Stages and symptoms of alcoholism. Stages of development of alcoholism and their characteristic symptoms

Alcoholic drinks are a hidden threat to the health of every person, the scourge of our time. In order to correctly select an effective treatment for such official illness, required clinically determine the stages of the patient’s alcoholism, realistically assess his condition, and forecasts for the future. Overcoming the disease is not easy, but we're talking about not only about medications, you need a desire to get rid of this destructive addiction as soon as possible. Alcoholism and its stages are officially studied modern medicine, and scientists are in search of a panacea for this bad habit.

What are the stages of alcoholism

Acquaintances and close people can expose an alcoholic, since the patient himself is not ready to admit his condition and does not believe in the presence of a destructive addiction. The stages of alcoholism are, in fact, the degree of morbidity on which the clinical outcome. The disease is a type of substance abuse, since it leads to systemic intoxication of the body, provokes extensive damage to the central nervous system with large-scale death of nerve cells. Addiction progresses at a rapid pace, so one stage systematically replaces another, significantly aggravating the patient’s condition.

How many stages does alcoholism have?

The patient does not perceive a chronic disease, although irreversible processes are already occurring in the internal organs and systems under the influence of toxins, leading to extensive foci of necrosis. Doctors distinguish four stages of alcoholism, which can progress and successively replace each other. With each new form it is more difficult to cure the disease, and the latter cannot be treated at all and can lead to death. To avoid such consequences, it is important to know the duration of each stage, its characteristic features, and be able to determine it at home.

Stages of alcoholism and their signs

Knowing how many stages of the disease there are, it is important to monitor the condition of a potential alcoholic and promptly contact a narcologist for treatment. This is a real opportunity to stop the disease and forget about your addiction to alcohol. Otherwise, the abuse of strong alcoholic beverages destroys the liver and once-full families. When studying the stages of alcoholism and their signs, it is important to know what can cause addiction and to promptly eliminate such a pathogenic factor from a person’s life.

At the initial stage of addiction, restoration of the organic resource is still possible, but at the last stage it is no longer possible, since alcohol has already destroyed internal organs and systems. If you drink 200 grams of red wine, this dose is good for your health. But regular drinking of dubious tinctures, vodka and cognac contributes to the systematic intake of dangerous toxic substances into the body.

First

If a feast has begun, and your eyes just run wide from a significant amount of alcohol-containing drinks, this is the first alarming signal that there is a predisposition to addiction. Alcohol no longer evokes a feeling of acute disgust in a person, and the doses of strong drinks increase each time. This is how adaptation to alcohol occurs imperceptibly, and the body requires an ever larger portion with each passing day.

The desire to drink appears not only on holidays and on weekends, it worries the potential alcoholic throughout his life. working week, makes you nervous and even aggressive. Physical and intellectual work, minor troubles and even everyday problems increase the craving for alcohol. The first stage of alcoholism has the following distinctive features, which very soon become a familiar feature of an already difficult character:

constantly looking for an excuse to drink;
increasing the dose of the drink with each new feast;
rapid loss of self-control;
sharp decline in social adaptation;
obsessiveness, cheekiness, inappropriate behavior;
the need to urgently recover from a hangover;
minor memory lapses;
inconsistency in desires and actions.

Second

In such a clinical picture, the patient loses his identity, must seek help from a specialist and register with a narcological clinic. The second stage provides for a daily dose of alcoholic beverages of 500 ml, although the addict can drink large quantity. A withdrawal syndrome appears, which does not occur in a mild form, but in a complicated form; the patient experiences acute signs of intoxication of the body. Second characteristic feature become binges lasting several days. Other signs of alcoholism are:

anger and aggression, followed by symptoms of blues, depression, apathy;
unhealthy shine in the eyes;
tendency to fatal actions;
eternal feeling of alcoholic intoxication;
opposition to society;
physical craving for alcoholic beverages;
futile attempts to stop drinking.

Third

Continuing to study the degrees of the disease and signs, it is worth immediately noting that each stage is characterized by its own volume of alcohol consumed by the patient. Effective treatment and determines the specified factor, which also predicts the clinical outcome for a seemingly chronic alcoholic. So, the third stage of alcoholism is characterized by irreversible changes in the psyche against the background of the amount drunk. For severe intoxication, a small dose of booze is enough, and the patient completely ceases to control himself and emotionally restrain himself. Other symptoms are:

increasing the amount drunk at once;
reducing periods of sobriety;
manifestation of emotional instability;
personality degradation;
complete atrophy muscles;
tremor of limbs, paralysis;
suicidal tendencies and suicide;
development of liver diseases;
manifestation of pronounced signs of intoxication of the body, frequent vomiting;
extensive damage to internal organs, especially nervous system.

Bechtel stages

Russian psychiatrist Eduard Evgenievich Bechtel studied for many years the global problem of drunkenness and its classification, when it can arise and how the characteristic one manifests itself. Currently, other Bechtel stages are known, which also classify chronic alcoholics and determine effective therapeutic measures at home or in a hospital setting. So, the degrees of the disease and their symptoms are as follows:

Withdrawals. In this case, a person consumes alcohol extremely rarely, an acceptable dose is 100-200 grams up to 2 times a year - there is no alcoholism.
Casual drinkers. People drink 200 grams several times a month, a little and on occasion.
Moderate drinkers. The desire to drink can occur once a week - on the weekends, and a person drinks up to 400 grams of alcohol.
Systematic users. The amount of alcohol progresses and increases - 200-300 grams up to 3-4 times a week.
Habitual drinkers. People may be tempted to drink 500 ml of hard liquor at a time up to 2 times a week.

How to determine the stage

Most easy method identify one of the stages of a disease progressing in the body - study the symptoms. If observed psychological problem, a patient with this is easy to notice in a noisy company. He needs help, otherwise the problem will become chronic, develop and can lead to death in a relatively at a young age. The work is carried out in several stages, temporary hospitalization is not excluded. Medical expert D.D. Fedotov also offers his own classification of stages to speed up diagnosis.

The patient’s relatives and friends can determine the stage, since he himself does not see a health problem. Moreover, an alcoholic may imagine that he has been healed, but in reality this is not the case. A number of examinations are carried out, and it is better to choose a treatment method without using medical supplies, for example, which was developed by the domestic scientist and psychiatrist A.R. Dovzhenko (except for severe cases of acute intoxication). Medicines can only be used according to medical recommendations.

Test for the stage of alcoholism

Craving for alcohol can decrease and increase with different frequencies, but there are methods that actually determine not only the presence of a progressive disease, but also its stage. For example, doctors recommend taking a test to determine the stage of alcoholism, when the doctor asks a series of leading questions and waits for accurate, truthful answers to further determine the clinical picture.

Video:

Alcohol addiction develops gradually and sometimes unnoticed by the patient and his immediate environment. Wealthy, outwardly prosperous people with favorable conditions for life, and not just the asocial elements that immediately arise in our imagination with this phrase. Unfortunately, no one is immune from alcoholism. However, before it is formed chronic alcoholism, a certain period of time must pass. How not to miss the first signs of the appearance alcohol addiction, what should you pay attention to?

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Signs of alcohol dependence do not manifest themselves unambiguously; they can be expressed clearly or, on the contrary, have an erased form, which is determined by the stage and individual characteristics of the patient. But alcoholism does not cease to be a chronic condition, during the development of which all internal organs are damaged, primarily: intestines, stomach, brain, liver and heart.

Family and household members who are forced to deal daily with manifestations of unmotivated drunken behavior and even outbursts of causeless rage also suffer from alcoholism loved one. However, at first, when addiction is just beginning to form, many people think that they can easily give up alcohol on their own and without consequences for the body. But statistics show the opposite: only a few overcome the craving for alcohol in this way. The rest, unfortunately, will get deeper and deeper into the abyss of alcoholism.

Alcohol addiction is a serious pathology that requires qualified therapy. Ideal option it is considered that if the addict himself shows a desire to get rid of alcoholism on his early stages, otherwise in the later stages you will have to be treated forcibly.

The first step towards developing alcoholism can be a bottle of beer every night in front of the TV. Addiction gradually develops, although alcoholics most often do not recognize it. Experts identify several signs of early alcoholism. The main one is the craving for alcoholic beverages, which has several distinctive features:

There is always a reason to drink;
The appearance of animation and fun when drinking is about to happen; such a person tries to quickly resolve all matters in order to quickly free up time for alcohol;
Without alcohol, such people do not know how to relax; they are constantly constrained. But after drinking alcohol, they literally change before our eyes, becoming joyful and sociable and feeling very comfortable even in a completely unfamiliar company;
If the topic of alcohol is touched upon in a conversation, then a novice alcoholic will have only positive associations about this, but if something prevents the consumption of alcohol, then the addict will perceive it with hostility and, possibly, with aggression, which already indicates the disease of alcoholism;
Gradually, dependent people experience a noticeable distortion of life priorities and moral principles, their thinking changes and the problems of family and children no longer become so important;
Typically, such people always find some kind of justification for their addiction; they often give a lot of arguments about the positive effects of alcohol;
Alcohol-dependent people completely lack self-criticism, they completely deny dependence on alcohol and do not admit that they are increasingly falling under the influence of alcohol;
Alcohol addicts usually do not recognize the presence of the above symptoms.

Also to initial signs Alcoholism includes lack of control over alcoholic libations. This symptom usually appears at the very beginning and persists throughout the entire period of development of addiction. Such people simply cannot stop on their own; they drink until they lose consciousness or until deep sleep. In addition, regular consumption of alcohol indicates the development of alcoholism.

Gradually, the drinker’s body becomes more tolerant of alcohol. Each time he needs more and more alcohol to satisfy his passion for strong drinks. The body becomes so accustomed to regular intake of ethanol that it develops an addiction, as evidenced by the absence of a vomiting reflex. But the occurrence of vomiting refers to the body’s protective reactions in response to the penetration of a toxic substance into the body.

External signs of alcoholism

In addition to the above symptoms, alcohol addicts develop external signs alcoholism, which affects a person’s appearance. These include:

voice changes, muffledness and hoarseness in the voice;
puffiness and sagging skin;
the alcoholic's hands constantly tremble, and the appearance fingers that curl and shorten. Sometimes alcohol-dependent people are simply unable to fully unclench a limb;
since liver disorders occur against the background of regular alcohol abuse, the nail plates, skin and eye sclera become jaundiced;
spider veins localized on the surface of the cheeks, neck and nose are characteristic signs of alcoholism on the face;
The eyes of alcohol addicts are usually always swollen and numb.

For alcoholics, everything good and positive begins to be limited only to alcoholic beverages, and everything else that interferes with their use (for example, parents, spouse, children, work) is perceived with hostility by them. If some of the above-described manifestations occur, this may indicate the development of alcohol dependence. The initial symptoms of alcoholism usually do not cause concern and may not appear, because the development of addiction takes quite a long time (7-10 years). Therefore, sometimes even members of the household do not notice that alcoholism has developed.

In general, alcoholism develops in several stages:

Pre-alcoholism. At this stage, the craving for alcohol is mild. But the patient is already experiencing positive reactions for drinking alcohol. Increasingly, people spend their time drinking “a little bit” with friends, and non-alcoholic parties are no longer of interest;
Prodromal stage. This stage is also called the zero stage of alcoholism. The addict takes more and more alcohol at a time, and a habit develops of purchasing more alcohol “so as not to run to the store.” It may happen that the addict gets drunk to the point of unconsciousness, however, similar situations are isolated. The zero stage lasts approximately six months to a year;
Stage I. This is where alcohol consumption becomes targeted. Any emotional shock (even a very minor one) is accompanied by relaxation in the form of drinking alcohol. The alcoholic himself looks for such situations so that there is an extra reason for harmful “relaxation”. Increasingly, drinking ends in alcoholic sleep. When abstaining from alcohol, the addict behaves aggressively, often screaming;
Stage II. Alcohol tolerance reaches prohibitive heights; in order to satisfy his ethanol needs, the addict needs to drink many times more than before. There is practically no control over the amount of alcohol, and a morning hangover with characteristic ailments appears. Patients with alcoholism begin to have a hangover, which leads to binge drinking. With a sharp refusal, delirium tremens may begin. Interests are limited to drinking buddies and the search for the next dose of alcohol;
Stage III. Usually develops after one to two decades regular use alcohol. This is the so-called chronic stage of addiction. To get drunk, an alcoholic only needs a small portion of strong alcohol. Alcohol use usually begins in the morning and the alcoholic drinks alcohol throughout the day. in small portions, and sometimes this use continues at night. Memory lapses and clouding of consciousness are often disturbing. At this stage, the socialization of the alcoholic is practically absent, he degrades, and suffers from multiple organ failure. Such people live no more than 7-10 years.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to permanently and completely get rid of the consequences of alcoholism, but it is quite possible to achieve lifelong remission by giving up drinking alcohol forever. Alcoholics need to undergo highly qualified rehabilitation in a special medical institution, where they will receive the necessary medical assistance. This is the only way to effectively cope with addiction.

The diagnosis of alcoholism in Russia is determined by the presence of the following symptoms in the patient:

lack of gag reflex when taking large quantity alcohol;
loss of control over the amount of drinking;
partial retrograde amnesia: the patient does not remember what happened the day before, during or after drinking alcohol;
presence of a morning hangover;

Stages of alcoholism

Prodrome

Prodrome- the zero stage of alcoholism, in which there is no disease yet, but everyday drunkenness is present. A person drinks alcohol according to the situation, usually with friends, does not get drunk to the point of loss of memory or other severe consequences. As long as the prodrome stage has not turned into alcoholism, a person can easily stop drinking alcohol for any time.

In the prodrome stage, a person is often indifferent to whether drinking will happen in the near future or not. Having drunk in company, a person usually does not demand further drinking and then does not drink on his own. But, with daily drinking, as a rule, after 6-12 months the prodrome stage passes into the first stage of alcoholism.

First stage of alcoholism

First stage of alcoholism characterized by a change in the body's sensitivity to alcohol (development of alcohol tolerance). A person begins to drink more alcohol.

The main signs of the first stage of alcoholism:

disappears vomiting reflex. The patient switches to drinking alcohol alone (in the evenings, on weekends, “before dinner”). The attraction to alcohol becomes obsessive, sometimes at the most inopportune moment - at night or on the road. The type of intoxication changes - when drinking a significant amount of alcohol, memory loss appears.
At the first stage, scandals often arise in the family, problems at work, loss of interest in various aspects life: politics, literature, hobbies, etc. If it is impossible to drink alcohol, the craving for alcohol temporarily goes away, but if you drink alcohol, control over the amount of alcohol consumed becomes dulled.

Second stage of alcoholism

Second stage of alcoholism: endurance (tolerance) to alcohol increases significantly; a person discovers that, unexpectedly, he can take very large doses of alcohol. Even after consuming a small dose of alcohol, the patient ceases to control the amount of alcohol consumed. When drunk, he often behaves unpredictably, pretentiously, and sometimes even dangerously for himself and others.

Symptoms of the second stage of alcoholism:

When the second stage of alcoholism occurs, a hangover appears: in the morning after drinking alcohol the day before, you feel bad, it is definitely present physiological dependence. The desire to drink becomes more and more noticeable and obsessive. A person is aware of the harm, but does not fight, submits to desire. There is a loss of control, and cases of pathological intoxication may occur.
A hangover in the second stage is accompanied by an irresistible urge to drink alcohol in any way. This occurs against the background of a gloomy, tense and depressive mood combined with nausea, increased blood pressure, rapid heart rate, increased body temperature, trembling of the limbs (tremor) and a painful hostility towards any external stimuli, even to the light.
The second stage of alcoholism is characterized by a change in a person’s personality: the patient becomes deceitful, sometimes disinterested in his social status. Hot temper, anger, assault appear, and signs of decreased intelligence are noted. In a state of intoxication, self-control is lost, there is no feeling of shame, embarrassment for what has been done, and poisoning with alcohol substitutes is possible due to loss of active attention.

Third stage of alcoholism

Third stage of alcoholism:- this is the binge stage of alcoholism, in which endurance for alcohol decreases, drinking alcohol becomes almost daily.

Signs of alcoholism in the third stage:

In the third stage, binges with a certain rhythm begin to appear. Visible personality degradation and mental changes often occur.

All of the above is accompanied by diseases of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver), stomach (alcoholic gastritis), pancreas (alcoholic indurative pancreatitis), heart (alcoholic cardiomyopathy), brain (alcoholic encephalopathy), peripheral nervous system (alcoholic neuropathy), etc. . Violations of internal organs increase and can become irreversible. Irreversible changes often occur in the nervous system, leading to paresis and paralysis, to conditions where hallucinations last long time(Kandinsky-Clerambault syndrome).

In the third stage, such complications are observed alcoholic illness, such as alcoholic delirium of jealousy and alcoholic delirium, the so-called “delirium tremens”. Delirium ends with dementia or even the death of a person. Alcohol is especially dangerous if you have diabetes. Take care of your family and friends!

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 Organization health, presented for 2012, the consumption of alcoholic beverages 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 last years the situation has improved somewhat.

Experts believe that this happened due to an increase in the well-being of the population, the emergence of conditions for appropriate physical development. However, the problem of excessive consumption of ethanol-containing drinks still remains relevant. In accordance with medical reference books, which describe in 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 the regular consumption of alcoholic beverages.

The pathology is accompanied by characteristic changes emotional state, disorders of the internal organs and 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. Quick attachment to alcoholic drinks develops due to the effect of ethanol on the nervous system. After alcohol is absorbed into the blood, a condition quickly sets in. emotional excitement, euphoria. 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, resulting in changes 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 gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, 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 common symptoms, changes in the physiological and mental state of the patient also describe the fourth degree of the disease. On 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 stop drinking alcohol constantly, a person cannot do it 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 liver damage and of cardio-vascular system.

The person is inadequate, often suffers from memory loss, and neglects hygiene. As a rule, the disease ends at this stage fatal. 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.

Doesn't exist and laboratory tests who 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 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. Distinctive feature 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 It is not meeting with friends and the joy of communication that causes it, but the consumption of 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. Pathological disorders Doctors do not note 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 given to the pathological attraction to alcohol, which requires constant increase amount of alcohol. In its absence, a person cannot cope with attacks uncontrolled aggression and anger up to the development of delirium tremens.

He is tormented by tremor of his fingers, heavy sweating, pallor, nausea, tachycardia. Violated mental activity, all attention is concentrated only on alcohol. With time similar condition and the constant desire to get hungover 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 constant desire drink up. 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 they undergo necrotic changes nerve cells brain, 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, serious violations functioning 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 refusal from alcohol, which happens extremely rarely in the third stage, pathological changes in 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, so 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 symptoms 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.

With pronounced 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 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 medicines, This:

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 treatment;
Nalmefene, this is relatively new medicine, the principle of action is similar to Naltrexone, but 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, to preventive measures similar disease include playing sports, having hobbies and interests, interesting work, which 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.

Alcoholism – a disease that occurs with systematic alcohol abuse, characterized by mental dependence during intoxication, somatic and neurological disorders, and personality degradation. 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 formed in society.

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

Constantly turning to this method of relaxation leads to persistent addiction and the inability to feel inner comfort without alcohol intoxication. Depending on the degree of dependence and symptoms, several stages of alcoholism are distinguished.

Stages of alcoholism

First stage of alcoholism

The first stage of the disease is characterized by an increase in doses and frequency of alcohol intake. A syndrome of altered reactivity occurs, in which alcohol tolerance changes. The body’s protective reactions against overdose disappear, in particular, there is no vomiting when consuming large doses of alcohol. With severe intoxication observed palimpsests - memory losses. Psychological dependence 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 attraction is controllable, since there is no physical dependence syndrome. A person does not degrade and does not lose the ability to work.

Complications of alcoholism of the first stage primarily manifest themselves in the liver, which occurs alcoholic fatty degeneration . Clinically, it is almost not manifested; in some cases, a feeling of fullness of the stomach may occur. The complication can be diagnosed by the enlargement and dense consistency of the liver. At The edge of the liver is rounded, it is somewhat sensitive. With abstinence, these signs disappear.

Complications from the pancreas are acute and chronic . In this case, abdominal pain is noted, which is localized on the left and radiates to the back, as well as a decrease in , nausea , flatulence , unstable chair.

Alcohol abuse often leads to alcoholism , in which there is also no appetite and nausea and pain in the epigastric region occur.

Second stage

Alcoholism of the second stage has a period of progression from 5 to 15 years and is characterized by an increase in the syndrome of altered reactivity. Alcohol tolerance reaches a maximum, so-called pseudo-binges , their frequency is not related to the patient’s attempts to get rid of his addiction to alcohol, but to external circumstances, for example, lack of money and the inability to get alcohol.

The sedative effect of alcohol is replaced by an activating one, memory loss when drinking large amounts of alcohol is replaced by the complete end of intoxication. At the same time, daily drunkenness is explained by the presence of mental dependence syndrome; in a sober state, the patient loses the ability to mentally work, disorganization occurs mental activity. A syndrome of physical alcohol dependence occurs, which suppresses all feelings except the desire for alcohol, which becomes uncontrollable. The patient is depressed, irritable, incapacitated; after drinking alcohol, these functions return to their 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 alcohol causes such somatoneurological symptoms of alcoholism as, mydriasis , hyperemia upper body, fingers, nausea, vomiting, intestinal weakness, pain in the heart, liver, headaches. Appear mental symptoms personality degradation, weakening of intelligence, crazy ideas. Anxiety, night restlessness, and seizures often occur, which are harbingers acute psychosis- alcoholic delirium, popularly called delirium tremens .

Complications of second-degree alcoholism from the liver are presented alcoholic hepatitis , often chronic form. The disease is more common in a persistent form than a progressive one. Like complications in the first degree, shows few clinical symptoms. The complication can be diagnosed by gastrointestinal pathology; heaviness appears in the epigastric region of the stomach, right hypochondrium, and slight nausea, flatulence. On palpation, the liver is compacted, enlarged and slightly painful.

Alcoholic gastritis in the second stage of alcoholism may have symptoms masked as manifestations of withdrawal syndrome, the difference being painful repeated vomiting in the morning, often mixed with blood. On palpation, pain is observed in the epigastric region.

After prolonged drinking bouts, acute alcoholic myopathy develops, weakness and swelling appear in the muscles of the thighs and shoulders. Alcoholism most often causes non-ischemic heart diseases.

Third stage

Alcoholism of the third stage differs significantly from the previous two; 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 in physical and psychological exhaustion.

Many days of drunkenness can be replaced by long-term abstinence, or systematic daily alcoholism persists. There is no activating effect of alcohol, intoxication ends in amnesia. Mental dependence does not have pronounced symptoms, since at the third stage of alcoholism deep mental changes. Physical dependence for its part, it manifests itself quite strongly, determining the way of life. The person becomes rude and selfish.

In a state of intoxication, emotional instability manifests itself, which represents the symptoms of alcoholism; cheerfulness, irritability, and anger unpredictably replace each other.

Personality degradation, decline intellectual abilities, inability to work, lead to the fact that the alcoholic, not having funds for alcoholic drinks, uses surrogates, sells things, and steals. The use of such surrogates as denatured alcohol, cologne, polish, etc. leads to serious complications.

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

The patient's appearance changes greatly, sudden weight loss occurs. The decompensated form of liver cirrhosis differs in three types clinical symptoms. These include portal hypertension, which leads to hemorrhoidal and esophageal bleeding, ascites - accumulation of fluid in abdominal cavity. Jaundice is often observed, in which the liver is significantly enlarged; in severe cases, liver failure occurs, with the development of coma. The patient is found increased content, which gives the skin a jaundiced or sallow tone.

Diagnosis of alcoholism

The diagnosis of alcoholism can be suspected by a person’s appearance and behavior. Patients look older than their years; over the years, the face becomes hyperemic and skin turgor is lost. The face takes on a special look of volitional promiscuity due to the relaxation of the orbicularis oris muscle. In many cases, there is uncleanliness and carelessness in clothing.

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 an alcoholic sufferer experience a number of psychosomatic disorders, neurotization or psychotization of a non-drinking spouse, pathologies in children. Most common in children whose parents abuse alcohol systematically, this congenital small brain failure . Often such children have excessive mobility, they are not concentrated, have a desire for destruction and aggressive behavior. Except congenital pathology The development of a child is also influenced by a traumatic situation in the family. In children it is found logoneurosis , , night terrors, behavioral disorders. Children are depressed, prone to suicide attempts, and often have difficulties with learning and communicating with peers.

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

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

The first stage of treatment for alcoholism is the elimination of acute and subacute conditions caused by intoxication of the body. The first step is to interrupt the binge and eliminate withdrawal symptoms. In later stages, therapy is carried out only under supervision medical personnel, because delirious syndrome that occurs when a binge is interrupted, requires psychotherapy and a series of sedatives. Relief of acute alcoholic psychosis involves quickly putting the patient to sleep with dehydration and support of the cardiovascular system. In cases of severe alcohol intoxication, treatment of alcoholism is carried out only in specialized hospitals or in psychiatric departments. On early stages anti-alcohol treatment may be sufficient, but more often when quitting alcohol, a deficit in neuroendocrine regulation occurs, the disease progresses and leads to complications and organ pathology.

The second stage of treatment is aimed at establishing remission. Held full diagnostics patient and therapy of mental and somatic disorders. Therapy at the second stage of treatment can be quite unique; its main task is to eliminate somatic disorders, which are key in the formation of pathological cravings for alcohol.

Non-standard methods of therapy include Rozhnov's technique , which consists of emotional stress therapy. A good prognosis for treatment is provided by hypnotic influence and psychotherapeutic conversations preceding it. During hypnosis, the patient is instilled with an aversion to alcohol and a nausea-vomiting reaction to the taste and smell of alcohol. The method of verbal aversive therapy is often used. It consists of adjusting the psyche using the method of verbal suggestion, to respond with a vomiting reaction to drinking alcohol, even in an imaginary situation.

The third stage of treatment involves prolongation of remission and return normal image life. This stage can be considered the most important in the successful treatment of alcoholism. After the two previous stages, the person returns to his previous society, to his problems, to friends who in most cases are also alcohol dependent, to family conflicts. This has a greater impact on the relapse of the disease. In order for a person to be able to independently eliminate the causes and external symptoms of alcoholism, long-term psychotherapy is required. Gives a positive effect autogenic training, they are widely used for group therapies. The training is to normalize autonomic disorders and relieve emotional stress after treatment.

Applicable behavioral therapy , the so-called lifestyle correction. A person learns to live in a sober state, solve his problems, acquiring the skill of self-control. Very important stage in restoring normal life is to achieve mutual understanding in the family and understand your problem.

For successful treatment It is important to achieve the patient’s desire to get rid of alcohol addiction. Forced treatment does not give the same results as voluntary. But still, refusal of treatment requires the local narcologist to forcibly refer the patient for treatment to a medical treatment facility. Therapy in the general medical network does not provide positive results, since the patient has open access to alcohol, drunk friends visit him, etc.

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

Mortality in alcoholism is most often associated with complications. Vital decompensation occurs important organs caused by prolonged binge drinking, withdrawal states, intercurrent diseases. 20% of elderly patients with alcoholism have signs, a little less common acute syndrome Gaye-Wernicke . Attacks of both diseases with drunkenness can be fatal. The presence of alcoholic cardiomyopathy significantly worsens the prognosis. Continued systematic use of alcohol leads to mortality.

Less than 25% of patients with this complication live longer than three years after diagnosis. A high percentage of deaths due to alcohol intoxication is death due to suicide. This is facilitated by the development chronic hallucinosis , alcoholic paraphrenia , delirium of jealousy . The patient is unable to control delusional thoughts and commits acts unusual in a sober state.