can be diagnosed. At this stage of alcoholism from beer, a person does not see special changes and the disease becomes chronic. Beer alcoholism can also lead to cirrhosis of the liver. Its signs and symptoms are the same as those of "normal" alcoholics. Many men are not embarrassed by a large, growing belly. The consequences do not frighten him, since he does not classify himself as an alcoholic.

Alcohol intoxication

To understand what is normal safe consumption alcohol is not exceeded, you need to know the stages of intoxication. Let's figure out how much you need to drink to be on each of them.

• The first stage is easy. At the same time, men drink up to 100 grams of strong drinks and up to 1 liter of beer. Women can get drunk already after two glasses of champagne, wine or 0.7 liters of beer. Hangover in this stage of intoxication is not observed.
• Next level - average degree intoxication. Consequences of a hangover moderate will have to treat all the next day.
• A strong degree of intoxication is fraught with total loss awareness of reality, impaired coordination and loss of balance. Treatment after such a holiday will follow more than one day. Consequences in the form of poor performance digestive tract and apathetic state can last quite a long time.

Speaking about the alcoholism of men and women, considering the symptoms and consequences of the disease, one can come to the conclusion about the terrible destructive power of drunkenness. Looking at the photos of alcoholics who have all the symptoms of approaching death on their faces, I want to explain to them how much time they have left on this earth. Unfortunately, alcoholism is practically not curable. Only in 1 case out of 10 alcoholics stop drinking alcohol by force of their own will. As a rule, they do not live long sober. More than half will be taken for the old at the next breakdown.

Treatment, coding, of course, bring results. If treatment is accompanied by a departure from the environment and environment in which the alcoholic was before treatment and is supported by the understanding and support of loved ones, then the patient has every chance to return to normal life. Such people live for many years after treatment.

- a disease in which there is a physical and mental dependence on alcohol. Accompanied by increased craving for alcohol, inability to regulate the amount of alcohol consumed, a tendency to binge drinking, the occurrence of a pronounced withdrawal syndrome, a decrease in control over one's own behavior and motivations, progressive mental degradation and toxic damage internal organs. Alcoholism is an irreversible condition, the patient can only completely stop drinking alcohol. Use smallest doses alcohol even after a long period of abstinence causes a breakdown and further progression of the disease.

General information

Alcoholism is the most common type of substance abuse, mental and physical addiction from taking ethanol-containing drinks, accompanied by progressive degradation of the personality and a characteristic lesion of internal organs. Experts believe that the prevalence of alcoholism is directly related to an increase in the standard of living of the population. In recent decades, the number of patients with alcoholism has been growing, according to WHO, there are currently about 140 million alcoholics in the world.

The disease develops gradually. The likelihood of alcoholism depends on many factors, including the characteristics of the psyche, social environment, national and family traditions, as well as genetic predisposition. Children of people suffering from alcoholism become alcoholics more often than children of non-drinking parents, which may be due to certain character traits, genetically determined metabolic characteristics and the formation of a negative life scenario. Non-drinking children of alcoholics often show a tendency to co-dependent behavior and form families with alcoholics. Treatment of alcoholism is carried out by specialists in the field of narcology.

Ethanol metabolism and dependence development

Main component alcoholic beverages- ethanol. Small amounts of this chemical compound are part of the natural metabolic processes in the human body. Normally, the ethanol content is not more than 0.18 ppm. Exogenous (external) ethanol is rapidly absorbed in the digestive tract, enters the bloodstream and affects nerve cells. The maximum intoxication occurs 1.5-3 hours after drinking alcohol. When too much alcohol is taken, it causes vomiting reflex. As alcoholism develops, this reflex weakens.

About 90% of the alcohol taken is oxidized in the cells, broken down in the liver and excreted from the body as end products of metabolism. The remaining 10% is excreted unprocessed through the kidneys and lungs. Ethanol is excreted from the body within about a day. At chronic alcoholism intermediate products of ethanol breakdown remain in the body and have Negative influence on the activities of all organs.

The development of mental dependence in alcoholism is due to the effect of ethanol on the nervous system. After taking alcohol, a person feels euphoria. Anxiety is reduced, the level of self-confidence increases, it becomes easier to communicate. Basically, people are trying to use alcohol as a simple, affordable, fast-acting antidepressant and stress reliever. As a “one-time help”, this method sometimes really works - a person temporarily relieves tension, feels satisfied and relaxed.

However, the intake of alcohol is not natural and physiological. Over time, the need for alcohol increases. A person, who is not yet an alcoholic, begins to drink alcohol regularly, not noticing gradual changes: an increase in the required dose, the appearance of memory lapses, etc. When these changes become significant, it turns out that psychological dependence is already combined with physical dependence, and independently refuse drinking alcohol is very difficult or almost impossible.

Alcoholism is a disease closely related to social interactions. On the initial stage people often drink alcohol due to family, national or corporate traditions. In a drinking environment, it is more difficult for a person to remain a teetotaler, since the concept of “normal behavior” is shifting. In socially prosperous patients, alcoholism may be due to a high level of stress at work, the tradition of "washing" successful transactions, etc. However, regardless of the root cause, the consequences of regular alcohol intake will be the same - alcoholism will occur with progressive mental degradation and deterioration in health.

Consequences of drinking alcohol

Alcohol has a depressant effect on the nervous system. At first, euphoria occurs, accompanied by some excitement, a decrease in criticism of one's own behavior and ongoing events, as well as a deterioration in coordination of movements and a slowdown in reaction. Subsequently, excitement is replaced by drowsiness. When taking large doses of alcohol, contact with the outside world is increasingly lost. There is a progressive distraction of attention in combination with a decrease in temperature and pain sensitivity.

expressiveness movement disorders depends on the degree of intoxication. In severe intoxication, gross static and dynamic ataxia is observed - a person cannot maintain a vertical position of the body, his movements are highly uncoordinated. Loss of control over activities pelvic organs. When taking excessive doses of alcohol, weakening of breathing, cardiac disturbances, stupor and coma may occur. Possible fatal outcome.

In chronic alcoholism, typical lesions of the nervous system are noted, due to prolonged intoxication. During the exit from hard drinking, alcoholic delirium (delirious tremens) may develop. Somewhat less frequently, patients suffering from alcoholism are diagnosed with alcoholic encephalopathy (hallucinosis, delusions), depression and alcoholic epilepsy. Unlike delirium tremens, these conditions are not necessarily associated with an abrupt cessation of drinking. In patients with alcoholism, a gradual mental degradation, a narrowing of the range of interests, cognitive disorders, a decrease in intelligence, etc. are revealed. In the later stages of alcoholism, alcoholic polyneuropathy is often observed.

To typical violations by gastrointestinal tract include pain in the stomach, gastritis, erosion of the gastric mucosa, as well as atrophy of the intestinal mucosa. Possible acute complications in the form of bleeding caused by gastric ulceration or violent vomiting with mucosal tears in the transitional section between the stomach and esophagus. Due to atrophic changes in the intestinal mucosa in patients with alcoholism, the absorption of vitamins and microelements worsens, metabolism is disturbed, and vitamin deficiency occurs.

Liver cells in alcoholism are replaced connective tissue develops cirrhosis of the liver. Acute pancreatitis, which arose against the background of alcohol intake, is accompanied by severe endogenous intoxication, may be complicated by acute renal failure, cerebral edema, and hypovolemic shock. Lethality at acute pancreatitis ranges from 7 to 70%. To the number characteristic violations from other organs and systems in alcoholism include cardiomyopathy, alcoholic nephropathy, anemia and immune disorders. Alcoholics are at increased risk of developing subarachnoid hemorrhages and some forms of cancer.

Symptoms and stages of alcoholism

There are three stages of alcoholism and a prodrome - a condition when the patient is not yet an alcoholic, but regularly consumes alcohol and is at risk of developing this disease. At the prodrome stage, a person willingly takes alcohol in the company and, as a rule, rarely drinks alone. The use of alcohol occurs in accordance with the circumstances (a celebration, a friendly meeting, a rather significant pleasant or unpleasant event, etc.). The patient can stop taking alcohol at any time without suffering from any unpleasant consequences. He has no desire to continue drinking after the event is over and easily returns to normal sobriety.

The first stage of alcoholism accompanied by increased craving for alcohol. The need for alcohol resembles hunger or thirst and is exacerbated in adverse circumstances: quarrels with loved ones, problems at work, promotion general level stress, fatigue, etc. If an alcoholic fails to drink, he becomes distracted and the craving for alcohol temporarily decreases until the next unfavorable situation. If alcohol is available, the alcoholic drinks more than the prodrome. He tries to achieve a state of pronounced intoxication by drinking in company or drinking alcohol alone. It is more difficult for him to stop, he strives to continue the "holiday" and continues to drink even after the end of the event.

Characteristic features of this stage of alcoholism are the extinction of the gag reflex, aggressiveness, irritability and memory lapses. The patient takes alcohol irregularly, periods of absolute sobriety may alternate with isolated cases of alcohol consumption or be replaced by binges lasting several days. Criticism of one's own behavior is reduced even during the period of sobriety, a patient with alcoholism tries in every possible way to justify his need for alcohol, finds all sorts of "worthy reasons", shifts the responsibility for his drinking to others, etc.

The second stage of alcoholism manifested by an increase in the amount of alcohol consumed. A person takes more alcohol than before, while the ability to control the intake of ethanol-containing drinks disappears after the first dose. On the background abrupt rejection comes from alcohol withdrawal syndrome: tachycardia, increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, trembling fingers, vomiting when taking liquids and food. Perhaps the development of delirium tremens, accompanied by fever, chills and hallucinations.

The third stage of alcoholism manifested by a decrease in tolerance to alcohol. To achieve intoxication, it is enough for a patient suffering from alcoholism to take not at all large dose alcohol (about one glass). When taking subsequent doses, the state of the patient with alcoholism practically does not change, despite the increase in the concentration of alcohol in the blood. There is an uncontrollable craving for alcohol. Drinking alcohol becomes constant, the duration of binges increases. When you refuse to take ethanol-containing drinks, you often develop alcoholic delirium. Mental degradation is noted in combination with pronounced changes in internal organs.

Treatment and rehabilitation for alcoholism

Prognosis for alcoholism

The prognosis depends on the duration and intensity of alcohol intake. At the first stage of alcoholism, the chances of a cure are quite high, but at this stage, patients often do not consider themselves alcoholics, so they do not seek medical help. In the presence of physical dependence, remission for a year or more is observed in only 50-60% of patients. Narcologists note that the likelihood of a long-term remission increases significantly with the active desire of the patient to refuse to take alcohol.

The life expectancy of patients suffering from alcoholism is 15 years less than the average for the population. Cause lethal outcome become typical chronic diseases and acute conditions: alcoholic delirium, stroke, cardiovascular insufficiency and cirrhosis of the liver. Alcoholics are more likely to have accidents and are more likely to commit suicide. Among this population group, there is a high level of early disability due to the consequences of injuries, organ pathology and severe metabolic disorders.

Alcoholism is a disease that creeps up unnoticed. First, the first sample of alcohol, then rare use, and soon drunkenness. Everything about everything usually takes from 2 to 10 years. next step is addiction.

At the first stage of alcoholism, a psychological craving for alcohol develops, and at the second stage, a physical one (withdrawal syndrome) joins. The third final stage is characterized by various nervous disorders, diseases of the liver, cardiovascular system, and digestive tract. The alcoholic is progressively degrading his personality, all he is interested in is another dose of “medicine”.

Zero stage or drunkenness

Quite often relatives of drunkards confuse bad habit with alcoholism. In fact, the true meaning of these terms is different.

Drunkenness is a kind of promiscuity, the systematic use of alcohol without a formed dependence. Alcoholism is a disease that manifests itself not so much in the regular intake of alcohol as in a painful craving for it.

Alcoholics can abstain for a long time, but this does not change the diagnosis. The formed disease remains with the person until the end of life, but after treatment, a stable remission is possible.

A drunkard may drink regularly, mostly in company. The person enjoys the process. He does not experience severe symptoms the next morning, consumes approximately the same amount of alcohol, so to speak, knows his dose.

Drunkenness does not always lead to alcoholism. At this stage, a person can easily stop. He has other interests besides drinking. Under certain circumstances bad habit loses its significance.

However, drunkenness undoubtedly increases the risk of developing a true addiction. What symptoms are characterized by the initial stage, read in the next section.

First stage

The beginning of the development of alcoholism is difficult to diagnose due to the weak severity of the symptoms. Most of them are purely psychological, little realized by the patient himself.

At this stage, the craving for alcohol is almost always justified by the need to relax, celebrate, support the company, brighten up gray everyday life. The dose of strong drinks is still small.

For an alcoholic, 50-75 ml of pure ethanol is enough for intoxication, which is equivalent to 1-1.5 liters of beer or 150 ml of vodka. The daily dose is 3 times higher.

Systematic use may be frequent or rare. For example, every weekend. This happens when the patient does not have the opportunity to drink more often due to work, condemnation of the environment or lack of funds. An alcoholic waits with anticipation for the moment of drinking, at the thought of an upcoming event, his mood rises, Vital energy, joy. In the absence of alcohol, the patient droops, feels deep dissatisfaction, irritation and even despair.

Immediately after drinking alcohol, a person becomes excited, jokes, his mood improves. Aggressive outbursts, depression or others negative emotions if they do occur, they are extremely rare. There are 2-3 days of binges. After the abolition of alcohol, an alcoholic suffers from a hangover, which is manifested by a breakdown, apathy, irritation, headache and nausea.

The first stage is characterized by loss of control over the amount of alcohol consumed, the beginning and end of alcohol consumption. A person may suddenly get drunk, despite plans to go to work or engage in important matter. The dose is not controlled. The alcoholic drinks more and more until the drinks run out or deep intoxication sets in. There is no vomiting when taking large doses. When the patient is abstinent full life, craving for alcohol decreases over time.

6 characteristics

The first stage of alcoholism is also called neurasthenic. This is pre clinical stage diseases. In simple words body functions are not yet impaired. The disease is manifested by neurological disorders. Signs of the initial stage:

• the disappearance of the emetic reaction to significant doses of alcohol;
• loss of control over the amount drunk, the beginning and end of drinking;
• the emergence of desire, the desire to use more often, the search for reasons;
• psychological dependence, alcohol determines the mood of a person;
• pseudo-binge drinking - not caused by physical need;
• the appearance of memory lapses, partial amnesia.

At this stage, binges may be observed. Usually the patient continues to drink alcohol in order to get drunk, but unexpectedly for himself, he gets drunk again. In addition, a characteristic symptom of the onset of the development of an alcoholic disease is the fading of interest in other activities, careers, and hobbies. An alcoholic takes more time off, skips workouts. The duration of the first stage is from 1 to 5 years.

Second stage

The average degree of alcoholism is characterized by the aggravation of all symptoms and the addition of new ones. The transition is smooth. The patient gradually begins to consume an increasing dose of alcohol (scientifically, tolerance increases). If a non-drinker becomes so ill from a bottle of vodka that he can die, then an alcoholic with experience will drink it and not really get drunk.

In the second stage, alcohol is mostly used to feel "normal". Euphoria, fun, calm are no longer coming. After drinking, the patient becomes excited, becomes aggressive, quick-tempered. Craving for strong drinks becomes irresistible, interest in other activities disappears. At this stage, many alcoholics stop working and drink what they have acquired. Final stage drunkenness fades from memory.

The daily dose can reach 1.5–2 liters of vodka, which is equivalent to 600–900 ml of pure alcohol. An alcoholic begins to drink more and more drunkenly, from several days to 3 weeks or more. In the event of an interruption, he feels extremely ill.

3–6 hours after stopping alcohol intake, an abstinence syndrome develops, which is manifested by pronounced neurological disorders, indigestion, pain in the heart, in the right hypochondrium, headache, tremor of the limbs. A person cannot sleep, becomes irritable, aggressive, prone to hysteria. Alcohol temporarily relieves these symptoms due to its analgesic and psychotropic effects.

The second stage of the disease is dangerous for the life of an alcoholic and for those around him. progressive degradation of personality mental disorders, a frequent state of intoxication leads to inappropriate behavior. An alcoholic can fall asleep on the street, at home with a lit cigarette, get hit by a car, drown, fight, inflict domestic injury on himself, commit a crime. According to statistics, about 80% of all such incidents occur due to alcohol abuse. In addition, at this stage in the development of the disease, the risk of domestic violence, inadequate parenting and child care increases.

5 symptoms

The middle stage is called withdrawal. This is the clinical stage of the disease, the formed dependence. The main symptoms of the second degree of alcoholism:

• high tolerance to alcohol;
• withdrawal syndrome (withdrawal);
• nervousness, mobility, psychosis, sleep problems;
• personality degradation, social disadvantage;
• true drinking.

The duration of the stage is on average 3–5 years. An alcoholic may abstain from drinking for a while, but the slightest disturbance of emotional balance leads to a breakdown and even more drinking. At this stage, they begin to develop alcoholic diseases- hepatitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, cardiomyopathy and others.

Third stage

At the third stage of the development of the disease, the manifestations of alcoholic degradation of the personality are most pronounced, as well as harmful effects for good health. damage to the nervous system and internal organs lead to partial loss of speech, movements, sometimes paralysis can be observed. The appearance of the alcoholic, especially the face, is significantly worsened. It becomes swollen and red. The patient's frontal muscle is constantly tense, the nasolabial fold is deepened in the upper part of the face, the bridge of the nose is covered with a network of wrinkles, the nose is porous, blue.

The third stage is characterized by a decrease in the dose of alcohol. After drinking 150–200 ml of vodka, a long-term pronounced intoxication sets in. An alcoholic can drink 1 liter of strong alcohol per day. Then the drinking begins.

At the end, the patient drinks 100-150 ml of alcohol per day. The use of alcohol is interrupted due to complete physical exhaustion, exacerbation of the disease. The craving for alcohol becomes instinctive. The type of drink loses its significance, the patient does not disdain even the cheapest, low-quality alcohol.

Helpless, socially dangerous alcoholics in the last stage of addiction, they eat poorly, often get sick and end up in hospitals. Many of them die from a sudden heart attack, internal bleeding, failure of damaged organs. A significant proportion of patients end their lives by suicide, die a violent death or as a result of an accident. The consequences of the disease at this stage of alcoholism are already irreversible. Nervous system so damaged that even latest treatment unable to return to a person pre-painful thinking, personality, health.

Symptoms

The last stage is encephalopathic. The symptoms come to the fore organic lesions brain caused by chronic intoxication alcohol. The patient is prone to delirious disorders, hallucinations. Other clinical manifestations stages:

• decreased tolerance to alcohol;
• true binges;
• chronic alcoholic psychoses;
• pronounced withdrawal syndrome;
• lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss;
• frequent acute conditions - peptic ulcer, liver, heart failure and others.

The late stage can last up to 10 years, after which a fatal outcome occurs. Alcohol acts as a medicine and a toxin at the same time. A person takes it not for the purpose of obtaining pleasure, but to relieve pain, so as not to die. However, the analgesic effect is short-lived and only aggravates the situation. Decreased sensitivity often leads to death due to an exacerbation of a chronic illness or as a result of alcohol poisoning.

Forecast

Progressive alcohol dependence reduces life expectancy by an average of 17 years. It is impossible to build an accurate prognosis, because the disease is characterized by an increased risk of sudden death. In addition, the age of the patient, the number and type of drinks consumed, the regularity of their intake, general state health, the desire to get rid of harmful addiction.

In the most favorable case, alcoholics live up to 45-55 years. At the same time, in men, death usually occurs earlier. This is despite the fact that female alcoholism develops at an accelerated pace and is more difficult to treat. In addition, the prognosis for hereditary alcoholics, those who began to abuse alcohol in old age, worsens.

conclusions

Alcoholism is chronic illness, which is characterized by mental and physical dependence on alcohol. Initial symptoms resemble drunkenness, and differ only in that alcohol for the patient becomes the main factor determining mood. As the disease progresses, the symptoms worsen, new characteristic signs are added.

You can determine the stage of alcoholism by severity clinical picture. There are 3 in total. The final stage of the disease is visible to the naked eye. The patient changes significantly in appearance, loses weight, his face swells and turns red. Speech and movements become inhibited, the construction of a logical chain is difficult. Alcoholism stage 2-3 is difficult to treat and requires qualified help from specialists - a narcologist, psychologist and psychiatrist.

Alcoholism has long ceased to be a problem of an individual person. The whole family, all relatives and society suffer from the personal dependence of each alcoholic. Like any disease, alcoholism is best prevented. But this enemy is too insidious, only specialists can easily recognize its beginning. However, it is never too late to start the struggle to save a person from alcoholism, and the sooner it is started, the greater the harmful consequences will be avoided.

Husband, son, brother, father - an alcoholic is always a heavy burden on the shoulders of people who, due to family or other attachments, are not indifferent to him. Much is said about female alcoholism. About what a serious disease it is, how quickly women become alcoholics, and how difficult, almost impossible, to cure it. Everyone seems to be used to male alcoholism, and they consider it business as usual. But if you respond in a timely manner and take action, you can stop the development of the disease at the very beginning, at the first stage.

By the way. At least ten signs that a man has become addicted to alcohol are so obvious that an attentive person can unequivocally guess from their totality that he is an alcoholic.

Ten signs of male alcoholism

1. pathological attraction. It is expressed to alcohol in general, or to some specific kind of it (beer, whiskey). A person cannot stop drinking, and under any circumstances makes a choice in favor of drinking alcohol, justifying it with reasons, positive or negative events.

   

2. Regularity. If a person drinks from time to time and does not consider the procedure mandatory, then this is not alcoholism. But now he starts drinking once a week, three times, every day. The dose in this case does not matter, even if it is a glass of liqueur with coffee, without which a man cannot do.

   

3. Transferring responsibility. A person drinks to make life better, or because it is bad. These two sides of the coin are the same - there is a shifting of responsibility for your life to alcohol.

   

4. Another company. Beginning alcohol addiction forces a person to change. First, the changes are internal, invisible to prying eyes. But they can be tracked, for example, by how a man begins to choose a company. All relatives, friends or colleagues who do not drink for various reasons fade into the background, regardless of their personal qualities and the depth of relationships. An alcoholic prefers the company of those who are not averse to having a drink. They soon become best friends, communication with others in free time practically stops.

   

5. Indifference. Hence, from the constant desire to drink and spend time with a new environment for this occupation, there is indifference to all other matters, including family and work responsibilities. An alcoholic can easily neglect them, considering gatherings with friends or the subsequent hangover as justification enough for this.

   

6. Loss of control. The alcoholic begins to lose control over his behavior and the situation around him. He may behave inappropriately and gradually each addict develops his own style of behavior when drinking alcohol. Someone cries and complains about life, someone has unrestrained fun, and someone shows aggression. All these reactions are not normal, but occur due to the fact that alcohol gradually destroys the subcortex.

   

7. Loss of sense of proportion. If a person becomes an alcoholic, he cannot say "stop". In the initial stages, he cannot stop his desire to drink. Then he can't stop in the process. An alcoholic will drink until the alcohol runs out, or until he drops "dead."

   

8. Loss of shame. It's terrible, but the alcoholic knows no shame. At first, the person is ashamed of getting drunk and losing control, doing something inappropriate, or just not looking very presentable when drunk. Gradually, this feeling dulls, and the state of intoxication begins to justify all actions. The process of personality degradation begins.

   

9. Memory losses. Another sign by which you can distinguish an alcoholic from a person who drinks but does not have an addiction. If your acquaintance, relative, friend reports that he does not remember what happened yesterday, when he drank a certain amount of alcohol, there is reason to sound the alarm. At the same time, a person on the eve of drinking may not seem very drunk, walk, talk, dance, behave like a slightly drunk one. But if he does not remember himself and the events, or remembers them fragmentarily, then alcohol blocks the memory reaction and causes temporary amnesia.

   

   Temporary amnesia after drinking alcohol is one of the signs of alcoholism

10. Absence or disappearance of the gag reflex. No matter what anyone says that the organisms of all people are different, if a person is healthy, then alcohol poisoning his reaction is unequivocal - the body is trying to get rid of toxic substance, which fell into it in a dangerous amount. If the gag reflex is dulled or disappeared, intoxication occurs, a coma occurs. This is a typical state of the body, which has ceased to fight alcohol.

    

By the way. An alcoholic, unlike a non-addicted drinker, can drink alone. He does not need company to take the dose of alcohol that the body is increasingly demanding.

External manifestations of alcoholism

Table. External signs of alcoholism

By the way. The refusal to recognize oneself as an alcoholic is inherent in the vast majority of people dependent on drunkenness. Even if all the signs are present, the man finds excuses and excuses, assuring others that he is not an alcoholic. If you insist and talk about the dangers of drunkenness, a person begins to get angry and stops talking on these topics.

Why alcohol addiction occurs

How not to become an alcoholic? For many people who think about their lives and their future, this issue is relevant. Where is the line between drinking in a pleasant company and a serious illness that is not so easy to get rid of?

The causes of alcohol dependence in men are well understood. modern medicine and even classified into groups.

Table. Reasons for the development of alcoholism in men

Important! If to social reasons who secretly impose alcohol on all males, at least one more group of reasons, biological or psychological, is added, a person almost certainly becomes an alcoholic.

Stages of alcohol addiction in men

The global stages of alcoholism, from the beginning of dependence to the state when a person needs an urgent urgent care to avoid death or serious irreversible damage to the body, are divided into three large stages.

First stage

Doctors call it vague. It lasts from one to ten years, and the signs of alcoholism appear implicitly, irregularly and not all. At this time, any alcoholic, unless he has a medical education and is not able to professionally analyze the state of his body, mistakenly believes that everything is under control. Yes, he loves to drink, but this is not a pathological addiction, not an urgent need, you can stop easily and at any time.

By the way. As a rule, not only the alcoholic, but also his close circle is unaware of the onset of addiction. Drinking “for appetite”, “to relax”, “on holidays”, “to raise the tone”, “to cheer up”, “out of grief” - becomes the norm for a person.

However, alcohol, taken in regular doses, already begins to have a devastating effect on the body, gradually leading to a change in personality.

Life routine is changing. Sleep patterns, meals, even work hours “adjust” to the next intake of alcohol. Manifest physical ailments. At the first stage, it may be food poisoning, headaches, bowel problems, high blood pressure and sexual problems.

Second stage

A person, under the influence of alcohol, becomes more loyal to alcohol, gradually transferring it to the category of necessary, priority needs. In the second stage, the attraction to alcohol dominates over all other desires. It becomes difficult to fight him, which, however, the alcoholic does not do. There is a hangover syndrome. It becomes regular and is perceived as a normal post-state. How many "witty" proverbs people have added that if it's bad this morning, then it was good last night.

The dose that a person can drink is increased. At the same time, the alcoholic remains alive, which gives rise to bravado and self-confidence.

Important! The body of an alcoholic already in the second stage adapts so much that it can exceed lethal dose alcohol intake, determined by medicine (for a middle-aged man, it is one liter of strong alcohol) up to one and a half liters or more.

Personal transformation continues. The patient has a complex of various disorders:

• irritability, aggressiveness;
• frequent mood swings, imbalance;
• memory loss, lack of concentration;
• lack of priorities and life goals;
• the monotony of life and desires, which are closed on the possibilities of drinking alcohol;
• gradual weakening of mental abilities;
• mental disorders;
• rudeness of character.

All these are signs of the second stage of the disease, which develops rapidly and steadily, causing more and more irreparable damage to the body.

The second stage is accompanied by diseases of the cardiovascular system, gastritis and ulcers, hepatitis and other serious diseases.

Third stage

The first sign of the climactic third stage is withdrawal symptoms. The hangover gets so severe forms that overcome it dependent person can only by immediate intake of a dose of alcohol. A vicious circle arises, getting into which the alcoholic "does not dry out", that is, he drinks almost constantly.

At stage 3, an alcoholic “treats” a hangover with alcohol, thereby falling into a vicious circle and begins to drink constantly

Important! In fact, alcohol does not fight a hangover in any way, but only dulls negative feelings and body reactions. In the third stage with heavy hangover can only be fought with medical intervention.

Mental disorders are becoming more serious, the period of their onset is increasing.

The rate of alcohol consumption is falling - one or two glasses of a man is enough to get into a state of intoxication. And even after a small portion, a hangover syndrome of full severity occurs.

Intellectual abilities, memory, ingenuity - are rapidly declining. A man becomes indifferent, apathetic, only alcohol is of interest.

Aggression is manifested in cases where it is necessary to obtain alcohol. To get alcohol, a person is ready for anything.

Often a man loses his job or moves to a lower-skilled position. Most lose family, friends, loved ones, and begin to drink alcohol almost continuously.

Serious diseases of the liver and kidneys, problems with the heart, blood vessels, the development of tumors, loss of immunity - these are just some of the diseases that accompany the third stage of male alcoholism. Increasingly comes alcoholic coma, delirium tremens - conditions from which only doctors can bring the patient. If help is not provided to a person in time, he can die at any moment.

To become a "complete alcoholic", you must go through all three stages of alcoholism, although the pace of different people can be very different. Someone will overcome the first and second stages in a few years, someone will need decades. But the result is always the same - if an alcoholic is not provided with specialized assistance, if treatment is not started, sooner or later he will go through all the stages, come to the last line and die from alcoholism.

Video - Signs of alcohol addiction at men