Alcoholic psychosis: symptoms of the disease, treatment, course and prognosis. Alcoholic psychosis as a severe disorder Psychosis associated with alcoholism

The human body is initially born ideal. Only under the influence of external products that enter the body does it begin to change and form. They say, “a man is what he eats.” You can add to this: “The psyche is what a person drinks.” People who drink alcohol soon begin to suffer from alcoholic psychosis. This disease has types, symptoms and serious consequences that cannot be eliminated without treatment.

What it is?

What is it - alcoholic psychosis? Until recently, alcohol psychosis was not considered a disease. And this is understandable, since people who abused alcoholic beverages have suffered from this disorder at all times. Today, it has become a disease that requires targeted treatment.

Alcoholic psychosis is a mental disorder that occurs after prolonged alcohol abuse. Its peculiarity is that mental changes are not formed immediately, gradually, but in their presence a person constantly experiences certain sensations.

It is important to distinguish alcoholic psychosis from ordinary intoxication, in which similar symptoms appear. Alcoholic psychosis manifests itself not only when drinking alcohol, but also after a day or more when a person does not drink it.

In simple words, alcoholic psychosis is stress and an unhealthy psyche at the same time. A person experiences certain visions, sensations and situations that depend on the type of psychosis that has manifested itself.

The concept under consideration is a general name for all mental changes that arise as a result of alcohol intoxication. This includes many disorders, which will be discussed below. They have a common cause, but different manifestations and symptoms.

Types of alcoholic psychosis

Since alcoholic psychosis is a general name, it is worth considering the types in which it manifests itself:

Delirium (delirium tremens).

Characterized by loss of space and time, hallucinations, tremors in the limbs, clouding of consciousness, anxiety and aggressiveness. The person does not remember what happened to him while he was in this state.

Hallucinosis.

It is characterized by auditory or visual hallucinations, in which a person is not lost in space and time, but is also aware and remembers everything that happens to him. In addition, self-talk, delusional ideas, persecution mania, and depressed mood can be observed. As the disease progresses, the patient may take a supine position.

Delirium, paranoia.

The person is devoid of any hallucinations, but he has various obsessive thoughts. For example, the idea of adultery or being stalked. Since the patient performs actions that obey his delirium, he is capable of causing harm to himself or others.

Pseudoparalysis.

The state of a “vegetable” into which a person falls. Delusions and hallucinations occur. A person becomes withdrawn, apathetic, and isolates himself from the world. There is pain in the limbs, difficulty moving, slurred and difficult speech.

Depression.

Depression, irritability, self-flagellation and loss of self-esteem are the main characteristics of this type of alcoholic psychosis. Since a person may have experienced depression before, loved ones may not pay attention to the patient’s condition, thinking that everything is fine with him.

Alcoholic encephalopathy.

This is a change in brain function due to alcohol intoxication. It is characterized by memory impairment, disturbance of consciousness, headache, depression, poor sleep, depression, apathy, and absent-mindedness.

Dipsomania.

This is an uncontrollable desire to get drunk that cannot be satisfied. It manifests itself even at the moment when a person drinks. The main symptoms are tremors of the limbs, insomnia, and loss of appetite.

Hemorrhagic polyencephalitis.

Complex of mental disorders.

Korsakov psychosis.

Characterized by various memory impairments and impaired body functions. The mood often changes to the opposite. Sometimes there is disorientation. Performance decreases. Occurs after consuming cologne, low-quality alcohol, lotions, etc.

Antabuse psychosis.

It is characterized by development after improper use of medications (Antabuse, Teturam, etc.), which occurs during self-treatment.

Each type of alcoholic psychosis lasts differently and manifests itself in different symptoms, despite the fact that the main cause of their occurrence is the breakdown products of alcohol.

Causes of alcoholic psychosis

The most important cause of alcoholic psychosis is alcohol abuse. It usually develops after 3-5 years of abuse and deteriorating health. Let's just say that a person must be an experienced alcoholic who is already in the second or third stage of alcoholism.

In addition, in rare cases, a person’s genetic predisposition to the development of this disease is identified. A rare category of causes also includes the social environment and living conditions. The factors of this disease are:

Infectious diseases, especially in the brain.
Inflammatory processes in the body.
Brain injuries.
Strong experiences, stress and irritants that suppress the psyche.

Doctors note the age when people begin to drink and experience constant cravings for alcohol. Nowadays, the age when people start drinking is dropping to 12-15 years. In adolescence, children try to be like adults, not understanding the consequences of this. The problem lies in the fragile nervous system, which begins to be affected by alcohol.

When intoxicated, a person feels changes. However, if he has certain disorders, a fragile nervous system or brain diseases, then alcoholic psychosis will develop very quickly.

Changes occur gradually. Especially if they are reinforced by an unsettled life, dysfunctional family relationships and unresolved problems that provoke uncontrollable feelings, then the person will drink even more, which will lead to the development of a disease. It is easier to eliminate the disease at the stage of its occurrence, with which the specialists of the psychotherapeutic assistance website can help.

Symptoms of alcoholic psychosis

The symptoms of alcoholic psychosis depend entirely on the type that manifests itself in a particular person. However, general symptoms of this disease can be identified:

Mood swings.
Continuous movements.
Expressive facial expressions.
Delusions, hallucinations and disorientation.
Changing your sleep pattern.
Tremor of the limbs.
Change in skin color.

Delirium tremens begins with insomnia, sweating, depression and sudden mood swings. Periodically, a person feels normal, and then hallucinations and delusions occur. This provokes the mobility of the patient, who tries to cope with the problems that he sees. Here he can scream, wave his arms, etc.

With hallucinosis, a person sees various images or hears sounds, causing his mood and movements to change in accordance with them. Over time, mobility decreases, the person becomes passive and depressed.

With paranoia, a person is haunted by various unpleasant thoughts that provoke the development of somatic manifestations:

Fever.
Sleep disturbance.
Unstable blood pressure.
Headache.

Korsakov's psychosis is characterized by a decrease in a person's mobility and performance. His memory is deteriorating and sensitivity is lost.

With encephalopathy, metabolism is disrupted, vitamin deficiency, hypovitaminosis develop, the liver and brain work poorly. This provokes memory impairment, apathy, poor sleep, etc.

For the most part, people gradually become lost. He isolates himself from social life, withdraws into the house, and does not trust anyone. Interest in life disappears, which allows him to move less. The supine position is often characterized by a severe state of alcoholic psychosis.

Acute alcoholic psychosis

Every disease goes through forms of its development. The first form of alcoholic psychosis is acute - this is when the symptoms of the emerging disorder are pronounced. Only over time does alcoholic psychosis become subacute or chronic.

Acute alcoholic psychosis is characterized by a complex of various mental disorders that manifest themselves alternately or constantly. This includes:

Depression.
Rave.
Alcoholic epilepsy.
Hallucinosis.

At the end of the binge, a person begins to experience various auditory and visual hallucinations, which is accompanied by delusional ideas and irritability. Anxiety arises due to panic and the thought that others think something bad about him. He may start yelling at them, threatening them, and even getting into a fight. There are cases of contacting the police.

There are a lot of crazy thoughts. Firstly, a person thinks that he is being persecuted. Accordingly, he can be aggressive towards those whom he allegedly considers his persecutors. Secondly, thoughts of betrayal arise. He expresses dissatisfaction with those whom he suspects of betrayal.

Acute alcoholic psychosis accounts for 70% of all cases in which it manifests itself in various forms. Everyone experiences various disorders, delusions and hallucinations, disorientation, as well as unpleasant physical sensations.

When the experience of drinking alcoholic beverages exceeds 5 years, not only does alcoholic psychosis develop, but the nervous system is also irreversibly destroyed. The measures taken can only relieve some symptoms, but not completely cure the patient.

Treatment of alcoholic psychosis

Attempts to cope with the disease on your own will be unsuccessful. Often, alcoholics return to their bad habit even after hospitalization. This is due not so much to an irresistible craving for alcohol, but rather to the lack of desire on the part of the person himself not to drink. Treatment of alcoholic psychosis is possible only with doctors who use medication and psychotherapeutic methods.

Intensive therapy is carried out by a mix of:

Phenobarbital 0.3-0.4 g.
Water 100 g.
Ethyl alcohol 30-50 ml.

The patient is fixed. Subsequently, the following drugs are used:

Seduxen.
Aminazine.
Tizercin.
Vitamins B.
Enterosorbents.

Infusion therapy is prescribed only for obvious vegetative symptoms. Plasmapheresis is used. Psychotropic drugs are:

Tizercin.
Haloperidol.
Stelazine.
Nootropic drugs.
Vitamins C and B.
Tranquilizers.
Diazepam and Phenazepam.
Sleeping pills.
Neuroleptic Neuleptil for observed suicidal impulses.

Psychotherapy becomes mandatory. Even at the beginning of treatment for alcoholic psychosis, a person is protected from alcohol. He must subsequently abstain from drinking alcohol himself, since he will not be under supervision all the time.

The main goal of psychotherapy is the voluntary desire to give up alcohol. If a person is aware of the harm caused to him, and also experiences an internal aversion to alcohol, then he can calmly refuse strong drinks.

Here all the flaws that led to alcoholism in a person are worked out. This includes low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, lack of willpower, and a dysfunctional life or relationships with loved ones. If a person learns to cope with his stress problems, then he will no longer need alcohol.

Consequences of alcoholic psychosis

There are many consequences of alcoholic psychosis, which should also encourage people to give up their bad habit.

One of them is intellectual abilities, which are significantly reduced. The person literally becomes dumb. He forgets what he previously knew, does not learn anything new, and degrades. His intellectual skills are declining due to the influence of alcohol, as well as lack of training and memory loss.

Others include disturbances in the functioning of internal organs: the brain, gastrointestinal tract, liver and heart. First, the liver suffers, which over time loses its functionality due to the large amount of toxins and the volume of incoming ethanol. Cirrhosis and even liver coma develop, which is its complete failure.

The gastrointestinal tract suffers due to the large amount of alcohol, which does not have time to be digested and lingers in this department for a long time.

Damage that begins to occur in other organs affects the heart. It begins to quickly and slowly distil blood, which affects the nutrition of the brain. All available factors combine and lead to alcoholic psychosis.

The third of them are social connections and performance, which are first partially and then completely lost. The person becomes unable to work. And relationships with people become impossible, because the alcoholic is not ready to adhere to the norms and rules of society. Thus, he becomes an outcast, needed only by his family and drinking buddies.

The fourth consequence of alcoholic psychosis is personal degradation. A person becomes passive, stupid, aggressive, infantile and sometimes unable to take care of himself. People with alcohol psychosis are patients of psychiatrists who have been working with their disorder for a long time.

How long do people live with alcoholic psychosis?

The question arises about the life expectancy of a person who does not understand what is happening to him, does not control his actions and gradually destroys his body. How long do people live with alcoholic psychosis? Answer: depending on your luck. It all depends on the state of the body that is being destroyed. Some organs may fail at any moment. Also important are the situations that happen to an alcoholic. He could be killed at any moment because he started a fight.

A person with alcoholic psychosis does not live in the real world. His life is scary, he becomes suspicious and irritable. The prognosis for such delusions and hallucinations is unpredictable. If there are loved ones nearby, then only they can help a person who does not notice problems.

The result of alcoholic psychosis is only one – death. This is why medical treatment becomes mandatory here. With further consumption of alcohol, a person develops various diseases that can also kill him:

Pancreatitis.
Ischemic disease.
Hypertension.
Stomach ulcer, etc.

The patient becomes completely asocial. Everything that previously pleased and interested him now has no value. Life is narrowed down to specific persons and things: loved ones, drinking companions, alcohol, the room in which a person constantly resides. Often the disease is not recognized, but is treated by the patient himself by regularly consuming alcohol. She will not be able to get rid of it on her own, since he will have to deal with it, which will increase his craving for alcohol.

Recently, the picture of alcoholism has changed. A shift in clinical manifestations occurs towards the predominance of psychotic disorders. If 15-20 years ago narcologists noted mainly somatic manifestations (cardiomyopathy, liver cirrhosis, alcoholic pancreatitis), now a complication such as alcoholic psychosis comes to the fore.

What is alcoholic psychosis

Alcoholic psychosis is a severe disorder of a person’s mental health caused by prolonged use of products containing ethyl alcohol. This condition is characterized by the direct effect of alcohol on the brain. Ethyl alcohol has a pronounced neurotoxic effect and is organotropic to nervous tissue, i.e. when it enters the human body through the gastrointestinal tract, its final concentration in brain cells turns out to be greater than its content in the blood. It freely penetrates the blood-brain barrier into the brain and activates a number of receptors.

There are three types:

regressive alcoholism;
true retirement alcoholism;
child and adolescent alcoholism;

The first type of alcoholism develops in young and middle age (20–40 years). It is characterized by the consumption of both weak and strong alcohol. Upon cessation of binge drinking, withdrawal syndrome occurs lasting 7–15 days with a predominance of somato-vegetative symptoms. It is against this background that the well-known delirium tremens and many other disorders develop.

The second type is somewhat less common and develops at 50–60 years of age. The most commonly consumed drink is vodka. On average, the binge period lasts 6 days or more. Abstinence lasts up to 5 days and is represented more by neurovegetative disorders. Intense rates of alcoholization accompany an accelerated transition to the second and third stages of the disease, which is ultimately associated with the development of alcoholic psychoses and, first of all, alcoholic hallucinosis.

Childhood and adolescent alcoholism is manifested by the absence of binge drinking, somatic symptoms are quite rare, and the clinical emphasis is focused on the mental status (characteristics of the patient). This is the only type in which psychosis almost does not occur, due to the high resistance of the young body. The only psychopathic disorder characteristic of this type is pathological intoxication.

Alcoholic psychoses are divided into acute and chronic based on their duration. Acute psychoses are delirium tremens (delirium tremens), acute alcoholic hallucinosis. Chronic ones include chronic hallucinosis, alcoholic paranoid, Korsakoff psychosis, alcoholic pseudoparalysis, Benyami's disease.

Alcohol delirium

According to data on acute alcohol use disorders, the most common type is delirium delirium (81% of all types). Develops against the background of withdrawal syndrome from the first to the third day. The previous period of alcohol consumption lasts about 10 days. Patients experience hand tremors, severe sweating, rapid heartbeat, visual illusions appear over time, partial disorientation, and sudden changes in mood are possible. Illusions become more complex and take on the character of hallucinations, body temperature increases to 40 degrees. Lasts on average 3-7 days. Goes away after a long deep sleep. To reduce the duration of alcoholic delirium, detoxification therapy and antipsychotic treatment are necessary.

Alcoholic hallucinosis

Among the psychoses characteristic of those suffering from true pension alcoholism, the predominant position is occupied by alcoholic hallucinosis (62% of all mental disorders in this group.) It is divided into three types:

spicy;
subacute;
chronic;

Acute occurs more often against the background of abstinence and has the character of psychopathology. At first, against the background of intermittent sleep, the patient begins to perceive noises and sounds in an incoherent, disordered form. Then the sound hallucinations acquire a more specific form, which at first has a neutral attitude towards the patient; over time, they acquire the character of condemnation, threats, commands directed directly at him. Visual visions may be added, accompanied by tactile illusions of perception.

The patient begins to behave in accordance with his hallucinations, making attempts to hide, run away, arm himself with something, and attack others. It occurs rapidly, most often in the evening and at night, and can last from several days to several weeks. The precursors of this disease will be restlessness, anxiety, and low mood.

The subacute type differs from the acute type by a long (up to several months) period of development, with stages of exacerbations. Symptoms of this type:

auditory;
tactile hallucinations;
anxiety;
sadness;
fear;
inactivity;
possible inclusion of delusions of self-blame.

The content of the hallucinations is quite realistic and devoid of fantasy. The images are very bright and flexible. This type of hallucinosis can go away on its own, without the use of intensive care. During the period of independent reduction, a gradual decrease in the feeling of fear occurs, the mood is normalized, verbal hallucinations disappear, and criticism is restored to its state.

Chronic hallucinosis in alcoholism is a consequence of previously suffered acute or subacute types of this disease. Unlike the first two, it has a more blurred picture of the course and less vivid hallucinations, which acquire a pseudological character. The patient has a critical assessment of the details of his condition and is aware of the presence of a mental disorder in himself. An in-depth interview with a specialist reveals the patient’s perception of his visions as true hallucinations. However, the structure of thinking is disrupted, delusional ideas are mixed with manifestations of healthy introspection, and the former still prevail over the latter. It lasts up to several months, in some cases up to a year.

Important: Despite the ability to self-heal in acute and subacute types of the condition, patients require specialist supervision, because This pathology is dangerous due to the presence of suicidal tendencies and an increased level of aggression towards others.

Famous TV presenter Dana Borisova was a drug addict. All these years she shone on television, always looked gorgeous, but no one even guessed what she had to go through in those moments. She tried to numb her fears and pain with drugs and alcohol.

Alcoholic delusional psychosis

This is a group of psychopathologies manifested by severe delusional formation. Includes the following types of alcoholic psychoses:

pathological intoxication;
alcohol paranoid;
alcoholic delusions of persecution;
alcoholic delirium of jealousy;
alcoholic delusions of self-blame;
alcoholic delirium of poisoning;

A person suffering from delusional psychosis experiences symptoms such as inadequate reactions to actually occurring events. Emotions are dominated by confusion, anxiety, and fear. Behavior is unpredictable and impulsive. The duration of psychosis is a non-specific characteristic, i.e. the intensity of manifestations may vary throughout the day, or may persist for a long period. It should be remembered that all types of alcoholic psychosis are a borderline state with a number of other mental illnesses. The differential diagnosis is established by a psychiatrist-narcologist.

Pathological intoxication

This is acute alcoholic psychosis, the clinical manifestations of which are the most paradoxical. There is no clear description of the symptoms. The paradox is that it does not directly depend on the duration and amount of alcohol consumption. The reasons for this condition are not clear. According to a number of versions, it is activated by a hereditary predisposition, the presence of concomitant diseases, or the characteristics of the body’s biochemical processes. The influence of external environmental factors, such as a change of place of residence, characteristics of the profession, and family situations is allowed. This is the only condition that can occur in all three types of alcohol disease, including childhood and adolescent alcoholism.

The question of whether hallucinations are present in a state of pathological intoxication has not yet been clarified.

In addition to relatives and casual eyewitnesses, pathological intoxication is regularly witnessed by emergency medical personnel who are called to a patient with supposed delirium tremens. However, there are a number of significant differences. First of all, delirium tremens occurs during the period of withdrawal syndrome, and this condition occurs immediately after drinking alcohol, perhaps even once. An important difference will also be that in a state of alcoholic delirium, the pseudologic of the patient’s mental illness is noted, and in pathological intoxication, reactivity changes at lightning speed and regardless of the circumstances. Goes away on its own after a long sleep.

Fact. According to a number of data, the most illustrative and at the same time sensational example of this type of alcoholic psychosis can be considered the behavior of the head of the capital’s police department, who used his service weapon in a Moscow supermarket, killing and injuring several people.

Alcohol paranoid

Alcoholic psychosis of this type is a type of acute psychosis. Develops more often with true retirement alcoholism. Characterized by the presence of symptoms such as severe anxiety and fear. It can manifest itself both in the stage of withdrawal syndrome and during the period of alcohol consumption in chronic alcoholism. Dominant thoughts, ideas, insights appear that the world around is determined to destroy the patient’s condition, which he himself sees as harmonious. In combination with ideas of one’s own super-value and egocentricity, reasoning arises that seems logical to the patient, aimed at identifying elements of influence on his personality and environment.

An example of the behavior of such a group of patients is a well-known character - an outwardly quiet alcoholic who gets drunk alone at home and then terrorizes his family. Such a patient, when trying to penetrate his personal space, displays a picture of aggressive reactions, with pronounced verbal delirium of a manic-depressive nature.

A very unfavorable form of alcoholic psychosis can provoke open antisocial behavior. The course of this form of pathology leads to violence or suicide. Without psychiatric and drug treatment, it only develops, and it is extremely difficult to motivate the patient for treatment, since he will see everything as a conspiracy against himself.

Advice! The only way to persuade a patient to undergo treatment is to play along with him, taking on the secondary role of an intermediary between the characters invented by the patient and the specialists of the medical institution. For example, agreeing to the existence of a conspiracy and including the hospital as a safe place in the structure of the fictional world.

Alcoholic delirium of persecution

This type of alcoholic psychosis is not much different from paranoid. However, the patient is able to clearly specify the participants in his delusional structure, while the agents will not always be animated; ideas such as a conspiracy of trees or stones, weather, are often observed, but the most common is a conspiracy of aliens. It also requires medical correction, with drug treatment and other types of rehabilitation. Without the intervention of specialists, it develops steadily.

Alcoholic delirium of jealousy

Alcoholic psychosis of this type develops at stages II–III of alcoholism and is characterized by the presence of delusional ideas on the topic of adultery. It accounts for 1–3% of the total number of mental disorders due to alcoholism. Mostly men suffer from it. Development occurs gradually. Most often, it affects people whose character, even before the onset of this disease, is dominated by traits such as suspicion, self-centeredness, and distrust of people. At first, the patient periodically, in a state of intoxication, expresses far-fetched claims to his wife regarding her fidelity; after some time, the thematic delirium develops more and more and begins to be permanent, including during periods of sobriety. Over time, false memories (not to be confused with hallucinations) may appear; the patient begins to believe that infidelity on the part of the spouse was present throughout their entire life together. It begins to seem to him that everyone around him is discussing the situation in his family; in any conversation with an outsider, he begins to see hints and ridicule. No reasonable arguments have any impact on the patient. A person becomes prone to aggression when sorting out relationships. Moreover, it is directed exclusively at the wife, to the prospective lovers, even if they are well known to the patient, there are no negative emotions. The course is chronic, with periodic exacerbations. The patient's behavior is appropriate - there are attempts to follow the wife, to catch her at her word, and a desire to check personal belongings: purse, phone, even underwear. At the same time, confirmation of betrayal is successfully “discovered” everywhere.

Important! Alcoholic delirium of jealousy does not go away on its own. Even in cases where a course of treatment for alcoholism has been completed and a stable sober state has been achieved over a long period of time, delusions of jealousy remain. Correction by a psychiatrist is necessary.

Alcoholic delirium of self-blame

Very often, with prolonged alcoholism, a peculiar disorder arises, expressed in the form of delusions of self-blame and self-abasement. It is characterized by the patient’s desire to blame himself for real, but more often imaginary offenses, crimes, sins and mistakes. The person believes that he is worthy of serious retribution. Attempts at self-punishment by causing physical harm to oneself, including suicide, are possible. The patient imagines that everyone around him knows about his unworthy behavior and condemns him. Feelings of fear and anxiety increase. During the development of this condition, the patient may even contact law enforcement agencies with a request to bring him to justice both for imaginary crimes and for very real ones committed by other people.

Fact. Psychiatrists-narcologists believe that this disorder does not have a direct correlation with alcoholism. This is a type of severe endogenous depression or a symptom of the so-called bipolar disorder, the exacerbation of which is provoked by alcoholism. This disease requires urgent treatment in a psychiatric hospital.

Alcohol poisoning delirium

With this type of disorder, the patient begins to feel that everyone around him or a specific person has the intention of mixing poisons into his food and water in order to harm his health and life. This is also a type of bipolar personality disorder, the trigger for which is, among other things, long-term alcohol dependence. Drug treatment for this type of patients fades into the background, and first of all, psychiatric inpatient treatment is needed.

There are true alcoholic psychoses, accompanied by delusional states, hallucinosis of various types (delirium tremens, pathological intoxication). But there are also mental illnesses (endogenous depression, various types of schizophrenia and some types of psychoses) that can develop regardless of alcoholism. In fact, alcohol abuse can act as a trigger for them.

Chronic alcoholism is increasingly being diagnosed among the population. Against the background of alcoholism, a pathological condition such as alcoholic psychosis often develops. According to statistics, about 10% of alcoholics suffer from this disease.

Doctors are absolutely sure that psychosis is a direct consequence of alcohol abuse. If a person drinks alcohol only periodically, albeit in large quantities, then psychosis does not occur. But those who have a painful attachment to alcohol are at risk of developing acute alcoholic psychosis.

Symptoms of alcoholic psychosis

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The signs of alcopsychosis are quite diverse, but each of its forms differs in some features. There is also a general sequence of manifestations that fall under this diagnosis. Among them are the following symptoms:

sleep problems;
increased anxiety;
increased activity;
sudden and frequent mood swings;
inability to sleep at night;
hallucinosis;
feeling of persecution;
pseudoparalysis of the body or limbs;
paranoid state;
symptoms of eye problems such as nystagmus or fixed gaze;
lethargy or detachment;
fear associated with hallucinogenic creatures and pictures;
suicidal tendencies;
unreasonable aggressiveness;
crazy thoughts.

There are additional symptoms of alcoholic psychosis that arise against the background of pathologies accompanying alcoholism. For example, most alcoholics suffering from delirium tremens also have additional manifestations associated with intoxication: nausea and vomiting, chronic weakness, etc. This is why many alcohol addicts in a state of delirium tremens believe that their poor condition is due to an attempt by relatives to poison them.

Causes of alcoholic psychosis

Alcopsychosis, regardless of its etiology, is formed not due to the consumption of alcoholic beverages, but as a result of prolonged intoxication with ethanol breakdown products. This explains the fact that alcohol-type psychosis is found only in alcohol addicts with the second or third stage of dependence. Against the background of everyday drinking, the liver, kidneys and other structures of the body are gradually exposed to the toxic effects of alcohol, which negatively affects their ability to remove toxins. Toxic alcoholic substances accumulate in the body, which is why it gradually gets used to this state of affairs and adapts.

Experts also identify other factors that contribute to the development of alcohol psychosis:

Deep depression or stressful conditions.
Traumatic injuries due to falls such as concussions, etc.
Infectious lesions of the body.

A characteristic feature of metal-alcohol psychoses is the fact that they occur during or after prolonged drinking conditions. During binge drinking, toxins accumulate in the body, and when a person suddenly stops drinking, the mechanism for the development of alcopsychosis is triggered.

Psychotherapists and narcologists distinguish several types of alcoholic psychoses:

delirium or delirium tremens. Occurs as a result of a sudden cessation of alcohol consumption. An alcoholic has trouble sleeping at night, his hands are shaking, he is constantly fussing and is in an anxious or depressed state, his mood is constantly changing;
hallucinosis. Typically, hallucinosis is most common among alcoholics who have many years of experience as an addict. Alcoholic hallucinosis can be recognized by the presence of characteristic visions and auditory hallucinations. Moreover, the patient is of sound mind, clearly understanding where he is and with whom;
paranoid This form of alcopsychosis is characterized by the presence of delusional thoughts and a lack of ability to reason sensibly. The patient has an elevated temperature, chills and hypersweating, he is bothered by migraines and is irritated by every little thing, there are sharp surges in pressure and tachycardia.
pseudoparalysis Occurs during long-term chronic alcoholism in people who prefer to drink surrogate alcohol. Manifested by tremors, pain in the limbs, incoherent speech and lack of pupillary response;
rave. Typically, delusional psychoses occur in alcoholics who drink in unfamiliar places and with unfamiliar people. The patient’s mind becomes clouded, he imagines a conspiracy directed against him, that they want to deceive him, kill him, etc. The patient distorts any fact in his favor.

These are the most common forms of alcopsychosis, there are many more of them - polyencephalitis of the hemorrhagic type, encephalopathy, antabuse psychosis, dipsomania, etc.

Features of treatment

In most clinical situations, it is recommended to immobilize the patient to avoid irreversible consequences, because in such a state the alcoholic can harm others or himself. This is the only way to stop irreversible brain damage in a timely manner.

Where to go for help

In such a situation, the necessary assistance to the patient can only be provided in a drug treatment clinic. Modern drug centers provide not only medical services, but also employ qualified psychologists and psychiatrists who can provide highly qualified assistance for alcoholic psychosis and help the patient overcome addiction.

First aid for alcoholic psychosis

With alcohol psychosis, there is a real threat of death for the alcoholic, so treatment must begin at the first signs of the disorder. Before the doctors arrive, the patient must be calmed down; if this does not work and the patient resists, then he can even be tied up. Since the patient’s body in such a situation is severely dehydrated, it is recommended that he be given more fluids. You can apply cold to your head. But calling a doctor absolutely cannot be postponed.

Consequences of alcoholic psychosis

Not all patients are able to fully recover from alcohol psychosis. Residual consequences often include:

decreased mental activity;
difficulties with remembering new information and loss of existing knowledge from memory;
primitiveness of thinking and reasoning, etc.

If an alcoholic has experienced several attacks, then he exhibits signs of such obvious stupor that the person partially or completely loses his ability to work. In severe forms of alcohol psychosis, it even comes to personal degradation, chronic psychosis and epilepsy of alcoholic origin. In such cases, it is almost impossible to rehabilitate the patient.

Prolonged consumption of alcoholic beverages in any case has an impact on the psyche of a previously healthy person. The disorders that alcohol provokes (more correctly, the products of its breakdown) are all kinds of psychotic disorders that differ in clinical picture and symptoms. Acute alcoholic psychosis, schizophrenia, pseudoparalysis, delirium and hallucinosis are not all the disorders that can occur in an alcoholic. The first manifestations of acute mental health disorders can be observed both after 10 years of alcohol abuse and after three years of “experience”.

Alcohol psychosis: what is it?

Alcoholic psychosis is a general concept of all psychotic disorders that were provoked by prolonged alcohol use. Ethanol breakdown products negatively affect all organs, especially the cerebral cortex and nerve cells. Against the background of alcoholism, complex and often irreversible dysfunctions of internal organs and metabolism develop. Surrogate alcoholic drinks are especially dangerous. For the first clinical manifestations in this situation, a long period of time is not required; it is enough to abuse alcohol for 2-3 years.

In turn, alcoholic psychoses are divided into:

alcoholic pseudoparalysis;
alcoholic delusional psychosis;
hallucinosis;
Korsakov's psychosis;
delirium tremens (delirium tremens);
alcoholic schizophrenia;
pathological intoxication;

Treatment of alcoholic psychosis and its duration depend on the stage of the disease (as a rule, hospitalization is carried out in the later stages of alcoholism), etiology and pathogenesis. Any violation that was provoked by alcohol intoxication requires immediate hospitalization in a hospital clinic. Often alcoholics in this state pose a danger to others and behave inappropriately and aggressively. In acute forms of the disease, there may be a risk to the patient’s life - the development of heart failure, stroke, heart attack.

More about alcohol: delirium, pseudoparalysis and epilepsy

Post-alcohol “delirium tremens” is the most common diagnosis for alcohol addicts who, after a long binge, stop drinking alcohol (usually develops on the 3-4th day of sobriety). The course of this disease is characterized by the patient’s violent reaction to sound and light stimuli; he is haunted by hallucinations of various types (tactile, visual, audio). Motor agitation and poor sleep are constant companions of the disease.

An increase in symptoms is observed in the evening and at night, the patient sleeps in fragments for several hours, the sleep is disturbing, accompanied by nightmares and sudden awakenings. Hallucinations manifest themselves depending on the individual characteristics of the alcoholic’s character: for a person who is calm in life, hallucinations will appear in the form of small insects; for people with increased aggression, characteristic visual hallucinations will be devils, deceased relatives, rats, etc. The first attack of delirium manifests itself most acutely, everyone else regresses, becoming more frequent but less impulsive. The duration of symptoms is 3-5 days. Treatment is inpatient.

Alcoholic pseudoparalysis

Chronic alcoholic psychoses against the background of constant use of surrogates are accompanied by the manifestation of a condition such as pseudoparalysis. The patient cannot control his body, imaginary paralysis of the lower extremities occurs without an obvious clinical picture. Most often, such conditions are observed in alcoholics who drink low-quality alcoholic beverages, medicinal tinctures, and home-made moonshine. The course of the disease is accompanied by:

lack of reaction of the pupils to light changes;
pain in the lower extremities;
hand tremors (both during a hangover and in a normal state);
vitamin deficiency due to an inadequate diet;
dysarthric speech, inhibited reaction;
tendon dysfunction;
polyneuritic phenomena.

The prognosis for pseudoparalysis is positive: after 2 days the patient’s condition stabilizes and symptoms disappear.

Epilepsy due to alcoholism

Epileptic seizures occur during periods of abstinence from alcohol. Epileptiform seizures are associated with general intoxication of the body. Accompanied by loss of consciousness, muscle spasms of the whole body, throwing the head back, pain and cramps. The duration of the attack is 2-3 minutes. Often the first attack is the most serious. Further alcohol abuse provokes the formation of a chronic disease.

Alcoholic encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis

Diagnosed in persons who have consumed alcohol of dubious quality for a long time (surrogate, tinctures, alcohol pharmaceutical drugs). The disturbances mainly affect the patient's memory. An alcoholic with Korsakoff psychosis cannot remember basic things: when was the last meal, who is the neighbor, what is the name of the child, etc.

The symptoms resemble amnesia. This condition is also associated with impaired coordination of movements, changes in visual and auditory perception, while the core of the personality remains unchanged. An alcoholic does not orient himself in space, and all movements and actions are performed on the territory of the bed or room. A distinctive feature of this disorder is the verisimilitude of the stories: the patient talks about events that allegedly happened in his life. At the same time, all the stories look believable and real. Thus, the brain tries to resume thinking and memory.

Alcoholic encephalopathy

This disease is typical for people who drink alcohol in large doses for a long time. Encephalopathy is the result of constant exposure to ethanol breakdown products on the nerve cells of the brain. Destruction of nerve bundles occurs as a result of severe intoxication of the body and a lack of B vitamins. Conventionally, it can be divided into acute and chronic encephalopathies (the most common type is Gaiet-Wernicke). Hospitalization and subsequent treatment are mandatory, otherwise the disease ends in death.

Neurological disorders are extensive and permanent:

cardiac dysfunction;
change in heart rate;
fever with difficulty breathing;
sphincter weakness;
increased muscle tone with cramps of the lower extremities;
hyperkinesis;
paralysis of the extraocular muscles;
polyneuritis;
weight loss, decreased or complete lack of appetite;
nystagmus.

General physical condition is associated with progressive weight loss. The skin also changes: characteristic signs are redness of the skin of the face and body, the appearance of spider veins and pigmentation of a different nature (usually dark brown in color). Treatment of alcoholic psychosis of this nature depends on the degree of complexity. In acute and pathological diseases, complete restoration of functions is impossible.

Alcohol paranoid

One of the types of alcoholic psychosis, which is accompanied by manifestations of aggressive delirium towards family and friends. Occurs during a period of abstinence from alcohol after prolonged heavy drinking. Delusional ideas alternate with obsessive thoughts, jealousy, and a worldwide conspiracy against them. Alcoholics think that some group of people is out to kill or rob. Confusion is accompanied by attacks of panic and anxiety.

Actions in this state are often impulsive: the patient, in a fit of fear, may jump out of a moving vehicle, start running, or call for help. Attacks of aggression that are directed at relatives and people simply surrounding them are justified by an imaginary conspiracy against the patient. Delirium may also be accompanied by illusions, visual hallucinations that resemble delirious symptoms. The course of alcoholic paranoid is short-lived - up to 7 days. Prolonged psychosis for more than a month is even less common.

A characteristic distinctive feature of this condition is the occurrence of primary delusions, which do not depend on the hallucinations that occur from time to time. The structure of its development follows a paranoid type (dependence on psychogenic circumstances). Symptoms with a certain paranoid structure are diagnosed less often (the reaction of an alcoholic depends on hallucinatory manifestations). Alcoholic paranoid is accumulated fears that the patient experiences again and again in a state of severe alcohol intoxication, or in the moment after a hangover.

Most often, relatives and friends who suffer from this disease are forced to endure aggression, jealousy and shouting at them. What to do in case of aggressive behavior of an alcohol addict? An ambulance and hospitalization in a psychiatric or drug treatment department is the best solution for both the patient and his family. Treatment at home is often impossible for a number of reasons. Among the main problems is the patient’s refusal to abstain from alcohol.

Alcohol psychosis: treatment and prevention

The toxic effect on the nervous system creates complex and life-threatening conditions. The clinical picture in some cases is accompanied by aggression towards others, psychosomatic manifestations and a violent reaction to outside help. An alcoholic at the moment of mental arousal is inadequate and dangerous to the environment. Crime reports are often accompanied by murders (suicides) due to alcohol intoxication. It is for this reason that it is important to call an ambulance at the first alarming clinical manifestations, accompanied by:

sudden change in mood;
apathy followed by aggression;
lack of appetite;
sleep disturbance or its complete absence;
obsessive ideas;
fantastic stories that could not have happened in the patient’s life;
aggression towards offers of any help from family and friends;
intoxication even from small doses of alcohol;
impulsiveness and unpredictability of behavior;
pathological jealousy, especially if this character trait has not manifested itself before.

Alcoholic psychosis, its symptoms and treatment depend on the stage of the disease, as well as on the patient’s concomitant chronic diseases. First aid in this case is to isolate the alcohol addict from his usual environment and carry out therapy aimed at removing toxins from the body. Naturally, it is impossible to carry out such events at home. The prognosis, in most cases, depends on the desire of the patient himself to recover and understand the cause of all his troubles.

Alcoholism is a factor that causes previously intelligent and purposeful people to degrade. A decrease in the level of material security also affects the increase in alcohol consumption. However, education and constant preventive educational measures will help raise a healthy nation without alcohol and drug addiction.

At stages 2-3 of alcoholism, alcoholic psychosis often develops, manifested by a combination of mental disorders. Most often it occurs either during a period of binge drinking, at its height, or after several days of abstinence, especially if the binge was interrupted abruptly. The most common manifestation of alcoholic psychosis is delirium tremens (delirium), a frequent accompaniment of withdrawal symptoms. Hallucinosis, characteristic of patients with a significant history of alcoholism, is observed somewhat less frequently. Typical manifestations of psychosis also include alcoholic paranoid – delusions of persecution, jealousy.

Delirium, hallucinosis, alcoholic paranoid – a triad of the main components of alcoholic psychosis. Binge alcoholics also suffer from other mental disorders: depression, encephalopathy (pseudoparalysis, Korsakoff psychosis), epileptic seizures. In patients with severe organic lesions of the central nervous system, pathological intoxication is possible, manifested in the form of acute paranoid or twilight disorder of consciousness.

If you notice symptoms of a mental disorder in an alcoholic, you should immediately contact a drug addiction specialist. A person in such a state poses a danger to others and to himself.

Almost 80% of manifestations of alcoholic psychosis occur due to delirium tremens. Abstinence leads to the development of alcoholic delirium; usually symptoms appear on the second day of abstinence from drinking alcohol, but sometimes they can occur after a week. The Latin name delirium tremens (shaking stupor) reflects the main symptoms of this disorder - tremor, confusion. Periods of darkness are replaced by light intervals, more often the condition worsens in the evening and at night. In acute alcoholic delirium, the following are observed:

increased anxiety, mood swings, insomnia;
psychomotor agitation, disinhibition, expressive, changeable facial expressions;
clouding of consciousness, manifested by disorientation in time and space, frightening visual, tactile, and less often olfactory hallucinations (devils, aliens, monsters, insects crawling on the body, hair in the mouth). At the same time, orientation in one’s own personality is preserved;
trembling, pale or red skin, muscle weakness, rapid heartbeat, low-grade fever, increased sweating.

In atypical forms of delirium, hallucinations can be scene-like and fantastic in nature. Delirium tremens can become chronic, prolonged, with symptoms appearing over several months. Prolonged delirium is accompanied by twitching of the limbs, fever, sweating, and psychomotor agitation. Often a person makes monotonous movements related to his professional activity. There is also exaggerated delirium, in which a person is detached from reality, makes chaotic movements, and mutters something incoherently.

Alcoholic hallucinosis develops at the peak of a long binge or shortly after its end. Acute alcoholic psychosis manifests itself in the form of hallucinosis in patients over 40 years of age with a history of the disease of 10 years or more. It is characterized by a predominance of auditory hallucinations; voices push a person to aggressive actions. Auditory, less often visual, hallucinations are accompanied by delusional ideas, increased anxiety, and a feeling of fear.

Unlike delirium, with hallucinosis the patient not only realizes who he is, but also maintains orientation in time and space.

Protracted forms of hallucinosis last for several months and even years.

Manifestations of paranoid

Alcoholic paranoid develops in people suffering from alcoholism for 12-13 years, and usually becomes chronic. This condition is characterized by delusional obsessions, its main manifestations:

Delusions of persecution;
Alcoholic delirium of jealousy.

Less common are delusions of relationships (everyone despises and hates me), delusions of self-blame (I deserve to die) and others. A patient with delusions of persecution is convinced that they want to kill, rob, or torture him. Excessive anxiety and suspicion leave an imprint on the patient’s behavior; he is often confused and frightened.

Alcoholic paranoid is a state in which a person is capable of impulsive actions:

running away from home;
aggressive behavior allegedly for the purpose of self-defense;
fighting an imaginary enemy;
contacting law enforcement agencies with complaints of persecution and requests for protection.

Alcohol paranoid may be accompanied by visual and auditory hallucinations. Men are characterized by alcoholic delusions of jealousy; the alcoholic begins to suspect his wife of infidelity, reproaches her for coldness and evasion of marital duties. Symptoms increase gradually, at first the person becomes suspicious, then rude, unrestrained, and moves from verbal reproaches to insults and assault. As the disease progresses, the list of the wife’s “sins” increases; if the patient has children, he begins to doubt his own paternity. This is a very dangerous mental disorder; under the influence of delusional ideas, an alcoholic can beat his wife and even commit murder.

Alcoholic encephalopathy, epilepsy

Alcoholic psychosis can manifest itself in the form of encephalopathies, in which mental disorders are combined with somatic and neurological ones. For the development of diseases in this group, 5-7 years of alcohol abuse are enough. The risk of alcoholic encephalopathies increases with the consumption of alcohol substitutes, which cause severe harm to health. There are acute and chronic forms of this disease.

The development of Heine-Wernicke encephalopathy begins with the appearance of symptoms of severe delirium (obsessive movements, muttering, withdrawal), and an anxious-delusional state is also possible. Then disturbances of consciousness of varying depths appear, from stupor to stupor (stupor) and even coma. The disease is characterized by the following somatovegetative and neurological symptoms:

impaired muscle tone, oculomotor activity, hyperkinesis, increased sensitivity to pain;
progressive asthenia, dizziness, imbalance, headaches;
sleep and memory disorders
disorders of appetite and digestion, leading to exhaustion up to cachexia;
respiratory and cardiac disorders, fever, abnormal skin color.

Quite often, the progression of this form of encephalopathy leads to death. Its transition to other forms (syndromes) is also possible - Korsakoff psychosis or pseudoparalysis. Korsakov's psychosis is more typical for drinking women over 40 years of age; it is manifested by severe memory impairment, amnestic syndrome, disorientation, impaired reflexes, and possible atrophy of the muscles of the limbs. Pseudoparalysis is more common in men; its symptoms are: memory disorders, dementia, impaired critical attitude to reality. Long-term consumption of alcohol, especially low-quality alcohol, can also trigger epileptic seizures.

Therapy of alcoholic psychosis

If a patient is diagnosed with alcoholic psychosis, he needs hospitalization and treatment under the constant supervision of specialists. First, the patient is examined to clarify the nature of the psychosis: it can be not only alcoholic, but also alcoholic-traumatic, requiring more complex treatment. Treatment of alcoholic psychosis begins with infusion (drip) therapy. During the procedure, it is important to fix the patient in bed.

Medical personnel should carefully note symptoms and, if necessary, make adjustments to treatment.

For delirium, in addition to the standard infusion therapy indicated for withdrawal syndrome, a number of drugs are prescribed to normalize the mental state: seduxen, haloperidol, aminazine or tizercin. It is also necessary to administer nootropil and vitamin B. For hallucinosis, they mainly resort to injections of haloperidol, triftazine, tizercin. Alcoholic paranoid, including alcoholic delusions of jealousy, requires treatment with antipsychotics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, and vitamin therapy. In the treatment of alcoholic encephalopathies, an important role is played by therapy with vitamins and nootropic drugs.