Alcoholis a depressant, that is, a substance that slows down all processes in the body. Alcohol in small doses gives a sense of comfort and self-confidence. In large doses, it slows down the reaction and, for example, has a negative effect on the eyes and coordination. Driving while not sober is extremely dangerous. A person in a state of severe intoxication experiences nausea, dizziness and may lose consciousness, and then, on top of everything, there is a danger of choking on his own vomit.
The level of alcohol concentration in the blood depends on a number of factors.
- If you eat fatty foods, then intoxication will not be so quick.
- The high content of animal and vegetable fats slows down the absorption of alcohol and the digestion of the food itself.
- The fuller the stomach, the longer it takes for alcohol to reach the circulatory system.
- The thicker your body fat, the slower alcohol is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream.
- Body weight: the heavier you are, the less alcohol affects you.
- Your reaction to drinking 80 mg of alcohol may be completely different than someone else's. Typically, young people and women are more sensitive to alcohol.
The ability to consume alcohol and its effect on different people varies, but it is believed that a safe dose (from a health point of view) is about 5 liters of medium-strength BEER or 10 large glasses of wine per week. for men and 2/3 of this dose for women, of course, this amount should be lost evenly over a week, not 1-2 times. If possible, try not to drink on an empty stomach.
Alcoholism - what is it?
Alcoholism- regular, compulsive use of large amounts of alcohol over a long period of time. It is the most serious form of drug addiction in modern times and it covers 1-5% of the population in most countries. An alcoholic drinks compulsively in response to a psychological or physical dependence on alcohol.
Anyone can become an alcoholic. However, studies have shown that children of alcoholics are four to six times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than children of non-alcoholics.
The study of alcohol consumption among young people in our country is mainly based on the experience of similar studies that were widely carried out in Western Europe and North America at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries and were conducted in different directions:
- The prevalence and regularities of alcohol consumption among students were studied.
- The effect of alcohol on the body of children and adolescents has been studied.
- A relationship between academic performance and alcohol consumption has been established.
- Anti-alcohol education programs have been developed and tested.
Among the studies of this period, an important place was occupied by works showing the prevalence and nature of drinking habits when children were given alcoholic beverages:
- "health promotion"
- "appetite"
- "Improved Growth"
- "to relieve teething"
- "warming up"
- "Satisfy Hunger"
- "quiet"
Six stages of alcoholism
Accidental drunkenness can lead to alcoholism: because the drinker begins to turn to alcohol to relieve stress, or it is so strong that the initial stages of addiction are overlooked.
Early alcoholism is characterized by the appearance of memory disorders. Alcoholism of the younger generation is considered by most researchers as an important indicator of the dysfunction of the microsocial environment. This determines the constant interest in studying the problem of prevalence and nature of early alcoholism.
Boys drink the main types of alcoholic beverages more often than girls, and this difference becomes more noticeable as they get older. Among urban schoolchildren, it is common to consume mainly weak alcoholic beverages - beer, wine, while students of rural schools are more familiar with the taste of strong alcoholic beverages. In the 1920s and 1920s, moonshine could be used quite widely by schoolchildren: 1. 0-32. 0% among boys and 0. 9-12% among girls. The frequency of vodka consumption increased with age.
Almost all socio-hygienic and clinical-social studies of young alcoholism have used the survey method in various modifications - from correspondence questionnaires to telephone interviews and clinical interviews.
Primary alcoholism– the drinker cannot stop until he reaches the stage of intoxication. Although he emboldens himself with self-righteousness and lavish promises, all his promises and intentions remain unfinished. He begins to avoid family and friends, neglect food, past interests, work and money. Physical deterioration of health occurs. Alcohol resistance decreases.
Chronic alcoholism is characterized more by moral decline, irrational thinking, vague fears, fantasies, and psychopathic behavior. Physical damage increases. The drinker no longer has an alibi, and he can no longer take steps to get out of his current situation. A person can reach this stage in 5-25 years.
Treatment is usually provided through special programs for alcoholics. The alcoholic's desire for psychological help is revived and he begins to think more rationally. Ideally, it also develops hope, moral responsibility, outside interests, self-esteem, and satisfaction with abstaining from alcohol.
The final stage of alcoholism occurs when the alcoholic refuses treatment or relapses after treatment. Irreversible mental and physical damage usually results in death.
If you write all this down, here's what you get:
- Domestic drunkenness
- Early alcoholism
- Primary alcoholism
- Chronic alcoholism
- Treatment
- The last stage of alcoholism
What determines the degree of intoxication of a person?
The effect of alcohol on behavior depends on the amount of alcohol that reaches the brain in the blood. This "blood alcohol level" is determined by a number of other factors besides how much you drink.
The size of the liver determines the rate of oxidation and elimination of alcohol.
A person's weight determines the amount of blood in the body, because the volume of blood is proportional to it. The older the person, the more diluted the blood is with the alcohol consumed and more is needed to have the same effect.
The speed and manner of alcohol intake is also important. The slower a person consumes a certain amount of alcohol, the weaker the effect.
Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach has a stronger and faster effect than drinking it during or after a meal. It acts as a buffer during food absorption.
Intoxication process.
When drinking alcohol, the transmission of impulses in the nervous system slows down. The highest levels of the brain are affected first - inhibitions, excitement and anxiety disappear, giving way to a feeling of satisfaction and euphoria. As the lower levels of the brain are affected, coordination, vision and speech deteriorate. Small blood vessels in the skin dilate. Heat radiates and the person becomes warm. This means that the blood has moved away from the internal organs of the body, where the blood vessels have already narrowed due to the effect of alcohol on the nervous system. Therefore, the temperature of the internal organs drops at the same time. A possible increase in sexual desire is associated with the suppression of usual inhibitions. As blood alcohol levels increase, physical sexual performance deteriorates. Finally, the toxic effect of alcohol causes nausea and possibly vomiting.
Suspension
Hanging is bad. . . Now in more detail:
Suspensionis physical discomfort after consuming excessive amounts of alcohol. Symptoms may include headache, upset stomach, thirst, dizziness and nervousness. Suspension occurs as a result of three processes. First, the gastric mucosa is irritated by excessive alcohol and the stomach's function is disturbed. Second, when the amount of alcohol consumed exceeds the capacity of the liver, cellular dehydration occurs, and as a result, alcohol remains in the blood for a long time. Thirdly, the level of alcohol has a "shock" effect on the nervous system, which needs time to recover.
The best way to avoid a hangover is to not drink too much (or better yet, not drink at all). However, when alcohol is mixed with a snack (Havka), the probability of a hangover decreases: the reception and absorption of alcohol is prolonged and food acts as a barrier. Soft drinks taken at the same time or after dilute the alcohol. If alcohol is consumed in a relaxed environment and smoking is kept to a minimum, the ill effects are also reduced.
Effects of alcohol on the body
A characteristic manifestation of alcohol poisoning is repeated vomiting. One-time consumption of even small doses of alcoholic beverages is accompanied by clear manifestations of intoxication in teenagers, especially in the nervous system. The most severe poisonings are observed in persons with a complex medical history against the background of organic brain failure or accompanying somatic pathology.
It is less clear to describe the nature of the effect of alcohol on the psyche of a teenager. In general, the clinical picture of severe intoxication of a teenager looks like this in most cases: short-term excitement is then replaced by general depression, stupor, increased drowsiness, lethargy, slow incoherent speech and loss of orientation.
53% of teenagers felt disgust when drinking alcohol for the first time. Over time, with the increase in the "experience" of alcoholic beverages, the objective picture changes dramatically. More than 90% of the teenagers who took part in the survey believe that two years or more of "intoxication experience" that intoxication is accompanied by an increase in energy, satisfaction, a sense of comfort and an increase in mood, that is, these characteristics. it begins to appear in expressions of the mental state which ordinary consciousness often attributes to action. alcohol.
Diseases or simply PSYCHOSIS
Delirium tremens usually occurs against the background of a hangover, sudden cessation of drinking or during abstinence, in addition to somatic diseases, injuries (especially fractures). The initial symptoms of psychosis are the deterioration of night sleep, the appearance of autonomic symptoms and tremors, as well as the general liveliness noted in the patient's movements, speech, facial expressions, and especially in his mood. In a short period of time, different shades of mood can be observed, during a hangover, the mood is monotonous, characterized by depression and anxiety. Unusual changes in mood and general vitality intensify in the evening and at night, during the day these disturbances decrease sharply and may even disappear completely, which allows the patient to perform his professional duties. As the symptoms of psychosis increase, complete insomnia occurs, against which first visual illusions, and then various hallucinations and delusions appear.
Delirium tremens is dominated by true visual hallucinations. They are characterized by the multiplicity of images and mobility. Often these are insects (beetles, cockroaches, beetles, flies) and small animals (cats, rats, mice). Less often, patients see large animals and people, and in some cases they have fantastic visions. Images of snakes, devils, as well as deceased relatives and the walking dead are very typical. In some cases, visual illusions and hallucinations are single, in others they are multiple and scene-like, i. e. the patient sees complex images. There are frequent auditory, tactile, and olfactory hallucinations, as well as feelings of body position disturbance in space. The mood of patients is extremely changeable. It briefly mentions fear, complacency, confusion, surprise and despair. Patients usually move continuously, facial expressions are expressive. Motor reactions correspond to the predominant hallucinations and affect at this moment - with fear and frightening images, the patient hides, defends himself, becomes agitated; in periods of complacency - passive.
Patients are characterized by extreme avoidance of external events, everything around attracts their attention. In alcoholic delirium, the delirium is fragmentary and reflects hallucinations. In terms of content, this is most likely stalking delirium. Patients are usually misorientated in place (they say they are at home, in a restaurant, at work when they are in the hospital), but they are oriented in their identity. Alcoholic delirium is characterized by the periodic temporary disappearance of a significant part of mental disorders, the so-called clear-light intervals, as well as a natural increase in the symptoms of psychosis in the evening and at night.
Delirium tremens is constantly accompanied by various somatic disorders - tremors, sudden sweating, hyperemia of the skin, especially the face. The temperature is often low. The pulse increases. Protein is often seen in the urine; in the blood - an increase in the amount of bilirubin, a shift of the leukocyte formula to the left, acceleration of ROE. The course of the disease is usually short-term. Even without treatment, symptoms of psychosis disappear within 3-5 days. In less cases, the disease lasts 1-1, 5 weeks. Recovery is more often observed in the form of a crisis - after a deep sleep. Sometimes recovery is gradual, getting worse in the evening and night and getting better during the day. Signs that indicate an unfavorable prognosis for delirium tremens are the development of occupational and delirium delirium symptoms, high fever, and collapsed states.
Alcoholic hallucinations develop either during a hangover or during excessive drinking. The main disorder is multiple auditory hallucinations combined with persecutory delusions. Verbal auditory hallucinations predominate, and the patient usually hears words "spoken" by a large number of people—a "chorus of voices, " as patients often describe them. Often the "voices" talk about the patient among themselves, less often addressed to the patient himself. The content of verbal hallucinations is threats, discussions about the patient's past actions, spiteful insults, insults. Often hallucinations are mocking and mocking in nature. Voices either grow louder to shouts or fade to whispers. Delusional ideas in content are closely related to auditory hallucinations - so-called. hallucinatory illusion. They are fragmented and unsystematic. The main effect is intense anxiety and fear. At the onset of psychosis, patients are motorically agitated, but soon some retardation appears or very disorganized behavior that masks the psychosis. The latter creates a false and dangerous idea of improvement. As a rule, symptoms of psychosis intensify in the evening and at night. Somatic disturbances common to hangover syndrome are constant. The duration of alcoholic hallucinosis is from 2-3 days to several weeks, rarely the disease extends to several months.
Alcoholic depression always appears against the background of hangover syndrome. Depression is characterized by an anxious mood, self-deprecation, tearful ideas, as well as ideas about personal relationships and persecution. Duration - from several days to 1-2 weeks. Alcoholic depression is the most common cause of suicide by alcoholics.
Alcoholic epilepsy is symptomatic and associated with toxicosis. Seizures most often occur during a hangover or at the height of intoxication during alcoholic delirium. As a rule, epileptiform seizures are observed. Small seizures, dizzy stupefactions and auras do not occur in alcoholic epilepsy. With the cessation of alcohol abuse, seizures disappear.
Alcoholic paranoid is an alcoholic psychosis whose main symptom is delusion. It occurs in the case of hangover syndrome and at the height of excessive drinking. The content of delusions is limited to persecution or jealousy (adulterous ideas). In the first case, patients believe that there is a group of people who want to rob or kill them. They see the confirmation of their thoughts in the gestures, actions and words of others. It is characterized by confusion, intense anxiety, often giving way to fear. Patients' actions are impulsive - they jump out of vehicles while moving, run away suddenly, appeal to government authorities for help, and sometimes attack imaginary enemies. In some cases, delirium is accompanied by mild verbal illusions and hallucinations, individual delirious symptoms that occur in the evening and at night. The course of this form of paranoid is usually short-term - from a few days to a few weeks. Sometimes psychosis lasts for months.
Alcoholic encephalopathies- metabolic disorders and alcoholic psychoses, which develop primarily due to B and PP vitamins. Alcoholic encephalopathy is a result of many years of alcoholism, accompanied by chronic gastritis or enteritis, and occurs as a result of impaired absorption of the latter in the intestine. Alcoholic encephalopathies develop mainly in people who drink too much but eat too little. Often, alcoholic encephalopathies occur in spring and early summer. Autonomic symptoms typically include cardiac arrhythmias, fever of central origin, respiratory problems, and sphincter weakness. You can constantly notice an increase in muscle tone. The general physical condition of patients is characterized by progressive weight loss up to severe cachexia. The skin is pale or dark brown in color.
Chronic forms of alcoholic encephalopathy include Korsakoff's psychosis and alcoholic pseudoparalysis. In some cases, they develop gradually, over several months, and then the nature of the onset corresponds to Gaye-Vorick encephalopathy, in others - acutely, after alcoholic psychoses, usually after delirium tremens.
Treatment of alcoholic psychoses. Patients with alcoholic psychosis should be admitted to a special hospital immediately. Some patients with hangover syndrome are hospitalized in cases of intense mental disorders, especially mood swings. The treatment of alcoholic psychosis in the hospital should be comprehensive - the use of multivitamins (B1, C, PP), insulin or psychotronic drugs with hypoglycemic and comatose doses of cardiac and hypnotics. The only effective treatment of alcohol, especially acute, encephalitis is therapy with large doses of vitamins: B1 - up to 600 mg, C - up to 1000 mg, PP - up to 300-400 mg per day for 2-4 weeks.
Alcohol poisoning.
People who abuse alcohol sometimes fall into a state of stupor, leading to a coma. In very severe cases, breathing may stop.
However, don't assume that a drunk-looking person is necessarily drinking alcohol. Similar symptoms are observed in other conditions (head injuries, stroke and diabetes, as well as overdose of certain drugs).
First aid.
If the victim is unconscious, but still breathing, remove anything that prevents breathing from the mouth and pharynx with your finger (pieces of snacks, breakfast), do not try to induce vomiting. Put the victim in the resuscitation position, free the neck and waist from tight clothing, and ensure that the airway remains open.
If the victim does not regain consciousness, call an ambulance.
The result
Alcoholism is a serious disease that develops over many years in some cases. Therefore, it is better not to drink too much and too often! If you drink, drink BEER! ! ! : )