Alcohol addiction and mechanisms of its action. Is it possible to get used to alcohol? Does someone get used to alcohol faster?

Today I decided to think about how addiction to alcohol occurs. Well, who do we call an alcoholic? Few would say that this is someone who is addicted to alcohol.

In any alcoholic, it is necessary to see, first of all, a person, albeit a heavy drinker. After all, an alcoholic has the same life problems as the rest of us, but these problems are not visible due to the fact that we see only one side of the coin - alcohol abuse and pathological dependence on it, since alcohol serves as a kind of antidepressant, which, although would be temporary, but dulls feelings and emotions.

Over time, an alcohol addict seriously believes that he can give up drinking or stop drinking at any moment, but this is a common misconception, because only in isolated cases will he be able to do this on his own.

Alcohol penetrates anyone, regardless of his strength and will, since all efforts will be directed towards drinking alcohol. While relieving the tension that arose after a difficult work week, it is usually not immediately noticed, the tension that weighed you down once a week begins to overcome you more and more often. And now you drink not once a week, but almost every day.

Moreover, understanding this does not happen immediately, but when you are already so involved that you cannot do without outside help. This is real addiction, and therefore addiction. Alcohol gains complete control over you, over your emotions, and desperate attempts to call for help fail. Therefore, if they think that they are a weak-willed and weak person, then this is not entirely true.

Once alcohol has gained complete control over you, you begin to live “in a world” where everything will be fixated on it. Alcohol will be both a medicine and a remedy for mental problems, and a reason for meeting old friends; everything will revolve around it. When, after drinking alcohol, you will first be in a state of euphoria, and then alcohol will become your “medicine” with which you will have to “treat”

But not everyone gets it right away and people continue to drink.

You should not be sure that this cannot affect you, that an alcoholic is a “complete” person, and you are quite successful and live quite well. Alcohol has decimated great minds, great talents, and mere mortals. He does not divide people into classes, but slashes and passes through destinies like a hot knife through butter. As one of the greats said: “Alcohol will be worse than an epidemic.” A

An alcoholic is not a special person, anyone can take his place, but some features that distinguish him from a teetotaler still exist. The character, the demeanor and even the way he speaks changes - everything changes in a person when, when walking calmly past display cases with alcohol becomes a dilemma, and even knocking over a glass or a glass of vodka in the evening becomes commonplace.

Why is this happening? So far, not a single scientist in the world has been able to solve this. Probably, if I had known, there wouldn’t be so many alcoholics in the world.

Among the many reasons for addiction to alcohol, the most likely is systematic daily use when every evening you are fixated on the next dose. In this case, you need to understand that you are already a prisoner of alcohol, that it has completely taken over and controls you.

Only then will it be possible to change something, i.e. until it dawns on you that everything is a limit, a line, and after that there is only a cliff and an abyss, from which not many are lucky enough to get out. As they say, “everyone stops drinking, but not everyone managed to stop drinking during their lifetime.” Only due to the fact that you realize the complexity of the situation, submit to reason and or as a person dependent on alcohol, only in this case, perhaps, you will not become a victim and achieve success along the way

You should not abuse alcohol, but it is better to give it up completely in order to follow the right path. Each of us is the “smith of our own destiny,” our own path in life, which we follow until the end of our days, but is it really necessary to waste it in torment or fight the “green serpent”?

There are enough bright moments in life that you can get without “libations” so as not to get used to alcohol and become dependent on it.

That's all I wanted to talk about today.

Good sobriety to you!

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P.S. Alcoholic delirium, popularly known as delirium tremens, is a special form of psychosis that manifests itself in a person with many years of alcohol addiction. Treatment of delirium tremens at home is possible, but more often it requires a number of medical measures, which must be carried out in a hospital setting.

Alcoholism has been considered a problem in Russia since ancient times. Drinking strong drinks has turned into drunkenness, people are dependent on alcohol, and some are ready to give everything they have for an extra bottle - family, work, position in society, and most importantly - health and even life. Addiction to ethanol-containing drinks is spreading at an unprecedented rate.

Almost every day, every person encounters people whose examples can be used to study the stages of alcoholism. According to World Health Organization data presented for 2012, alcohol consumption in the country reached more than 16 liters per capita. At that time, Russia occupied fifth place in the table with a list of all countries in the world, we were overtaken by Moldova, Hungary, Uganda and the Czech Republic.

Today, there are almost two thousand alcoholics per 100,000 people. The statistics on alcohol consumption among teenagers are alarming. In recent years the situation has improved somewhat.

Experts believe that this happened due to an increase in the well-being of the population and the emergence of conditions for appropriate physical development. However, the problem of excessive consumption of ethanol-containing drinks still remains relevant. According to medical reference books that detail the stages of alcoholism, this chronic disease is the most common form of substance abuse, which manifests itself in the form of physical and mental dependence on regular consumption of alcoholic beverages.

The pathology is accompanied by characteristic changes in the emotional state, disturbances in the functioning of internal organs and the psyche. The disease does not develop immediately. Some drink alcohol for years, thinking that they can give it up at any time, but in fact, even an addiction to alcohol “only on weekends” and “only five drops” is also considered by narcologists to be a pathological attachment.

The problem is relevant for both women and men. Experts have noticed that children in families where parents suffer from chronic drunkenness are more likely to become victims of addiction. Psychologists associate this fact with the formation of incorrect behavior from an early age. A quick addiction to alcoholic drinks develops due to the effect of ethanol on the nervous system. After alcohol is absorbed into the blood, a state of emotional excitement and euphoria quickly sets in. Problems recede, a person feels confident and relaxed.

They want to be in this state more and more often, and patients do not notice that in order to achieve relaxation they require an increasing amount of alcoholic beverages. Over time, alcohol causes destructive processes in nerve cells, as a result of which changes in mental state become irreversible. Ethanol is predominantly excreted through the liver, so regardless of the stage of alcoholism, this organ suffers first. Then the pathology affects the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and brain.

Due to a deficiency of vitamins and minerals, the condition of the skin, hair, and nails worsens. Such changes are accompanied by progressive social degradation. In total, there are three stages of alcoholism, although some narcologists, depending on the general symptoms and changes in the physiological and mental state of the patient, also describe the fourth degree of the disease. At the initial stage, the symptoms of the pathology are reversible. A person is drawn to alcohol, the consumption of strong drinks goes beyond the usual rest at the end of the week.

Signs of addiction to alcohol are not very pronounced, and according to experts, you can do without drug treatment. The most striking symptom of the second stage is the desire to get drunk. Moreover, after drinking alcohol again, your well-being and mood improve, and often the “holiday” continues. As a rule, even if you want to quit constant alcohol consumption, a person cannot do this without outside help. At the third stage, disturbances in the physiology of internal organs become irreversible.

Acquaintances from your previous life are replaced by new “friends” with the same addiction to alcohol. At this stage, even if you give up drinking, the full functioning of your organs is impossible. The fourth stage is characterized by fatal damage to the liver and cardiovascular system.

The person is inadequate, often suffers from memory loss, and neglects hygiene. As a rule, the disease at this stage ends in death. When the first signs of alcoholism appear, family involvement and support is very important. In addition, doctors now offer many different methods that can cope with the disease in the second or even third stage of alcoholism. It is enough to contact a specialized clinic, and the doctor will help you choose a treatment method and explain the principle of therapy using videos and photos.

Alcohol addiction: how to determine the stage of the disease, symptoms and consequences of alcoholism

To independently determine the stage of addiction to alcoholic beverages, it is not necessary to visit a doctor.

There are no laboratory tests that can answer this question.

Moreover, the doctor prescribes studies to assess the condition of internal organs after prolonged exposure to alcoholic beverages.

In a clinic that promises to eliminate alcohol addiction, a qualified psychologist can assess the patient’s condition.

But you can draw a conclusion about how far the disease has progressed by paying attention to the symptoms characteristic of each stage of the pathology. In addition to the generally accepted classification of alcoholism, there is another system proposed by E.E. Bechtel, a famous Russian psychiatrist, author of more than 80 works on the topic of drunkenness and drug addiction. But many experts consider this classification to be insufficiently informative and not reflective of the general changes occurring in the human body.

Thus, in accordance with the Bechtel taxonomy, the following categories of patients are distinguished:

• Abstinence sufferers who consume alcohol no more than 2-3 times a year (that is, only on holidays), and the total volume of alcohol consumed does not exceed 200 ml.
• Casual drinkers. To this category E.E. Bechtel refers to people who drink lightly, but several times a month in large groups. The amount of alcohol consumed does not exceed 200 g in one evening.
• Moderate drinkers. At this stage, patients already have a craving for alcoholic beverages. As a rule, this is timed to coincide with the end of the work week and 300-400 ml of alcohol is drunk.
• Systematic users. A person is constantly looking for a reason to “celebrate” something, drinks alcohol up to 4 times a week, 200-300 ml.
• Habitual drinkers. Alcohol dependence syndrome gradually becomes uncontrollable; the patient may drink rarely (no more than 2 times a week), but the volume of alcohol consumed increases to 500-600 ml per evening.

Most doctors prefer the “classical” division of alcoholism into several stages. Like other pathologies, this disease begins with the so-called prodromal period, when a person is quite capable of realizing the worsening addiction and independently breaking the vicious circle of alcohol addiction.

During this period, you can calmly refuse the offered glass or put it aside, only sipping slightly. A person is in complete control of his state and stops when he realizes that he is losing control over himself. A distinctive feature of the prodromal period is vomiting with excessive alcohol consumption and prolonged disgust after intoxication.

First stage

A sign of the first stage from which alcohol dependence begins is an emotionally excited state in anticipation of a feast. Moreover, positive thoughts are caused not by meeting friends and the joy of communication, but by drinking alcoholic beverages.

The previous amount of alcohol is no longer enough to achieve a state of intoxication. Some begin to be proud of this feature of the body, but such symptoms are a “bell” that it is time to take measures to stop the progression of alcoholism (narcologists also call this disease ethylism).

Memories of an evening spent drinking wine cause an emotional upsurge, and a person strives to return to the same state. Forced abstinence from alcohol is accompanied by attacks of irritability, and later - aggression. A person begins to look for any excuse for a feast.

Moreover, regardless of the amount drunk, the gag reflex characteristic of the prodromal stage is absent. Doctors do not note any pathological disturbances in the functioning of internal organs at this stage, but sometimes in a state of severe intoxication, memory loss may occur when a person is unable to control his behavior.

The duration of the initial stage depends on the willpower of the person and on the willingness of loved ones to provide help and support. At this stage, it is possible to completely and without complications forget what alcohol addiction is. Otherwise, after 5 years (in women, degradation takes no more than 2 years), the patient’s condition worsens.

Second stage

A distinctive symptom of the second stage is withdrawal syndrome. This is the name for a pathological attraction to alcohol, which requires a constant increase in the amount of alcohol. In its absence, a person cannot cope with attacks of uncontrolled aggression and anger, up to the development of delirium tremens.

He is tormented by tremor of the fingers, severe sweating, pallor, nausea, and tachycardia. Mental activity is impaired, all attention is concentrated only on alcohol. Over time, this condition and the constant desire to get drunk leads to regular binges lasting several days.

During this period, the patient completely loses touch with reality, behavior becomes inadequate. To bring a person out of this state, the help of a specialist is often required. Between binges, he can lead a completely normal life, with the exception of the constant desire to drink. Chronic alcohol dependence syndrome at the second stage is accompanied by organ pathologies. The products of ethanol breakdown are toxic to the liver, causing irreversible death of its cells and their gradual replacement by fibrous tissue.

Naturally, toxic compounds gradually accumulate, affecting the functioning of all internal organs. Under the influence of alcohol, the nerve cells of the brain undergo necrotic changes, which affects the behavior and mental abilities of the patient. The second stage of alcoholism can last for years (sometimes up to 20-25 years).

It all depends on the volume of alcohol consumed. But as a rule, a person needs an increasing amount of alcohol to achieve the usual state of euphoria. Therefore, the disease often progresses. Irreversible changes occur in the brain that cannot be corrected by any modern treatment methods.

Third and fourth stages

Binges last much longer. If in the second stage the patient came to his senses after 3-4 days, now this period lasts for weeks. The body's sensitivity to alcohol increases. To become intoxicated, a minimum dose of alcohol is sufficient, and the quality of alcohol is the last thing a person pays attention to.

The patient's condition is constantly deteriorating due to progressive renal, cardiac and liver failure, and serious disorders of the central nervous system.

These diseases are aggravated by permanent alcohol intoxication. Due to constant rudeness, rudeness and aggression in the final stages of alcoholism, relatives and friends turn away from a person.

Even with complete abstinence from alcohol, which happens extremely rarely in the third stage, pathological changes in the internal organs are irreversible, and life expectancy is sharply reduced. Often, patients are forced to constantly take medications and maintain the activity of the liver and kidneys with the help of special medical equipment. The fourth stage inevitably ends in death.

The person is constantly drunk, the internal organs are severely damaged, the gastrointestinal tract is simply not able to digest food, the heart cannot cope with the load, the nervous system practically does not work. The patient hallucinates most of the time. It is impossible to help the patient, therefore, at the last stage, alcohol dependence leads to the death of a person from multiple organ failure and intoxication.

Alcohol addiction: methods of treatment and prevention

The basic principles of drug treatment of alcoholism are:

To relieve the symptoms of alcohol intoxication, it is necessary to cleanse the blood of the end products of ethanol metabolism. For this purpose, hemosorption, plasmapheresis, and intravenous infusions of plasma-substituting solutions (isotonic sodium chloride solution, glucose) are used. This is necessary, since prolonged intoxication is accompanied by dehydration and disturbances in water-salt metabolism.

Often, infusions are carried out using adsorbents that bind toxins and promote their rapid removal from the body. These are Unithiol, Magnesia, Hemodez, Sodium thiosulfate solution. Additionally, the patient is given an increased dose of B vitamins to normalize the functioning of the nervous system, ascorbic acid and vitamin PP, which help restore vascular and heart tone.

In case of severe withdrawal syndrome, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting with the prescription of potent psychotropic drugs (for example, Haloperidol). In less severe cases, treat with Phenazepam, Grandaxin or Diazepam. These medications have an anticonvulsant, sedative, anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effect. In addition, medications can stop attacks of alcoholic delirium. According to WHO, at least half of patients return to drinking alcohol within a year after treatment.

To eliminate dependence on alcoholism, doctors recommend several medications, these are:

• Disulfiram, which impairs alcohol tolerance;
• Acamprosate reduces cravings and causes aversion to alcohol, the drug is especially effective at the initial stage of alcoholism, it should be used immediately after completing the course of detoxification therapy;
• Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors, resulting in ethanol intolerance; the drug is suitable for short-term treatment;
• Nalmefene is a relatively new drug whose principle of action is similar to Naltrexone, but is more suitable for long-term therapy (up to six months).

The dosage of drugs is selected taking into account the degree of alcoholism and the characteristics of the patient’s health condition.

Scientists have long established that alcohol addiction is directly related to lifestyle. Therefore, measures to prevent such a disease include playing sports, having hobbies and hobbies, and interesting work that can replace cravings for alcohol. But when the first symptoms of addiction appear, you should not turn a blind eye to the problem, but seek help from specialists.

Alcohol addiction is a strong, almost uncontrollable desire to drink alcohol. Alcohol cravings are not limited to alcoholics; This applies to carousers or people who are used to relieving tension and calming their nerves with alcohol. Such impulses can give rise to feelings of weakness and helplessness, and sometimes even shake your peace of mind. But don’t despair, because there are ways to deal with your addictions: professional help, the desire to pull yourself together, therapeutic methods and distraction.

Steps

Professional help

Contact your doctor. If you find yourself drinking heavily or drinking every day, you should talk to your doctor before you try to reduce your drinking. Symptoms of alcohol abstinence can cause seizures, cause permanent damage to health (liver disease), and even be fatal.

• Make an appointment with your local doctor. You can also contact private clinics or call your insurance company so that they can appoint a doctor for you. If you don't have health insurance, you can contact your local social services agency that helps low-income people.

1. Drug treatment. Drugs such as topiramate (Topamax) and naltrexone (Vivitrol) are quite effective in combating alcohol dependence; Topiramate is especially effective in combating alcohol addiction. Recent research suggests that new drugs such as the neurokinin (NK1) receptor scavenger and Baclofen significantly reduce cravings and addiction.

   • Always discuss all medications with your doctor before taking medications. It is important to understand that there are legal and health risks associated with taking medications that were not prescribed by your doctor.

2. Therapy. Sometimes addiction to alcohol is associated with various injuries. People who have experienced trauma (victims of physical or sexual violence, witnesses to crimes, or victims of life-threatening situations) and received psychological help are less likely to abuse alcohol.

   • Contact your health insurer for a list of recommended therapists in your area. If you don't have insurance, you can try local social services or low-cost mental health clinics.

   Fighting alcohol cravings

   1. Identify the motivating reasons for your desires and try to avoid them. Many people tend to associate drinking alcohol with a specific activity, environment, feeling, or time of day. Even the thought of having to drink socially can cause increased cravings for alcohol. So, your thoughts can be the motivating reasons. Alcohol addiction can also cause stress and anxiety.

      • Visiting clubs and bars involves drinking alcohol; When you visit such places and see that everyone around you is drinking, it is very difficult not to give in to temptation. This is why you should try to avoid such places, at least while you are too dependent on your desires.
      • You may feel confident that you will resist the temptation to drink, but it is better not to tempt fate, at least at first.
      • This doesn't mean you should stop hanging out with friends or having fun; just avoid places where there is a possibility of drinking alcohol.

   2. Remember the past and focus your thoughts on the future. Memories from the past can also be the cause of your addictions. If you find yourself remembering those wonderful times when you went to parties and drank with friends, then stop and try to focus on the negative consequences of drinking alcohol.

      • Think about a time when drinking alcohol made you feel terrible or made an unforgivable mistake. Remember how you felt in such situations and admit that you do not want to experience it again.
      • If you don't like to remember negative moments from the past, try focusing on the future. Try to imagine as clearly as possible all the happy situations that will happen to you in the future, and also think about what an obstacle alcohol can become to the realization of your desires and hopes.

   3. Seek support from someone you trust. Social support is the key to combating alcohol addiction. Have you ever been on a diet? Many who have been in this situation can confidently say that going on a diet with a friend or family member is much easier than doing it alone. This way, when you're craving a slice of moist chocolate cake, you can talk to someone who can help you overcome that craving. The same applies to other types of addiction, including alcohol.

      • The first thing you need to do on the path to overcoming alcohol addiction is to choose one or two people whom you trust and love. Share your problem with them and ask them not to judge you, as this will not only not make the situation easier, but will also make the situation worse.
      • Explain to them that you need their support whenever you are tempted. They may go for a walk with you, just talk on the phone, or distract you in other ways. This method of support has a great influence on your desire to overcome your uncontrollable desires.

   4. Contact your local Alcoholics Anonymous chapter. If you feel that you are not yet ready to confess everything to friends and family members, then you can turn to this society for help. There is a spiritual focus, and many of the 12 steps include help from a higher power (this could be a group of people or Mother Nature). Spirituality and religiosity are successful in dealing with your demons.

      • The employees of this center have extensive experience in solving such problems. Even if you do not consider yourself an alcoholic, you can test the effectiveness of this institution for yourself, since additional support never hurts.
      • An extremely important component in overcoming difficulties is the feeling of emotional support from others. For comfort and peace of mind, we all need the help of others, especially during difficult periods of life.
      • For this reason, the emotional support provided by Alcoholics Anonymous plays a critical role in your desire to fight your addiction.

   5. Try to change your usual routine. In all likelihood, you are accustomed to drinking alcohol when you are doing a certain activity and being in a certain company. Over time, your brain gets used to the fact that you drink alcohol in specific situations, therefore, when such a situation occurs, it demands a drink. This is dangerous and can lead to addiction in the future. The only way to get rid of this bad habit is to change your usual lifestyle.

      • For example, if you like to drink alcohol while reading, then try to change your usual routine a little - read in a park or in a library where drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
      • Another option is to brew yourself some tea, make fresh juice, or drink another non-alcoholic drink. In these situations, your brain is still getting what it's used to because at least you're drinking something. Over time, you will be able to replace alcohol with other drinks, and you will not miss it.

   6. Be patient and focus. Alcohol addiction is something you will have to struggle with for a long time after you get control of yourself. Over time, it will become easier to cope with it; it is only important to be patient and believe in yourself.

      • Even if sometimes this addiction seems insurmountable to you, remember that you are strong enough to get rid of it, and life without alcohol will be much more varied and happier.
      • At first, you will think that some methods of getting rid of addiction are ridiculous and strange, but do not give up on them until you have tried them at least a few times. The most hopeless of them may turn out to be the most effective.

   Therapeutic methods to reduce cravings for alcohol

   1. Learn relaxation techniques. Many people drink alcohol to relax. Stress can make you more likely to want to drink. If you are used to drinking a couple of glasses after a hard day at work or after a quarrel with your loved one, then it will probably be very difficult for you not to give in to temptation in such situations. Various relaxation methods will help you calm down and cope with addiction, becoming a substitute for alcohol.

      Draw artistic images in your imagination. You have a unique visual ability that, if handled correctly, can really help. Your observations and vivid imagination remain in the memory longer than thinking and listening. Therefore, our creative imagination can greatly help in the fight against uncontrollable desires. There are many ways to use our creative imagination. And although they may seem awkward or difficult at first, over time your brain will get used to this method, and using the right images will no longer require much effort.

      Become aware of your attractions by motivation research. This is a tried and true way to control your urges and solve problems with alcohol. This method is based on awareness - you need to be aware of the current situation, including your feelings, thoughts, behavior and environment. You can learn to understand and control your cravings. Many have been able to reduce their cravings for alcohol thanks to this method.

      Try writing as a method of relaxation and upliftment. You don't have to be a professional writer to experience the power of the written word. Writing messages to yourself can be an effective tool in the fight against addiction.

      • It's important to write these notes when you're happy and feeling good so that you can remember those positive emotions when you're tempted to give in to temptation. This technique is very useful because, as mentioned above, on a subconscious level we believe that the value of the thoughts expressed on paper increases.
      • Take a large and small piece of paper and write down your achievements on them. You can write about anything, especially those moments that made you proud or cheered you up. For example, it could be something like: “Everything is fine in my relationship with my loved one. We began to understand each other much better after I stopped drinking” or “The training is going well. I can pump my abs 15 more reps.”
      • You can also write down your goals for the future - learn a new dance, get a promotion at work, travel to some country. Write down everything that motivates you and that cannot be achieved without getting rid of your addictions. Place these notes in visible places, such as on the wall opposite your bed, on the refrigerator door, or on the bathroom mirror.

   Distraction methods

   1. Try not to think about your passions. Although this technique seems strange and banal, it can work wonders. When you begin to passionately want something, your brain automatically focuses on this desire, with each passing minute it becomes stronger and more painful. That's why it's extremely useful to force yourself to think about something else.

      • By focusing on other things, you, so to speak, distract your brain, and thoughts about alcohol fade into the background, giving way to current problems.
      • Of course, it is absolutely impossible to achieve results by simply saying to yourself: “I want to drink, but I’m not going to think about it”; Trying to get a certain thought out of your head will only cause you to think about it more and more.

   2. Try different distraction methods. Instead of focusing on your passions, try having a conversation with someone (if you're at home, call a friend) or look around and try to describe what you see in detail, not losing sight of the colors, textures, shapes and positions of objects.

   3. Find new hobbies. One of the worst consequences of alcohol addiction is the slow but steady loss of interest in the activities you previously enjoyed. If you abuse alcoholic drinks for some time, then they become your main entertainment. Therefore, when you stop drinking, you may face a serious problem - boredom, which will make you want to drink even more. By changing your lifestyle and finding new hobbies, you can confidently protect yourself from boredom.

      • If you want to get out of this vicious circle, then you should look for activities that might interest you. It can be anything as long as you can forget about alcohol. For example, you can sign up for classes in a sport, drawing or crafts, or you can learn a new language.
      • You can organize short trips to nearby cities or get into the habit of participating in cultural events. It is best when you have the opportunity to plan your activities in advance. In such cases, if a craving arises, you will have something to shift your attention to.
      • In addition, new hobbies will help build confidence in your abilities, you will feel like you know more and can accomplish the impossible. This will help get rid of addiction, since often the cause of addiction to alcohol is our lack of self-confidence.

   Sources

   1. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh22-1/61-66.pdf
   2. http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gerardo_Florez/publication/5369759_Using_topiramate_or_naltrexone_for_the_treatment_of_alcohol-dependent_patients/links/004635257b5c5055a3000000.pdf
   3. http://www.keck.ucsf.edu/neurograd/files/addictionminicourse/Messing/6-11-08_Paper3_Neurokinin_antag.pdf
   4. http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/42/2/158
   5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3213324/
   6. http://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/29986116/adb-2012-05218-001.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ56TQJRTWSMTNPEA&Expires=1439930006&Signature=hu24dnpptvhyJwTrT28MSjUspWI%3D&response- content-disposition=inline

Indeed, the question “What is alcoholism and how do people become alcoholics?” includes many others, so the answer will be as detailed as possible.

“Alcoholism in the social sense is the excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages (drunkenness), leading to disturbances in everyday life, society, in the sphere of work, and on a national scale - to noticeable damage to the health and well-being of the population, as well as economic losses. Alcoholism in the medical sense is a disease that belongs to the group of substance abuse (addiction to ethyl alcohol). The extremely widespread prevalence of this type of substance abuse compared to others makes alcoholism a particularly serious social and medical problem.”

Indeed, alcoholism is a disaster, a disaster for the person himself, for his family, for the work collective, for society as a whole. It leads to social decline. Alcoholism is the main destroyer of health. It causes or contributes to the development of many physical and mental diseases, in the vast majority of cases leading to unhappy marriages and unhealthy offspring.

Alcoholism is a disease that develops in a latent form over a number of years. This disease is preventable. But until a person himself comes to the realization that he has developed a painful addiction to alcohol, that alcohol has become an attribute of his everyday life, it is difficult to stop alcoholism.

Speaking about the dynamics of the formation of the main symptoms of alcoholism, one cannot help but pay attention to such an important symptom as an increase in the body’s tolerance to the consumed doses of alcohol [increased tolerance]. Unfortunately, there is still an opinion that the ability to withstand large doses of alcohol is a sign of good health and a “real man” should not get drunk from several glasses of vodka. However, they usually forget, or perhaps they just don’t know, that there is a direct connection between increased tolerance to alcohol and other symptoms of the disease. Thus, in parallel, the frequency of drinking alcohol increases, control over one’s actions while intoxicated is lost, and memory lapses appear (the so-called “patchwork” Memory). All this is associated with the body’s gradual adaptation to a foreign product, the inclusion of alcohol in all types of metabolism and the formation of alcohol dependence.

Recognizing the presence of prosalosis in themselves, patients tend to downplay their frequency, as well as justify it by the absence of pronounced behavioral disorders: “I didn’t make noise, I didn’t make a fuss, I went to bed quietly and peacefully.” They believe that even people who rarely drink alcohol have cases when they “overdrink” and then complain about their memory. But this, as they say, is little consolation. And outwardly ordered behavior is explained by the fact that the human body strives for self-defense, so the brain, despite constant alcohol intoxication, learns to maintain vital functions, including the possibility of more or less normal movement.

Another important symptom of the disease is loss of control over the amount of alcohol consumed. Patients usually associate this with mood, fatigue, the environment in which drinking occurs, the type of alcoholic beverages, their combination (“drank vodka with beer”), etc. However, such arguments are nothing more than self-deception, as well as the search for the optimal yourself a dose of alcohol.

It becomes more and more difficult for a person to fight the emerging desire to continue drinking, and finally it becomes irresistible. The number of cases where self-control is lost while intoxicated is growing. According to the apt expression of the American narcologist M. Glatt, “the symptom of loss of control does not mean that the alcoholic fatally cannot stop once he starts drinking; but it means that he may not stop.” At the same time, situational control is initially maintained, that is, a person is able to control the doses of alcohol taken in unfavorable circumstances for him: in the presence of superiors, relatives, wife, at a banquet, etc. But, however, on the way or coming home, he strives to “add”, and the drinking ends in pronounced intoxication. It is interesting that, each time a person drinks again, a person, as a rule, does not plan to get drunk in advance. He says to himself: “I’ll limit myself to a glass of beer or a glass of wine, talk to my friends and go home.” But more and more often he fails to do this, he fails to stay on the desired “edge”. The desire to continue drinking ceases to depend on the will of the person and becomes pathological.

The nature of intoxication also naturally changes. The period of uplifting mood, relaxation, and a pleasant, comfortable state is becoming shorter and shorter. Various forms of pathological behavior appear when intoxicated. A drugged brain is unable to control behavior; lower instincts and drives are released, which leads to sad and often tragic results.

What symptoms are characteristic of a person “on the verge of illness”? Let's get acquainted with the interesting data of Doctor of Medical Sciences E. E. Bechtel, who calls this transitional state pre-alcoholism. He notes:
1. A symptom of the desirability of pre-alcoholization is the desire to drink whenever the opportunity presents itself. At first, this desire is fleeting and disappears spontaneously, but later it becomes more permanent and its suppression causes certain difficulties. A kind of “focus” on drinking occurs, gradually crowding out other desires.
2. A symptom of the “normality” of intoxication and the difficulty of suppressing the emerging need for alcohol. Moreover, if drinking fails, the person is left with a feeling of incompleteness, dissatisfaction, and sometimes increased irritability.
3. Delay in the symptom of satiety, the need to consume increasingly large doses of alcohol. This sometimes forces habitual drinkers to give up alcohol altogether if the quantity is limited. Smaller doses of alcoholic drinks give a slight lift in mood with a quick transition to irritability.

Finally, here is a short questionnaire from the Irish Health Promotion Bureau, produced in conjunction with the National Council on Alcoholism of Ireland.

AM I AN ALCOHOLIC?
Here are the symptoms of this danger:
1. If you notice that your level of drinking is constantly changing and that you are starting to drink more and more, more and more often.
2. If you notice that you already need to drink more to achieve the desired effect (however, this is no longer the case in the last stages of alcoholism. - E.D., E. 3.).
3. If you begin to notice the habit of making promises to reduce your alcohol consumption to yourself and other people and not keeping your promises.
4. If you notice a tendency to falsely understate the amount you drink,
5. If you drink your glass faster than others in the company and rush to drink first.
6. If you are sure! the fact that you can drink more than others in the company. Or if you drink before going somewhere with a group where you know there will be alcohol.
7. If you no longer like going to places where they skimp on alcohol.
8. If you find yourself spending more on alcohol than you think you should, and yet you continue to do so.
9. If you feel the need to drink alcohol at certain hours and every day.
10. If V! You notice the need to regularly drink a few glasses on the way home from work.
11. If almost everything turns into a reason for drinking: good or bad news, good or bad weather, and even the day of the week.
12. If you have started to need a drink to relieve or relieve feelings of disappointment, anxiety, failure, depression, tension or even timidity or shyness.
13. If you notice a tendency to take care of your drinking yourself, without discussing or consulting with anyone about this.
14. If you sometimes experience memory loss when drinking, that is, when you cannot remember eye-opening events (even where you were or how you got home) that took place during or after drinking.

It may be time for you to think about treatment. It is important to remember that alcoholism cannot be cured like other illnesses, such as a cold or flu. If you notice disturbing or warning signs of illness, you already have a serious problem and you need to seek qualified advice from a doctor to preserve your own health, as well as the well-being of those you are responsible for caring for. At the same time, do not forget that “the rescue of drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves.” As the famous Soviet surgeon, academician N.M. Amosov writes: “... caring for one’s own health is, first of all, a personal matter for everyone. Health authorities, all medicine with its therapeutic and health-improving measures will not be able to increase the level of health of an adult if he himself does not get involved in this, because this requires him.”

“Are those who say that only “alcoholic individuals” get sick, that is, people with special needs?”

The development and course of alcoholism are influenced by various circumstances. They can be divided into dze groups, closely related to each other. The first is factors and individual properties of a person. The second is the features of the micro-environment in which he lives and.

In the past, attempts have been made repeatedly to identify specific character traits in patients with alcoholism, to discover “potential alcoholics,” the so-called “pre-alcoholic personality.” was considered as the root cause of alcoholism, and the role of external, environmental factors was underestimated. The research was unsuccessful, as was the notorious theory of the Italian psychiatrist Lombroso about “potential criminals.” At the same time, when studying the issue of “character structure and alcoholism,” certain human anomalies (most often psychological) were discovered, which in an unfavorable microenvironment can predispose to alcoholism. Thus, some scientists noted that the danger of alcoholism is especially great for soft, weak-willed, and depressed individuals. Others believed that people who are subject to cyclical mood swings, characterized by emotionality, sociability, and suggestibility, easily get used to alcohol. And the German psychiatrist K. Leonhard believed that a common characterological feature that leads to alcohol abuse is a reduced ability to self-control, a tendency to act on a momentary impression.

Interesting experiments were carried out by the head of the department of the alcoholism clinic of the All-Union Scientific Research Center for Medical and Biological Problems of Prevention of Drunkenness and Alcoholism, Professor N. N. Ivanets and Candidate of Psychological Sciences E. S. Menshikova. They found that character structure influences not only individual symptoms of alcoholism, but also determines the general patterns of the disease, primarily the rate of its development. It has long been noted that in some patients alcoholism develops quickly, an exacerbation of the disease occurs in a short time, damage to internal organs and the central nervous system occurs early, as well as negative social consequences, in other cases the disease develops slowly and progresses slightly.

The largest group of patients was characterized by sociability, good adaptability to life, predominantly high spirits, and sanguine character traits.

These patients felt calm and relaxed in any society, easily made new acquaintances, and had many friends. They did not set themselves complex problems, their inner, spiritual world was usually poor, their interests were simple and physiological, most often aimed at obtaining various “carnal” joys and material well-being. Such character traits were often combined with a desire to avoid independent decisions, easy susceptibility to the influence of others, instability, and lack of independence.

In this group of patients (they began to systematically drink alcohol at the age of 20-25 years), family and work conflicts caused by alcohol abuse worsened in parallel with the increase in the main symptoms of the disease. formed over a period of 6 to 15 years,

The second group included patients who can be classified as asthenic individuals, characterized by slight vulnerability, fatigue, irritability, a tendency to hypochondria, and difficulties in communication. They thought about their actions for a long time, preferred solitary activities, felt insecure in society, closely monitored their bodily sensations, addressed complaints to relatives, and visited doctors. Minor psychogenic injuries affected their mood, reduced their performance, and made it difficult to carry out normal daily activities.

These patients began to systematically drink alcohol between the ages of 18 and 23 years. The main symptoms of alcoholism developed in them more slowly than in the first group.

The third group consisted of individuals with sthenic characters - energetic, collected, disciplined, striving to achieve their goal. They were distinguished by confidence in their strengths and abilities, increased self-esteem, independence, constant concern for their reputation, and intolerance to judgments that did not satisfy them. The patients were efficient, responsible, active, easily found original ways to solve production problems, and tried to cope with them on their own, often at the expense of personal time. At the same time, quite sociable, they easily found contact with the “right” people, which was a means to achieving their plans, and not an internal need.

The stage of systematic alcohol consumption occurred between the ages of 22 and 26, and the main symptoms of alcoholism did not appear until 15 years later.

The fourth group included patients with hysterical-excitable character traits. Individuals included in this group were characterized by demonstrative behavior, a desire to attract attention, emotional instability, reduced control over their actions, carelessness, ease in resolving any issues, and increased self-esteem; They sought to fulfill their desires in the shortest possible time, without taking into account the developing situation. An important feature of these patients was their disregard for socially accepted moral standards.

They started drinking alcohol systematically at the age of 17-20. The main symptoms of alcoholism developed in a short time - from 1.5 to 3 years.

“...Other vices dull the mind, but drunkenness destroys it...” - stated the great French philosopher M. Montaigne in his “Experiences”. Despite the wide range of human characters, attitudes towards life and others, interests and abilities, the end results of drunkenness are the same. It leads to withering and deformation of everything that is good in a person. Spiritual generosity is replaced by egocentrism, the desire to find unseemly aspects in the behavior of others, a sense of duty - by frivolity, inconsistency, professional talent turns into bragging. In other words, the moral decline of the individual sets in, and memory suffers equally - and quite often, remarkable people die.

There are several symptoms of alcohol addiction.

Increased addiction to alcohol

Few people who start drinking alcohol like their taste. For the first time, just a small dose is enough to make a person feel comfortable and relaxed in any company. After a while, you begin to get used to the taste of alcohol, and it no longer seems so bitter. At the same time, the dose of alcohol consumed also increases. Each time a person can drink a little more alcohol than the last time, without visible consequences (nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc.).

Hangover syndrome

Another symptom of incipient alcoholism is the appearance of a hangover the next day. This condition is familiar to most people, but few people associate it with the onset of addiction to alcohol.

The main signs of a hangover syndrome are depression, headache, weakness, slight dizziness, nausea, a feeling of weakness and unbearable thirst. Some people, wanting to quickly get rid of this condition, drink another dose of alcohol in the morning. After some time after this, visible relief actually occurs. But this is a deceptive feeling; the fact is that the body is already so accustomed to alcohol that it feels bad when the concentration of alcohol in the blood decreases. A hangover syndrome indicates the onset of harmful changes in the human body associated with regular alcohol consumption.

The desire to have a hangover

Some time after such a “medicinal” morning glass, a person no longer just drinks it, but feels the desire to do so. In some cases, desire becomes a necessity.

Without a hangover dose, a person feels exhausted all day and cannot work normally. The slightest movement makes your head hurt, your thoughts get confused, and the desire to drink overshadows everything else.

Lack of control over the amount you drink

After some time of regular drinking, a person loses control over himself. After 1-2 glasses, he can no longer stop drinking and stops doing it in two cases: either the alcohol runs out, or he loses consciousness or falls asleep.

With the appearance of this symptom, after a few drinks, a person seems to switch off, stops restraining himself and does not understand what this can lead to. Such people are characterized by constant persuasion to themselves: “One more is enough.” Each time a person’s willpower becomes weaker and weaker.

Lack of rational thoughts

At this stage of alcohol addiction, a person completely loses control over everything that happens around him. During the period of intoxication, he may forget who he is, where he is, where he lives, the names of his relatives and friends, etc.

This stage of alcohol addiction is characterized by a rapid change in emotional state. A person can be cheerful, cry after 5-7 minutes for no apparent reason, and a little later throw his fists at a random passerby.

In this state, a person can commit any crime. Almost any little thing can piss him off. In the best case, an attack of aggression will also quickly be replaced by a feeling of love for the whole world; in the worst case, it can even end in murder.

Memory loss

Over time, a person who abuses alcohol enters a stage of alcohol dependence, which is characterized by partial or complete loss of memory. Such people remember practically nothing the next day. In some cases, a person cannot remember not only what happened while drinking alcohol (individual events), but also what happened shortly before. For example, he may forget with whom and where he drank.

A person performs almost all his actions at the level of instincts. For example, he may come home, one might say, in a semi-conscious state.

Drunken state

Many people who drink alcohol excessively, after a few years of this lifestyle, drink alcohol within a few days. One day is not enough for them. A drunken state can last from 2 days to several months. Some alcoholics only stop drinking when they are hospitalized.

Lack of appetite

Most alcoholics experience a lack of appetite while drinking alcohol. Such people do not feel hungry; in most cases, a slice of lemon or a small pickled cucumber is enough for them as a snack.

At this stage, serious health problems begin. The body can no longer cope without a daily dose of alcohol, while it practically does not receive normal food. It is at this stage that a person may develop cirrhosis of the liver, cancer of the stomach or esophagus, etc.

Sleep disorder

Another symptom of chronic alcohol addiction is sleep disturbance. As a rule, a person periodically dozes during the day, and at night cannot close his eyes. Many people at this time only aggravate the situation by trying to fall asleep with the help of alcohol. Over time, a person loses the ability to sleep normally; he only occasionally falls into short-term sleep, which does not allow the body to rest normally.

The emergence of phobias

Very often, alcoholics with prolonged binges develop various unreasonable fears. For quite a long time after this, they are not left with a feeling of incomprehensible anxiety and concern. Anything can frighten a person: the silence in the apartment and the doorbell ringing.

Wanting to get rid of this condition, a person constantly drinks, thereby further aggravating the situation. During this period, various mental illnesses may arise, tics and psychoses may develop, etc.

The appearance of hallucinations

Hallucinations – auditory and visual – are a common occurrence among chronic alcoholics. It seems to a person that someone is talking to him, he sees different people, he may think that he is somewhere else.

Reduced addiction to alcohol

When this stage occurs, a person needs a very small dose of alcohol to become intoxicated. At the beginning of addiction to alcohol, the dose of alcohol gradually increases, and, having reached its peak, begins to decrease. If previously a person drank a whole bottle, now one glass is enough for him.

Each person has a strictly individual time of onset of this stage. For one, 3 years is enough, while for another, it may take at least 20. If a person at this stage of addiction to alcoholic beverages does not consult a doctor, such a habit will inevitably lead to premature death. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to get rid of this completely without negative consequences for the body.

Personality degradation

This is the last stage of addiction to alcoholic beverages. A person begins to degrade as a person. Gradually, everything that happens becomes indifferent to him; he is not interested in either family or work. A person can only think about the next dose of alcohol.

When a person exhibits this symptom, nothing can be done to save him. It is only possible to temporarily maintain the state of health at the stage at which it is now. It is impossible to completely cure a person.