At the end of a hard day at work, you want to relax with a glass of wine or a can of beer. Apparently what if you drink alcohol every day "for pleasure"?
The so-called "evening alcoholism" does not provoke open disapproval from society. At first glance, nothing bad happens: there is no instant withdrawal syndrome from a glass of vodka. But frequent use of alcohol affects the human body, regardless of the "elite" of drinks. Successful young people aged 25-40, buying expensive cognac, don't even notice that the last link in the alcohol chain is in the same queue with them: a gaunt, unshaven man in wrinkled clothes. If he hints that this is his possible future, they will surely be offended. However, if a person drinks alcohol every day, he will soon have to pay not only with money, but with health, family ties and position in society.
The insidiousness of ethyl alcohol
The amount of alcohol consumed in terms of pure alcohol should not exceed 5 ml / day (women) and 10 ml / day (men). It is best to divide it into several tricks. That is, 25 ml of strong drink, 100 ml of wine, 250 ml of 3-4% beer drunk at the festive table will not bring destructive harm to a woman's body (for men, the amount is doubled). However, the frequency of use of even these "harmless" doses makes them dangerous.
The destruction of the body begins gradually. It directly depends on age, health, weight, hereditary predisposition. With an unfavorable coincidence of these factors, the first stage of alcoholism can occur in six months or in a year. And a person who abuses alcoholic beverages will live the rest of his life on alcoholic drugs.
Psychic changes
Since the daily use of alcohol is aimed at rapidly achieving a psychotropic effect ("relaxation"), psychological dependence occurs first. After a week, a person gets used to relieving stress in this way, relentlessly to sober up, and after a year they forget that it could be different.
The main symptoms of what is happening in the body:
- Insomnia. Despite the strong hypnotic effect of ethanol, the phases of healthy sleep are disrupted under its influence. The dream becomes deep narcotic or vice versa: brief, restless. Subsequently, a person has to drink alcohol just to fall asleep.
- Nervousness and irritabilityThe constant presence of alcohol in the blood causes a lack of oxygen in the brain. Along with sleep disturbances, this leads to fatigue, leading to earlier alcohol consumption. This is how a "vicious circle" forms.
- Reduce the criticality threshold. A person begins to react sharply to comments ("Yes, I drink constantly, but what is so terrible about that? "). He constantly finds new reasons to drink.
- Find a reason. Little by little, festive parties and small doses are replaced by copious drinks on television every night. The patient is willing to blame the whole world in order to have a formal reason to take another dose.
- Increasing aggressiveness. It is in the first and second stages of alcoholism that most domestic crimes occur. Imaginary courage makes you seek adventure, the case often ends in fights.
Physiological changes
The consequences of prolonged alcohol intake are irreversible disorders in the body.
- Change in the composition of the blood. Literally a few hours later, glucose levels drop, thrombus formation increases, and blood circulation worsens.
- Avitaminosis. In the context of general intoxication, the lack of vitamins seems to be a small problem. However, it gradually leads to hair loss, destruction of tooth tissue, indigestion, and decreased immunity. Perhaps the development of anemia, early dementia, acute clinical depression.
- Aging effect. The classic signs of an alcoholic are swelling of the face, vascular "stars" on the cheeks, pale skin, or cyanotic purple. The person appears 10-15 years older than the age of the passport. The appearance of women changes especially quickly.
- Destruction of nerve cells and tissues of internal organs. Absorbed through the esophagus, ethanol with blood.It spreads to all cells in the body, gradually affecting the liver, kidneys, stomach, and brain.
Big belly and slim legs: all the "delights" of beer alcoholism
Beer is one of the most insidious drinks. Stores offer a wide selection of a wide variety of varieties, commercials urge you to "cool off. "Initially low psychological alertness, which is triggered by strong alcohol, leads to increased domestic beer alcoholism.
Unlike vodka, beer has a lower calorie content, is easier to tolerate, and has a mild hangover syndrome. However, if you drink it daily, the effects will be the same.
The elements that beer contains affect the production of hormones. In men with an addiction to beer, breasts grow, fat is deposited on the stomach and sides, the timbre of the voice becomes louder, impotence develops. If a woman drinks a lot of beer, she acquires masculine features: her voice hardens, antennae begin to grow above the upper lip, her figure becomes plump, masculine.
Beer alcoholism gradually destroys the hormonal system. Infertility, thyroid gland tumors, diseased pancreas - this is just a small list of problems from the abuse of sparkling drinks.
But beer has the most damaging effect on the heart. In people who regularly drink up to 3-5 liters of beer a day, the volume of the heart muscle increases several times. The so-called "bovine heart" effect occurs, which doctors call cardiomegaly. Muscle tissue gradually degenerates, shortness of breath appears, heart rate is disturbed. In the future, the "bull's heart" threatens serious complications.
It is important to remember that small doses of ethanol in beer lead to the formation of alcohol dependence. Only it is much more difficult to track it.
Is the truth in the wine?
Speaking of the relative usefulness of wine, doctors refer to beverages that are products of grape fermentation, with a concentration not exceeding 13%. A glass of dry wine a week will not do any tangible harm.
However, excessive passion for them has the same sad consequences that arise when drinking alcohol. Wine causes the destruction of the limbic system of the brain, responsible for memories and emotions. Wine abuse leads to memory loss, dementia, premature dementia, and impaired consciousness.
Red wine is contraindicated for migraines, high blood pressure, diabetes, gastritis. White wine has a negative effect on the pancreas and nerve cells in the brain.
Dessert wines are high in calories, the combination of sugar and preservatives exacerbates the negative properties of ethanol.
Champagne wines, due to saturation with carbon dioxide, accelerate the absorption of alcohol into the blood. How much can a person drink at a festive table so as not to get drunk on champagne? Literally a glass. Also, individual reaction can be unpredictable.
Alcohol and chemistry
Can I drink low-alcohol beverages in parallel with medication? The medical answer will be categorical: no!
Even "harmless" antipyretics like aspirin and acetaminophen, when combined with exposure to ethanol, can cause sudden stomach bleeding or anaphylactic shock.
When trying, it is worth leaving even small doses of alcohol at night. Ethanol increases the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics, increases the side effects of many drugs. Also, the disease itself is a contraindication.
You should not find out experimentally what will happen if you drink alcohol along with the medication. There is a high probability of complications, even fatal.
Memo for the environment
It is worth worrying if:
- your loved one drinks more alcohol every day (including low-alcohol drinks);
- became irritable, nervous;
- have symptoms of intoxication (hangover syndrome);
- complains of depression, insomnia, nightmares;
- they do not spend vacations in the house without alcohol.
When the first symptoms appear, it is important to convey to the person the need for treatment. However, you cannot talk to an alcoholic when they are under the influence of intoxicating drinks or have a hangover. Choose a convenient time, do not insist, speak calmly, quietly. Seek professional help if necessary.
Remember: if one spouse drinks alcohol, there is a danger that the other spouse will become addicted.