It takes months to get into a habit, and it takes years to get rid of it, and not everyone succeeds.

If a person has at least two of the following symptoms, it's time to think about treatment:

• Alcohol is used more and more often, at first it happens from time to time, once or twice a month, then every weekend, then already in the week. A trend towards more frequent drinking is a clear sign of the development of addiction.
• Increasing the dose: small volumes of alcohol no longer have the expected effect, more and more is required for pleasure.
• Quality requirements, on the contrary, are reduced. If, for example, there is not enough money for good alcohol or it is impossible to get it, the alcoholic agrees to use cheaper drinks.
• When a person does not need company and a reason to drink, this clearly indicates alcoholism. In addition, many addicts resort to drinking alcohol alone to hide the disease.
• Willingness to spend on alcohol funds intended for other purposes, set aside in reserve. The desire to drink wins over common sense.
• Depressed mood, irritability, nervousness in the inability to drink. A person experiences an irresistible desire to feel the effect of alcohol on himself, and if this does not happen, he begins to get nervous. Conversely, when it is known that booze will soon appear, the alcoholic experiences joyful excitement, is in high spirits.
• Increasing tolerance to alcohol. As the drinker becomes addicted, the healthy response to the toxic effects of ethanol disappears. The gag reflex is absent even after significant amounts of alcohol.

The first signs of alcohol addiction:

• negative changes in appearance;
• manifestation of previously unusual traits: irascibility, irritability, impulsivity (or their aggravation);
• deterioration of cognitive functions (ability to concentrate, memory, assimilation of new information);
• changes in health status (problems with teeth, hair, skin, digestive organs, blood vessels appear).

Alcohol is a toxic substance that, when ingested, decomposes into an even more toxic compound.

External signs:

• unhealthy complexion, dull sagging skin;
• decrease in the elasticity of the skin, "sagging" of the oval of the face;
• yellowish tint of the skin, mucous membranes, eye sclera, which indicates problems with the liver;
• pale with a blue complexion, speaks of problems with blood vessels and circulation in general;
• dark circles under the eyes;
• swelling of the face, limbs, bags under the eyes;
• the appearance of rosacea - bursting small vessels on the nose, near it, on the cheeks;
• rapid aging of the skin.

Women are more prone to care about appearance than men, however, in alcoholics, the desire for beauty disappears over time. In the early stages of addiction, they may try to mask face problems with make-up and pay attention to skin care.

Clothes, hairstyle

A rare woman will allow herself to appear on the street in an inappropriate form. Most even go to take out the trash with makeup and hair. Alcohol addiction frees you from worries about appearance.

A woman who drinks or is in a state of withdrawal may leave the house with a disheveled head, dirty or in need of repair clothes. Sometimes an alcoholic can be identified by an outfit that does not correspond to the weather and even the season. Dirty clothes, uncleaned shoes, greasy hair that has not been cut for a long time, the unpleasant smell of an unwashed body - these are clear signs of alcoholism.

Looking at herself in the mirror, a person addicted to alcohol may be horrified and remember her gender. In such cases, flabby skin of an unhealthy color is covered with a thick layer of foundation and blush.

Skin and hair

In alcoholics, the body is dehydrated due to improper distribution of fluid under the influence of ethanol. The kidneys, for the implementation of the filtration function, pull off large volumes of moisture. Due to constant dehydration, the skin ages many times faster, wrinkles appear. Hair becomes dry, brittle, lose pigmentation early.

Voice, figure

Ethanol negatively affects the liver and organs of the endocrine system. As a result of the systematic use of alcohol, their functionality decreases. As a result, there is a hormonal imbalance.

Due to alcoholic liver damage, the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates slows down. This contributes to their deposition, so the waist of a woman who drinks is swollen, a flabby stomach appears, and weight is added. At the same time, muscle fibers become weaker and thinner. The lack of nutrients and essential minerals leads to osteoporosis and disorders in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. As a result, the gait changes, the smoothness of movements disappears.

Alcoholism in men usually develops more slowly than in women. However, they are more susceptible to it, due to physiological characteristics, they can drink more and feel better at the same time. The male body quickly copes with the incoming ethanol, as the liver more actively produces the enzymes necessary for its utilization.

Modern life with its speeds, endless and huge flow of information, brings people into a state of permanent stress. Problems in the family aggravate the matter, the search for one's social role.

Almost every person in the mind has some image of an alcoholic: a dirty, unshaven man in "pants", with a corresponding specific smell, a swollen face. However, not all of them look like this. Many of the alcohol-addicted people are able to control themselves for some time, go to work, and perform social functions. The further the disease progresses, the more the man turns into that same man, but this does not happen immediately.

You can identify an alcoholic by the way he looks.

Looking closely at a man, you can tell in appearance how often he is applied to alcohol:

• the skin becomes flabby, unclean, acquires an unhealthy color (reddish, bluish, at an advanced stage - purple);
• swelling appears on the face and body, bags under the eyes, the eyelids become swollen;
• if liver problems have begun, the skin and sclera of the eyes may be yellowish;
• due to damage to the peripheral nervous system, intentional tremor is observed - a disorder of fine motor skills of the limbs, expressed in trembling, involuntary small movements.

As the disease progresses, the manifestations become more noticeable. Men, like women, eventually stop paying attention to the condition of their clothes, do not visit a hairdresser, may not shave or take a shower.

Even in the early stages of development, alcohol dependence can be detected by some signs. The patient begins to look for a reason to drink, justifying his drunkenness. The impetus for drinking alcohol can be any minor event, which a healthy person would not even think of celebrating with alcohol.

When dependence is formed, alcoholism passes into the second stage, men devote less and less intellectual effort to finding a reason.

Another warning sign is an increase in dose. Gradually, alcoholism leads to the fact that small volumes of alcohol cease to have an effect, in order to feel euphoria, relaxation, a man needs an increasing amount of alcohol. For this reason, another symptom of alcohol dependence is also manifested - the anxiety that “not enough”, the desire to get more booze.

The inability to take alcohol (lack of money, late hours of the day, the need to work) leads a man to despair, he becomes irritable and nervous. And vice versa, the anticipation of drinking makes him joyfully excited, cheerful.

Another sign of alcoholism is the desire to make “stash”. The discovery of hiding places with alcohol should lead relatives to the idea of ​​the need for treatment.

Talking about addiction is most often unpleasant for alcoholics, and they leave them by all available means.

If a man has at least one of the listed signs, this is an alarming sign. Relatives and friends need to take action: to convince a person to undergo treatment.

Signs of alcohol addiction in men are as follows:

• Often drinks with the company and begins to use various alcoholic beverages on his own;
• The desire to drink becomes irresistible, the man loses interest in other activities, recreation, does not want to spend time with his family;
• There are absenteeism at work;
• The amount of alcohol consumed is on the rise;
• The hangover is quite severe, after a stormy evening, a severe headache and a general deterioration in well-being overcome;
• Dependence on alcohol acquires a psychological character - if there is no drinking, then the mood disappears, aggression appears, in the presence of alcohol the situation immediately changes, the man becomes more cheerful;
• The protective reactions of the body are clearly reduced - after drinking there is no nausea and vomiting, but they appear after eating.

Signs and manifestations of alcohol dependence in men

The symptoms of alcoholism are very diverse. The most frequent are as follows:

• Aggression. Observe a tendency to irascibility, assault, violation of self-control.
• Memory impairment. Its progression over time with alcohol is observed.
• Change in cognitive abilities. Degradation is noted, mental capabilities are minimal.
• Disease susceptibility. It is associated with a change in the immune status of the body.
• Tremor. The main reason is the toxic effect of alcohol on brain structures.
• External changes. Appear over time, hyperemia and swelling of the face are characteristic.

• a change in a person's personality, a lack of criticism of oneself;
• cravings for alcoholic beverages;
• inability to control their actions;
• violation of the work of all organs and systems of the body;
• a change in memory, a violation of the ability to remember, the loss of certain moments of life;
• emotional instability, lability of emotions;
• denial of an existing problem;
• addiction of the body to high doses of alcohol;
• changes in the mental sphere (hallucinations, delusions, epileptic seizures);
• neurological disorders.

Stages of alcoholism in men

Alcoholism sneaks up unnoticed, although everyone knows that drinking is harmful, they still allow drinking alcohol. The complexity of alcohol addiction is that it is quite difficult to recognize its development in the early stages of formation. Statistics inexorably show that usually alcoholics turn to specialists for help already too late, when the disease has not only become stronger in psychophysiological terms, but has also led to some pathological consequences, often irreversible.

It is impossible to determine that a person is addicted to alcohol by how much alcohol he consumes, because each organism has its own measure. Therefore, an alcoholic with the same probability can be someone who drinks several bottles of vodka, and who is used to drinking a couple of glasses of strong liquor at dinner every day.

The symptoms of alcoholism in the early stages are blurred, practically do not manifest themselves, which only complicates the recognition of the problem. Alcoholism is not yet so pronounced, a person has only an attraction to the use of strong drinks. Sometimes there may be transitions from episodic to systematic drinking. But such transitions are not pronounced, since for some periods of time a person may not drink alcohol.

In the early stages of addiction development, warning signs are:

1. Craving for alcohol. A beginner alcoholic has no desire to get drunk until he loses his memory, he just wants to drink, so he looks for various reasons for this. In such a situation, the desire to drink is conscious and cannot be considered as subconscious, but this is the first wake-up call.
2. Alcohol tolerance. A similar symptom is manifested in the fact that in order to achieve the desired degree of intoxication, a person needs to consume a larger dose of alcohol.
3. Loss of the gag reflex when too much alcohol is drunk. It's just that the body gradually loses the ability to recognize ethanol as a strong toxin, it simply absorbs it, and quickly enough.
4. Having a hangover. This condition is accompanied by severe headaches and a deterioration in general health. A person sees salvation in the next portion of alcohol. Sometimes a hangover is replaced by a new drunkenness, then an even more severe hangover occurs, which is also removed by alcohol. As a result, a binge begins, which is characteristic of the later stages of alcohol addiction.

The initial stage of alcoholism lasts for a long time - up to 8-10 years. During this time, its signs gradually develop, manifesting themselves more and more intensely and brightly. And closer to the second stage, the signs of alcoholism are supplemented by manifestations such as sleep disturbances and lack of appetite, neurasthenic phenomena and sudden mood swings, vegetative dystonia, etc.

Experts distinguish three main stages of alcohol addiction, where each subsequent one is a consequence of the previous one.

Identification of female alcoholism

Women's alcoholism is considered to be less of a problem than men's. However, recently there has been a clear trend towards an increase in alcoholics among women. This is facilitated by the equalization of social roles: they work no less, and sometimes more than men, bear greater responsibility, but no one has canceled their old duties (bearing and raising children, maintaining a home). At the same time, they are more emotional and more difficult to experience stress, which makes them look for ways to relieve stress.

However, in women, alcohol intake leads to the development of addiction faster, the disease progresses more severely. This is due to the characteristics of the body. The activity of enzymes responsible for the utilization of ethanol is lower. The moisture content is also less than in the body of a man, so the concentration of alcohol when consumed is higher.

At the same time, women are more difficult to recognize themselves as sick, it is very difficult to convince them of the need for treatment. Even if an understanding of the disease comes, the majority categorically refuses to see a doctor, convincing relatives that they are able to overcome addiction on their own.

Unlike men's, women's alcoholism develops much faster, over a period of about 5 years. Ladies die from alcohol addiction also much more often and much faster. Recognizing female alcoholism can be somewhat more difficult, because the signs of addiction are noticeably reflected in appearance, especially on the face. Any lady is unpleasant with these changes, such as wrinkles and swelling, so women try to mask the signs of drunkenness with the help of cosmetics.

Like men, women's alcohol addiction goes through several stages. The first stage proceeds hidden, without any manifestations. The woman says that she drinks like everyone else - on holidays, but on closer examination it turns out that there are more and more "holiday" reasons. During feasts, the novice alcoholic talks loudly and a lot, behaves noisily, often offers drinks and taunts non-drinkers.

The environment of a woman starting to drink is also noticeably changing. Friends who do not have a penchant for drinking become not so good, relationships with them deteriorate. But the people who share the drink with her are getting closer. In the process of drinking, a woman loses her sense of proportion. A woman simply does not control the amount of drink, so every feast for her ends in an unconscious state.

This stage can last for a 5-year period, after which it is replaced by the second stage of alcohol addiction, for which the presence of an abstinence syndrome is typical. To return to a normal state, a woman definitely needs to drink again. In the future, the condition only worsens, and the resulting symptoms are similar to male alcoholism.

Male alcoholism

Most often, men drink alcohol in order to temporarily get rid of the constant burden of responsibility. Usually they are responsible for the financial support of the family, which explains the huge burden. It is alcohol that helps to relax, temporarily forget about existing problems.

Also, a common problem for men is the inability to manage their emotions. Constantly accumulated tension should be removed, come out, but males try to remain calm and keep everything in themselves to the last. When the problems that have piled up become unbearable, they can break into a binge and give free rein to their emotions.

Often there is also a hereditary factor. Often alcoholism is a genetically determined disease.

Consequences of alcoholism in men

No matter how strong the body is, the consequences of alcohol addiction will not be long in coming. They can be divided into two large groups:

• physiological;
• psychological.

Associated with the work of organs and systems of the body. The most common problems:

• Impotence. Associated with a violation of the hormonal background of a man, which occurs as a result of a change in the normal production of testosterone.
• Pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, gastritis and peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum are detected. Symptoms are very characteristic - a pain reaction that occurs at least 30 minutes after eating.
• Arterial hypertension. Alcohol can damage the walls of blood vessels, which leads to a gradual change in their structure, disruption of innervation. As a result, arterial hypertension develops.
• Pathology of the liver. The liver is the main processing factory of our body. With a massive alcohol attack, its cells are damaged and undergo necrosis. There is a replacement of normally functional tissue with one that cannot perform basic functions. The functionality of both the liver itself and other organs and systems is impaired.
• Decreased immunity. By affecting the immune status, the body becomes susceptible to many infectious diseases.
• Heart disease. Associated with the direct effect of alcohol on the walls of blood vessels, which in the future is the main cause of formidable pathologies, for example, myocardial infarction.

This group is represented by the development of the following reactions:

• Delirium of persecution. Manifested by an obsessive feeling of constant control, surveillance.
• hallucinations. They can be both visual and auditory. Difficult to distinguish from real events.
• encephalopathy. It is associated with a violation of blood circulation, as a result of which there is insufficient nutrition of the brain. As a result - a disorder of the basic functions of the body.

Changes in behavior

Personality changes in alcoholism are a kind of manifestation of mental problems, which consists of moral, spiritual and social components.

After a person consumes alcoholic products for a long time and in large quantities, his mental state can change in two ways - a vivid manifestation of emotions, which is replaced by complete disappointment and tearfulness.

Stages of alcoholism

The direct human desire to drink more and more every day, and the resulting inability to control one's own behavior, can be conditionally divided into several stages.

At the first stage, a person drinks more and more each time, which leads to a certain loss of self-control.

The state appears as follows:

• swagger in behavior;
• inability to remember certain events;
• feeling unwell;
• sleep problems.

At the same time, he himself zealously condemns alcoholics, believing that it is just a hobby for him, with which he is ready to end at any moment.

This stage is already chronic, in which there is a persistent desire to drink, since alcohol is now the only hobby, and the morning hangover is now mandatory, which certainly leads to binges. Here the need to drink is already manifested at the physiological level, and a sober person already becomes angry and depressive.

Attention!

The second stage is called the late stage, during which disturbances in the functioning of the body occur. Degradation in this case already occurs at the physiological level, as brain cells are destroyed. There are pronounced problems with speech, coordination and thinking.

Already literally at the second stage, the so-called alcoholic character begins to form in a person, which manifests itself as:

• lack of critical perception of one's own life;
• decrease in intelligence;
• increased emotionality;
• tearfulness;
• deceit;
• the inability to communicate and behave adequately in society.

Judging by all the symptoms of personality change in alcoholism listed above, degradation in a drinking person is noticeable, which is obvious.

In addition, over time, in order to return to his favorite state of intoxication, he begins to use much cheaper alcoholic products that are surrogates, such as colognes, medicinal tinctures, pharmacy alcohol, and so on. Of course, this further aggravates the state of shaky health.

Alcoholism is a chronic pathology that develops over time and leads to a gradual, not inexorable destruction of human health - physical and mental.

Exposure to ethanol and its metabolites (especially acetaldehyde, the strongest toxin) leads to necrosis of brain cells - the death of brain regions.

Mental disorders in alcoholism are a direct consequence of damage to the central nervous system.

At the initial stage of alcoholism, an emotional dependence on alcohol is formed, which makes a person more and more deeply involved in a previously uncharacteristic way of life. There is a change in his life priorities: soon everything that is not connected with drinking and intoxication fades into the background.

The alcoholic loses interest in work, in the family, in his favorite business, ceases to monitor his appearance. Later, when there is a physical dependence on alcohol, the change in the psyche and thinking becomes even more profound. In fact, all the thoughts of the addict become directly or indirectly related to alcohol - a person develops a kind of alcohol psychology.

In a state of withdrawal syndrome - a condition that is very characteristic of acute (second) stage alcoholism - the first signs of mental degradation begin to appear in the drinker. Drinkers at the stage of a hangover (withdrawal syndrome) experience:

• Anxious conditions;
• Fear;
• Irritability;
• Panic;
• Aggressiveness;
• Suicidal moods;
• Apathy.

At the third, chronic stage of alcoholism, the destruction of the psyche reaches its peak. Alcoholics at this stage lack elementary personal characteristics - will, ability to make decisions, assessment of their own behavior. Patients develop such traits as egocentrism, deceit, irresponsibility.

Memory is disturbed (an alcoholic may not remember the events of his own life), speech functions, attention and self-control are weakened, thinking becomes stereotyped and superficial, horizons narrow inexorably. In the end, there is a complete and irreversible change in the mental structure, and only a creature with conditioned (alcoholic) reflexes remains from the former personality of a person.

Mental disorders in alcoholism to one degree or another are observed in all addicts. The most severe forms of mental and nervous disorders are as follows:

• Alcoholic hallucinosis;
• Delusional psychoses and paranoid states;
• Delirium;
• alcoholic epilepsy;
• encephalopathy.

Real psychoses develop more often in the second and third stages of alcoholism after 5-7 years of regular drinking. The second stage of alcoholism is characterized by acute forms of mental illness, the third - subacute or chronic disorders. Let us consider in more detail the most characteristic psychoses in alcoholism.

Alcoholic hallucinosis is a psychosis with a predominance of verbal (auditory) hallucinations, accompanied by delirium and anxiety. Auditory hallucinations may begin with vague sounds, shouting or mumbling, which then turn into voices that are clearly audible to the sick person.

These voices can talk among themselves or comment on the actions of the patient, blame him, insult him, or vice versa, encourage him. In rare cases, auditory hallucinations are accompanied by visual hallucinations - usually of a threatening and nightmarish nature.

Hallucinosis in alcoholism can be:

• Acute (with a predominance of disturbing auditory hallucinations), lasting several days, less often several weeks;
• Subacute - in this case, verbal hallucinations are accompanied by depressive or delusional disorders (duration - 2-3 months);
• Chronic, lasting from six months to several years - the patient constantly hears dialogues or voices commenting on his actions.

Delirium

Delirium (the infamous delirium tremens) is an acute psychosis that develops against the background of alcoholism. Delirium is accompanied by a narrowing of consciousness, the occurrence of hallucinosis and motor excitation.

The classic form of delirium tremens occurs at the peak of withdrawal: the severity of delirium can be aggravated by concomitant somatic diseases (in the second stage of addiction, an alcoholic, as a rule, accumulates a whole bunch of such diseases).

Delirium begins with autonomic disorders, restless sleep with severe nightmares, abrupt mood swings, vague images that the patient sees in surrounding objects (pareidolia).

Then there are true hallucinations in which the patient himself takes a direct part. The scenes that arise in an upset psyche can be very different, but they all have a threatening character: the patient can see ropes choking him, reptiles, insects, devils, and other fantastic creatures.

Hallucinations are complex in nature - they are accompanied by visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory sensations. The motor excitation of the patient reflects the nature of the developing delirium - a person can fight an invisible enemy, escape from invisible snakes, etc. Hallucinosis in delirium tremens develops mainly in the evening or at night.

Delirium can be short-lived, but more often lasts about 3-5 days.

delusional psychoses

A change in the psyche in alcohol dependence can lead to the development of delusions of persecution: the alcoholic begins to suspect others of bad intentions and the desire to harm him. The paranoid state may be accompanied by hallucinations and motor excitation: the patient suddenly takes to flight or begins to hide from imaginary enemies.

Another kind of psychosis is the delusion of jealousy: an alcoholic begins to be unreasonably jealous of his wife and suspect her of infidelity. The condition is usually accompanied by loss of erectile function due to alcoholism.

Any mental disorders aggravate the course of alcoholism: their appearance is a clear sign that it is time for the patient to seek medical help and begin immediate treatment.

An alcoholic does not need to look for a reason to drink, but at first he still tries to find excuses for taking alcohol. The reason for the "holiday" can be anything. It can even be the end of the working week, and in advanced cases, the end of the working day.

In the early stages of addiction, a woman gets drunk quickly enough, due to physiological characteristics. In the second stage, tolerance to alcohol is developed. Small doses do not bring the desired effect, so she begins to drink more and more alcohol or switches to strong drinks.

Alcohol affects the central nervous system and mental state: cognitive functions deteriorate, intellectual level decreases, moral principles change. It is easier for women who are dependent on alcohol to have sexual relations, often with unfamiliar people.

Behavior can be cheeky, sometimes aggressive. Some alcoholics experience irritation with family members. When drunk, they provoke or aggravate conflicts, show verbal or physical aggression towards children. Can get and adults, it depends on the character. Some, on the contrary, become whiny, demand indulgence, self-pity.

Causes of alcoholism in men

Many people think about what are the factors in the development of alcoholism. Why it happens to one person but never happens to another person. The reasons for the development of alcohol dependence in men are quite well studied by researchers and are divided into the following groups:

• biological;
• psychological;
• social.

This group includes features of the formation of the human body. These can be congenital metabolic disorders (improper metabolism leads to the rapid formation of dependence), a history of mental illness (depression, dissociative disorders), a genetic predisposition (descendants of alcoholics are more susceptible to alcohol dependence in the future).

Here it is worth noting the specific features of the personality itself. These include emotional background, lability, psychological instability, weak motivation, lack of any life goals, psycho-organic disorders, problems with communication in society.

Social

Forms its own micro- and macroenvironment. Often determined by mentality. One of the features of this is the use of alcoholic beverages on holidays, after a hard day at work, on weekends.

Alcoholism is a pathological dependence on the consumption of alcohol or alcoholic beverages. This pathology in our days responds well to treatment both with medication and with the help of psychotherapy. If you have symptoms of alcohol addiction in your loved ones, you should contact a specialist.

Experts say that it is possible to recognize alcohol dependence even at the earliest stage of the development of the disease. Alcoholism is a complex disease, the insidiousness of which lies in the fact that even the closest people are often unable to notice exactly when a member of their family has a chronic addiction. A person can always find a reason to drink:

• relieve stress and nervous tension after a hard day;
• birthday of a friend or colleague;
• corporate event, etc.

How to identify an alcoholic in the first stage of the disease? It is difficult to identify developing alcoholism, but it is quite possible. The constant search for an excuse to drink is the very first symptom of addiction. A person certainly needs to “relax” on the weekend, while the reason is simply masterfully searched for.

Many publications and glossy publications call constant lies and the ease of making promises one of the main signs by which a drinker can be identified, arguing that a person with a sober outlook on life is more balanced about his own words. However, such statements cannot be considered a serious basis for determining addiction, because an ordinary frivolous dreamer and talker can be a convinced teetotaler.

The main signs of an alcoholic are:

• strong craving for alcohol;
• increased tolerance to alcoholic beverages;
• loss of the gag reflex in case of overdose;
• having a hangover.

With the development of the disease, small doses of alcohol no longer have any effect on the body, and in order to achieve the necessary state of euphoria, the amount of drinking increases significantly. It is at this stage that a stable physical dependence begins to form, and the sense of proportion gradually disappears. Even when drunk, a person continues to drink alcohol and strive to prolong the state of intoxication as long as possible.

The body ceases to perceive alcohol as a toxin, and the rate of assimilation of alcohol increases significantly. The onset of a hangover is accompanied by severe headaches, a feeling of complete weakness and loss of vitality. The only and strongest desire is to receive a new dose. A binge begins to form, which is almost impossible to stop on your own.

The signs of an alcoholic include violations of the work of various organs and systems of the body against the background of alcohol abuse. The speed of transition from the second to the third stage depends on many factors:

• character;
• hereditary predisposition;
• gender;
• general health.

Someone finally becomes an inveterate drunkard in just a couple of months, immoderately drinking only beer, while others will need several years of unrestrained drunkenness, until the personality is completely degraded.

The effect of alcohol on appearance

Everyone knows what experienced alcoholics look like. Puffy faces, bags under the eyes, the earthy tone of prematurely aged skin, the lack of even a glimmer of intelligence, painful thinness, puffiness and a whole network of purple spider veins. The spectacle is of course a little aesthetic. But characteristic features appear already at a deep stage of dependence.

At the stage of formation of alcoholism, there are no such external manifestations yet, so it is necessary to pay attention to other signs:

• indifference to what is happening around;
• passive, inert behavior;
• lethargy and lack of interest even in your favorite business;
• the appearance of attacks of causeless rage;
• constantly changing mood;
• irresistible desire to drink.

Drunken alcoholics are almost never sober. They are easy to distinguish by their appearance. It is during this period that the features of a characteristic “face” first appear, there is a violation of coordination of movements, a specific smell. There are chronic pains in the region of the heart and right hypochondrium, the sclera of the eyes turn yellow, which indicates disorders in the liver. The skin is especially affected - flabby, porous and overdried, a clear indication that it is necessary to tie up with drunkenness.

"The face of an alcoholic" - characteristic features

There is another completely reliable way to recognize an alcoholic at an early stage of the disease. If we compare a healthy and dependent person, one can find one rather interesting difference - after a stormy feast and immoderate drinking, a healthy person will make every effort to put his body in order and will not even look in the direction of alcohol for a long time. Suffering from alcohol addiction will definitely hangover and will look forward to the next booze.

What does the result of immoderate and constant use of alcohol look like? First of all, the skin suffers, since abuse disrupts the normal functioning of the kidneys, the appearance of edema, bags under the eyes and swelling of the face and limbs is quite natural. The source of other manifestations of changes in appearance is neurological disorders, as a result of which various muscle groups of the face form a special mimic pattern, which is denoted by the term "alcoholic's face".

The characteristic appearance of abusing strong drinks:

• tense forehead against the background of relaxed facial muscles (stretched face);
• wide-open and deeply sunken eyes;
• deepening of the upper part and weakening of the lower part of the nasolabial fold;
• dilated nostrils;
• weakened eyelids;
• weakly compressed, thick lips.

Violation of blood circulation due to alcohol abuse leads to the appearance of a pronounced vascular network, especially noticeable in the nose and nasolabial triangle. Such changes can no longer be compensated with the help of cosmetic procedures.

An alcoholic has his own, very special "aroma", which cannot be confused with any other. But in addition to olfactory identification signs, a drinking person has external characteristics that clearly distinguish him from the crowd.

The face of an alcoholic

By the reddened and swollen face, you can recognize the drinking character even in cartoons. Redness is caused by high blood pressure and a fast heart rate due to the body's fight against toxins. Blood rushes not only to the limbs, but also to the head. Therefore, there is a blush on the face of a drunk person. But in those who abuse alcohol on a regular basis, the vessels do not withstand and are damaged, which subsequently causes persistent bluish and burgundy bruising. In addition, due to the large amount of toxic substances, oxygen to some parts of the body completely ceases to flow.

That is why a burgundy-bluish face (more often a blue tint acquires a nose) is perhaps the first thing that comes to our mind if we are asked to describe a classic alcoholic. Over time, the shade changes to a yellowish-earthy, which may indicate the presence of serious problems with liver functions.

In addition to the specific color, alcohol gives the face some puffiness. To remove alcohol from the body requires a large amount of water. It is necessary for the implementation of chemical reactions that contribute to the breakdown of ethanol. The water balance in the body is quite shaky, and as a result of the loss of even a small amount of fluid, dehydration occurs, and the body seeks to compensate for this shortage as quickly as possible.

A drinking person is tormented by a strong thirst, which he tries to quench with a huge amount of water, which, in turn, is absorbed for a long time in a poisoned body. And when too much fluid accumulates in the body, it begins to store all the available water, which leads to swelling of the face, hands and feet.

Another characteristic feature of the "alcoholic face" is the constant tension of the frontal muscle, while all other muscles of the face are relaxed. As a result, the face sinks and takes on an oblong appearance. The nasolabial fold in the upper part deepens, while its lower part is smoothed out and becomes less deep. Visible wrinkles form at the inner corner of the eye, causing the eyes to look more sunken. The nostrils expand, the lips become thicker and are constantly in a closed state due to the fact that the round muscle of the mouth relaxes. Because of this, alcoholics tend to have a puffy and stupid facial expression.

Learn by walking

Due to the negative effects of alcohol on brain cells, the vestibular apparatus of a drinker also suffers, which causes a disturbed gait. Problems with coordination remain even after a person stops drinking.

According to a study by a group of scientists from the Neurobehavioral Research Center in Honolulu led by George Fein, even after a person has given up alcohol abuse a few years ago, his physical form will not be the best. The researchers drew such conclusions by observing 200 volunteers. 70 people gave up the addiction within 15 weeks before the start of the study, and their tests were the most unsuccessful.

And even the years after giving up alcohol abuse could not fully return the person to normal. Thus, participants in the control group who had never been alcoholics performed better than those who had suffered from alcoholism several years ago in tests for “upright walking”. Dr. George Fane says that in former alcoholics, the balance is never fully restored at all. According to him, in the best case, you can expect 80-90% recovery, but no more.

Watch your hands

Hand tremor can occur not only in an alcoholic, but also in an average person who has allowed himself a little extra. Therefore, it is worth highlighting tremor as a sign of poisoning, and tremor as a sign of alcoholism.

In the first case, alcohol poisoning of the body simply goes hand in hand with a hangover syndrome. But more often the hands of alcoholics shake for another reason. Ethanol is already habitual for the body, it is no longer possible to stop drinking. Alcohol suppresses the nervous processes in the brain, which provokes intoxication. When alcohol is consumed constantly, the internal organs begin to work differently. Therefore, when an alcoholic stops drinking, it results in shaking. The nervous system is extremely overexcited. This can lead to very serious consequences - up to death.

No matter how ridiculous and ridiculous people with alcohol addiction may seem to us, alcoholism has been and remains a serious chronic disease that affects the entire body as a whole, which cannot but affect the appearance of a person.

How to know if you are an alcoholic

A person does not become an alcoholic in the most difficult stage at once. This is a gradual process that has several steps. And if you work in the alcohol industry, the risks increase. And the sooner you realize that you have problems, the easier it will be to get rid of addiction and not bring the situation to irreversible consequences.
A dependent person harms not only himself, but also the people around him. As a rule, people living next to a sick person need professional psychological help no less than the sick person himself, even if they feel quite happy.
Alcohol intoxication is poisoning. The severity of the consequences depends on how badly the person was poisoned. The ingestion of alcohol into the body is already harmful in itself. What exactly happens in the human body when alcohol enters it, says Kirill Afanasenko, head of the narcological department of the St. Petersburg Narcologist clinic:

Alcohol, that is, alcohol, has many useful properties, about which they sing songs familiar to all drinkers. Tasty, healthy, analgesic, vasodilating, but according to its chemical properties, alcohol in the body breaks down into aldehydes. Aldehydes are poison. A lot or a little - this already characterizes the degree of poisoning. There is no healthy alcohol. By definition, alcohol is a neurotropic poison.
Alcoholism is terrible because its consequences extend not only to a sick person, but also to his immediate environment. Most often, his family suffers, whose members, due to the aggressive behavior of the patient, can suffer not only psychologically, but also physically.
Neither the quantity, nor the quality, nor the frequency of use are decisive in terms of "drunkenness" and "alcoholism". These indicators can only add color to the picture, show details. The main difference between an alcoholic is obsession, that is, an obsessive desire to drink alcohol, despite the awareness of the harmful consequences for family, health, work, etc. The main thing that helps to determine dependence is an internal feeling of being wrong.

The simplest test for addiction is the question: “Did you promise someone that you would not drink?” AND? The addict promises but cannot keep the promise. It can't. Puts up a bunch of the most ridiculous explanations, promises again and so on in a circle. Until the thought creeps into my head: “Maybe something is wrong with me?”
It is very difficult for the patient himself to understand that he has become an alcoholic, because in most cases he no longer sees the measure and does not consider himself addicted. However, you should seriously consider if you have the following symptoms:

An obsessive desire to consume alcohol despite awareness of harmful social consequences.
- The desire to hangover not in order to be good, but in order not to be bad, i.e. hangover syndrome.
- Increasing the frequency of drinking and the amount of alcohol, i.e. the ability to drink more for the same effect.
- Notable health effects - nausea, pain in the liver and heart.
- And, finally, if you understand that alcohol interferes with you and harms you in life, but you cannot refuse it.

Ethanol compounds are able to penetrate the body and cause physical dependence. However, drunkenness has a psycho-emotional background.

Psychologists believe that there are types of people who are more prone to addictions:

• emotionally unstable people with nervous hysterical reactions to what is happening and having difficulty with motivation;
• people with infantile ways of responding to emerging difficulties, striving to avoid problems rather than solve them;
• people with low self-esteem, who do not understand how to express their own emotions, and experience difficulties with socialization.

Flabbiness of the skin

The epidermis on the face and body becomes rough and rough as the pores expand (therefore, impurities can more easily penetrate inside). The complexion changes and becomes earthy and uneven. Often there is redness in certain areas (for example, on the cheeks or on the forehead). Further, deep wrinkles form, the vascular network is more visible, and age spots appear.

Stages of alcoholism: influence on appearance and behavior

Alcohol dependence has 3 stages of development. Due to the individual characteristics of the body, changes in appearance and behavior may differ slightly. It has been proven that in men of dense build without health problems, alcoholism progresses more slowly. Women and adolescents are able to reach the third stage of alcohol dependence within 2 years.

Euphoric stage

This is the initial stage of the formation of dependence, which lasts from 1 to 5 years. A person regards alcohol as a pleasant addition to dinner or a stress reliever. Psychological dependence is formed. After a portion of drinking, a pleasant warmth spreads through the body, and thoughts seem to clear up. The person ceases to feel tired and is in a state of mild euphoria.

At the initial stage of the disease, the appearance of an alcoholic practically does not change. Changes occur in the psyche. A feeling of guilt is formed, which the patient tries to drown out with new portions of alcohol. The person becomes irritable, especially if it is a woman, and regularly looks for an excuse to drink. It is at the first stage that it is easiest to convince her to begin treatment for female beer alcoholism.

This must be done very tactfully, as harsh statements can cause a novice alcoholic to become isolated. Medical practice shows that when a person moves away from loved ones, alcoholism progresses faster. Psychologists who specifically develop a program of motivation for treatment will help to avoid misunderstandings.

The second stage of alcoholism is like running in a vicious circle that lasts up to 10 years. A person does not yet feel danger, but can no longer live without daily infusions. A physical dependence develops, which is similar to withdrawal in drug addicts. A distinctive feature of the second stage of alcoholism is the withdrawal syndrome.

In the second stage of dependence, the appearance and behavior of the patient change dramatically. The face of an alcoholic becomes puffy, and the gaze rarely focuses on one point. Trembling appears in the limbs, which disappears only after drinking. The psyche breaks down. The generally accepted norms of behavior become insignificant.

Stage of apathy

The final stage of the development of the disease. Changes in the Central nervous system are irreversible. A person is not able to solve elementary problems. Often, patients are unable to take care of themselves. There is a persistent physical and psychological dependence on alcohol. The main symptom is rapid intoxication after taking a small dose of alcohol.

At the third stage of alcoholism, all the signs of a drinking person appear, which are often used by multipliers. The figure becomes disproportionate. A person is losing weight, but the stomach bulges due to atrophied abdominal muscles and an enlarged liver. Due to constant dehydration, the eyelids swell, so the eyes are almost invisible. So-called "brylya" appear. Thin capillaries on the nose and cheeks burst, which makes the face of an alcoholic appear red.

Without proper treatment, the patient's life expectancy is no more than 10-15 years. That is how long it will take the green serpent to finally destroy the vital organs. A person can still be saved if you resort to the help of narcologists and psychologists, encode, use hypnosis for alcoholism in Moscow. Only complex inpatient treatment can bring an alcoholic back to life in the third stage of addiction.

A person who abuses alcohol is visible from afar. When close to a drunkard, an unpleasant smell is felt and incoherent speech is heard.

But even if he is washed and dressed in expensive clothes, his posture, appearance, and especially his face will betray a real alcoholic. Especially brightly negative influence of alcohol is shown at women.

From this article you will learn how the face of a drunk changes and what are the reasons for such metamorphoses.

In today's world, alcoholism remains a huge problem. Every third person addicted to alcohol will die prematurely. According to statistics, 2.5 million alcoholics die every year in the world, and 75 thousand in Russia, which is five times more deaths than in 10 years of the war in Afghanistan. Girls are especially terribly addicted.

Although the vast majority of people have not tasted alcohol, they have not become drunkards. However, reality shows that the problem is not receding. There can be many reasons:

• stress;
• imitating bad company;
• nervous tension;
• for relaxation.

In order not to become an impetus for the beginning of the fall, the characteristic appearance of an alcoholic will become visible in the shortest possible time, and, most likely, the changes will become irreversible.

Facial redness

One of the main external signs is the constantly red face of an alcoholic. In some places, the skin takes on cyanosis, even in culture there is a connection between a red nose and alcohol. This is due to the special effects of ethanol on the human body. When it gets inside, the blood pressure in the vessels rises, the pulse quickens. The heart pushes blood to the arms, legs, and also to the head.

The constant load on the vessels and capillaries wears them out, due to which some branches of the system become clogged. As a result, this results in the appearance of bruises, red spots and bruises. And to some areas, the blood cannot deliver oxygen and then the face becomes purple or blue.

At times, alcoholism makes the skin appear yellowish. Such a sign appears even if a small amount of alcohol has been drunk. This is due to a violation of the outflow of bile. Improper diet and problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract leads to jaundice. It is inherent in almost half of drunkards.

puffiness

In addition to changing skin color, alcohol also affects the shape of the face. Many have experienced the puffiness that accompanies a hangover.

If at first everything returns to normal, then the more and more often a person drinks, the more time is needed for rehabilitation. There comes a point when nothing can be changed.

At the same time, a woman, as well as a man, will not be able to hide the puffiness with cosmetics. Appearance cannot be corrected even in a photo using various editors.

Because of this, the water-electrolytic balance of the body is disturbed, leading to dehydration.

This process happens very quickly and signals are sent to restore the normal level of fluid, prompting the alcoholic to drink a lot.

However, regardless of the amount of water absorbed, thirst does not go away, dry mouth remains for a long time. This is because it is difficult for the body to absorb the incoming resource.

Is how alcohol affects the appearance of a woman different from the metamorphosis of a man? Undoubtedly. The metabolism of the female body is different from the male, it also has smaller reserves of moisture. As a result, dehydration and swelling of the face occurs faster and lasts longer. So, a nice woman can turn into an unpleasant alcoholic in a short period of time.

In addition to such vivid manifestations of alcohol dependence, there are other unpleasant effects.

Article reading time: 13 minutes

How to identify an alcoholic by appearance

With the constant use of alcoholic beverages, the appearance changes. Characteristic signs and pathological changes in the body are given, first of all, by the face of an alcoholic. Plunging into addiction, a person is disfigured almost beyond recognition.

The processes that occur inside the body, necessarily affect the appearance. The skin ages and acquires a purple-red hue, the nose turns blue and becomes covered with a vascular network, an unhealthy thinness appears.

Internal organs suffer, all systems, such as the endocrine, cardiovascular, genitourinary and others, appear and develop chronic diseases.

Usually it all starts with mild swelling and allergies, and ends with irreversible processes and often death. Throughout the world, alcoholism is not only an addiction, but also a disease. And it is this ailment, gradually poisoning the body, that makes itself felt in the face.

What can a person's face say?

Appearance of an alcoholic is a symptom that will betray the drinker, even if he carefully hides his problem with alcohol. Depending on the stage, the face can change almost beyond recognition. There is no external influence on the body. All processes proceed from within.

The liver and kidneys, our natural filters, are seriously failing. The metabolism ceases to function normally, as it is constantly under the influence of a dose of ethyl poisoning.

Appearance at various stages of the disease:

External signs of alcoholism make it easy to distinguish such people from the general mass. They are immediately visible by swelling of the body, complexion, cloudy eyes, red whites of the eyes, and impaired coordination.

But this state does not come at once, but develops gradually:

1. Appearance can remain almost unchanged. Only slight swelling will be visible. It seems as if the person is ill and feels unwell. But over time, alcohol is addictive and has a strong effect even on young people, not sparing their appearance. The face begins to swell, there is a rash, bags and dark circles under the eyes. A person gradually enters the second period of the disease, where even greater changes in appearance await him.
2. This stage is already chronic. Not only the face and body suffer, but social degradation also occurs. The heart, kidneys, liver, brain and body as a whole wear out. He is no longer able to remove excess fluid and gradually gains it, while the skin is dehydrated and loses color. A person ceases to take care of himself and his hygiene.
3. Significant lesions of the skin and internal organs. A person is waiting for necrosis, ulcers, the development of chronic or acquired diseases (cirrhosis and Hepatitis C) and, as the finale, a quick death. It will be difficult to recover from this stage. Because it is accompanied by diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, central nervous system, hepatitis. The organism is so poisoned and weakened that it cannot cope even with elementary functions. It is at this stage that the strongest swelling appears, the nose becomes covered with red-blue capillaries, hair falls out, nails become brittle and suffer from fungus.

Characteristic features of the face of drunken alcoholics

It is quite easy to recognize an alcoholic, precisely by external signs. The drinker is transformed beyond recognition. Among themselves, such addicts look like twins. Severe puffiness, due to bags, a reduced incision of the eyes.

The body is not able to remove ethanol, the fluid accumulates, and the internal organs cannot withstand the load. High blood pressure causes the face to turn red. And due to the fact that the frontal muscle is constantly tensed, it has an oval appearance.

The nose not only turns red, but also swells.

Violation of the capillaries makes the lips pale. Neuralgic changes also add their pattern to the face. Facial expressions are transformed and a special “alcoholic mask” appears.

The body is constantly fighting with toxins that it throws out through the skin. As a result, it becomes covered with a rash, acne, and becomes very dry, since alcohol causes dehydration.

This leads to the rapid appearance of wrinkles and aging. If you compare the photo some time ago before the onset of the disease and in its development, then the person will be almost impossible to recognize.

Causes of swelling of the face in drinkers

The reason that the face swells and after a while turns into a continuous edema is the frequent use of alcohol. After processing by liver enzymes, it is transformed into acetaldehyde. This substance is the cause of swelling.

It would seem that the body is dehydrated, but at some point the water-electrolyte balance is disturbed and swelling is a clear sign of this. The body is constantly in a stress reaction and constantly accumulates moisture. Lymphatic drainage slows down and the amount of water is delayed "in reserve".

Also, the obvious causes of swelling of an alcoholic are as follows:

1. alcoholic cardiomyopathy, ascites and other diseases;
2. kidney failure;
3. heart failure.

The mechanism of action of alcoholic poisons, regardless of the type of drink, is the same in terms of the effect on appearance. Surrogates and low-quality alcohol affect health faster. You can get rid of the effect of puffiness only by detoxifying for several months.

Why do alcoholics turn red?

Redness- this is a clear manifestation of the disease at a protracted stage, and by this sign you can immediately recognize the problem. When the nose turns red.

After taking a dose of alcohol, the face turns red after two to three hours, since the ethanol in its composition increases pressure, blood rushes to the head, and the vessels dilate.

Over time, their elasticity deteriorates, the capillaries clog and burst, and a circulatory network is formed mainly on the nose. Over time, microstrokes occur and the skin becomes covered with a vascular network. No cosmetics can hide this manifestation. It must be removed by special procedures.

Features of changes in men and women

Men. Representatives of the stronger sex do not consider beer alcohol. Although dependence on this drink causes the most inconspicuous and dangerous alcoholism.

When the booze becomes stronger and more frequent, the man changes before our eyes. The young drunkard outwardly turns into an old man. The face turns red, especially the nose, and withdrawal symptoms (puffiness of the body) appear. Then the man loses weight. The skin becomes flabby, muscle and bone tissues are destroyed.

This is a feature of the development of the disease at a serious stage.

Women. Outwardly, almost immediately you can determine that you are an alcoholic. And it's pretty easy to recognize. She starts to look much older than her age by about 15-20 years. It becomes more aggressive, as it receives an excess of the male hormone testosterone.

As a result, the pores are severely affected, and the skin condition worsens. Her cover becomes coarse and loses moisture. If a woman continues to use, she will quickly age.

Unfortunately, alcohol damage to the body is irreversible. Withdrawal syndrome (puffiness) partially remains with her until the end of her life.

How to restore a face?

It is possible to restore the face after a long alcoholism and return to a normal life.

Of course, correcting the consequences is much more difficult than preventing them. Complete refusal to drink alcohol will be the first step in adapting to social life. Then you can go through the process of detoxifying the body. This service is available in clinics and even in beauty salons and spas.

A person begins to gradually return to normal appearance, improving health. But recovery can take a month or even a year.

The body is weakened and will never be the same again, so it is necessary to take a break from stress and lead a more gentle lifestyle in which there is no place for alcohol. After all, drunkenness is a direct path to the destruction of your life. You can treat the consequences of its use, but it is better not to allow a tragedy.

How to identify the first signs of alcoholism?

Alcoholism is a disease accompanied by a painful attraction to the use of ethyl alcohol and alcoholic beverages.

Alcoholism is characterized by several stages, each of which has its own symptoms. The first signs of alcoholism are most often missed by the patient and others, the disease is usually diagnosed at a fairly advanced stage.

With the progression of the disease, the mental and physical dependence on alcohol gradually increases, tolerance to alcohol increases, withdrawal symptoms appear (hangover symptom) and palimpsests (lapses in the memory of events during which the patient maintains the appearance of adequate behavior). The last stage of alcohol dependence is characterized by multiple organ failure and complete disintegration of the patient's personality, with the loss of personal and social ties.

How to define alcohol addiction? To find out if your loved one has alcoholism, medical background information and consultation with a narcologist will help.

The sooner alcohol dependence is identified and the necessary measures taken, the greater the likelihood of a stable remission of the disease.

Causes of alcoholism

It is believed that the external environment contributes to the development of the diagnosis of alcoholism, but in fact everything is much deeper. Most people in their lives drink alcohol in varying amounts, but not everyone develops a painful addiction to alcohol. Ethyl alcohol has a toxic effect on human nerve cells, gradually changing the metabolism as a whole. The most sensitive to this influence are women, adolescents and people with a burdened alcoholic heredity.

Medicine divides the causes of alcoholism into physiological, psychological and social:

1. Physiological. These reasons include hereditary addiction to alcohol. Medical statistics confirm that in those families where parents were diagnosed with alcoholism, the likelihood of alcohol dependence in children is many times greater than in families of teetotalers.
2. Psychological. The initial intake of alcohol causes euphoria, so often people who find themselves in a stressful situation smooth out the psychological consequences by drinking alcohol. Despite the fact that this effect of alcohol is very short-lived, people with low stress resistance and inability to adapt to various life situations begin to relax with the help of alcohol and become addicted to alcohol.
3. Social. Parental drunkenness, an environment in which drinking is considered commonplace, bad company among teenagers - all these are social causes of alcoholism.

How to determine the stage of alcoholism?

Stage of pre-alcoholism

At this stage, addiction to alcohol is still not very pronounced. But a person already has positive emotions associated with the intake of alcohol. Friendly gatherings with alcohol become regular. After drinking alcohol, a person begins to feel cheerful, cheerful, liberated and happy. Gradually, alcohol becomes mandatory at all parties, and a feast without it is no longer perceived.

prodromal stage

This period is also called the zero stage of alcoholism. At this stage, gatherings with friends become regular (for example, on weekends). And accompanied by a lot of alcohol. The installation “buy alcohol in advance so that it is enough” appears. During this period, the first palimpsests appear in a person. Narcologists associate them with oxygen starvation of brain cells.

Already in the zero stage, a person loses control over the amount of alcohol consumed, the feeling of embarrassment from his behavior decreases. It is allowed to get drunk to the stage “face in the salad”. There is a desire to catch up with the company in intoxication, if a person joined the feast later, for which large doses of alcohol are drunk in one gulp. With an overdose of alcohol, the gag reflex persists. Withdrawal syndrome is not observed.
Most often, the zero stage of dependence on alcohol lasts about 6-12 months. If after that the intake of alcohol remains on the same scale, stage 1 of alcoholism begins.

The first stage of alcoholism

In stage 1, alcohol intake already becomes an end in itself. There is an obsessive desire to "drink" or "get drunk" in any situation, which is accompanied by emotional stress. Over time, the sick person begins to look for such situations from life and justify drinking alcohol with problems in the family and at work. Control over drunk alcohol is lost, and a person often drinks much more than he was going to at first, ending the intake of alcohol with an alcoholic sleep.

The number of palimpsests increases, and after taking alcohol, the patient becomes aggressive and irritable. The first problems appear in the social sphere. Susceptibility to alcohol decreases, to achieve the effect of intoxication, an increasing amount of alcohol begins to be required. Gradually, a person begins to feel his dependence on alcohol and give up alcohol for a while in order to convince himself that he is in control of the situation. Periods of abstinence usually end in aggressiveness and an alcoholic breakdown. The initial stage of alcoholism passes into stage 2.

The second stage of alcoholism

Stage 2 is characterized by an increase in tolerance to alcohol. Now, to achieve the usual effect of intoxication, many times more alcohol is required. This leads to the transition to cheaper varieties and the use of surrogates.
Control over the situation in a state of intoxication is finally lost, palimpsests increase. It is at this stage that a withdrawal symptom appears - a hangover, which is accompanied by a whole series of ailments from the nervous, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract.

The hangover is removed by the next intake of alcohol, and the person begins to "hangover". This, in turn, can lead to binges, when the morning “hangover dose” smoothly turns into another booze, thereby forming a multi-day circle of drinking. A sharp refusal of alcohol in the stage of binge can cause acute alcoholic delirium ("delirious tremens").

In Stage 2 of alcohol dependence, there are changes in the social and personal environment of the alcoholic. The family begins financial problems and conflicts associated with the aggressiveness of the drinker. The same period is characterized by the appearance of “stash”, created out of fear that at the right time it will not be possible to take a dose of alcohol.

Relationships with friends who do not support the lifestyle of an alcoholic are severed. There is a change in the circle of communication to "drinking buddies" and a sharp restriction of interests. Alcoholics in stage 2 often change jobs due to absenteeism and appearing at work drunk. The critical attitude to the situation is lost, life seems to be normal, and frequent dismissals from work are explained by the “finicky of the employer”.

Alcohol intake becomes dominant in everything, and all activities are perceived only from the point of view that they "do not interfere with the intake of alcohol."
In the 2nd stage of alcohol dependence, physical health worsens, impotence appears, and the first signs of multiple organ failure. The appearance changes dramatically, acquiring the characteristic features of an alcoholic.

In stage 2, a person can, under the influence of external factors (family, work), stop drinking alcohol for a short time (“tie up”). But any extraordinary situation again leads to a sharp alcoholic breakdown and hard drinking.

The third stage of alcoholism

Stage 3 alcohol dependence occurs after 10-20 years of alcohol abuse. This is the so-called chronic phase of the disease. During this period, all the signs of stages 1 and 2 of alcoholism are aggravated, but tolerance to alcohol is sharply reduced. Now, in order to reach the stage of intoxication, small doses of alcohol are required, about 200 ml (glass). Alcohol intake begins in the morning and is taken in small portions throughout the day, including at night. Intoxication is accompanied by lethargy, lethargy, clouding of consciousness and falling asleep. Often there are memory lapses. After awakening, an abstinence syndrome occurs, which requires an urgent intake of the next dose. Periodically, the amount of alcohol consumed per day begins to gradually decrease until the body completely rejects alcohol and a period of sobriety occurs (“clearance between binges”), which usually lasts several days and ends with another drinking bout.

In stage 3, personal and social ties are completely destroyed. Most often, such patients cannot work regularly and communicate with their families. The social circle is narrowed down to a few “drinking companions”. A person completely degrades, ceases to monitor his appearance and forgets about elementary hygiene procedures. Possible manifestations of alcoholic delirium ("delirious tremens"). Multiple organ failure develops. The life expectancy of patients in stage 3 does not exceed 5-10 years.

Alcoholism treatment

The diagnosis and treatment of alcohol dependence is carried out by a narcologist. Depending on the stage of the disease, treatment can be carried out in a hospital, a medical rehabilitation center or on an outpatient basis. First of all, you need to understand that alcoholism is a serious disease, which is almost impossible to cope with on your own. Treatment should be comprehensive and include physical and psychological care.

The traditional course of treatment for alcohol includes:

1. Detoxification. Medical removal of alcohol and its toxins from the body with the restoration of electrolyte balance, intravenous administration of vitamins (“removal from drinking binges”).
2. Physical recovery. Treatment of diseases associated with alcoholism (pancreatitis, hepatitis, cirrhosis), relief of the effects of hard drinking (exhaustion, etc.).
3. Psychological help. Alcoholism is not only a physical, but also a mental disease, so a patient with such a diagnosis needs to work with a psychologist to improve his psycho-emotional state and adopt a sober lifestyle.
4. Long-term rehabilitation

It is impossible to cure alcohol addiction, but it is possible to enter a lifelong remission, for this you should completely refrain from drinking alcohol throughout your life. This requires a long-term rehabilitation of such patients either at home under the supervision of a narcologist or in specialized institutions. During the rehabilitation period, round-the-clock consulting and medical assistance should be provided at the request of the patient.

How to recognize an alcoholic

The insidiousness of alcohol addiction is that it takes years to form, and it comes unnoticed. The thin line between occasional drinking and the first stages of alcoholism is erased in the usual friendly gatherings, corporate parties and birthdays, which are an integral part of our lives. Is it possible to recognize an alcoholic when the situation has not yet become critical, and provide timely assistance to a person?

What are the personality traits of alcoholics?

Ethanol compounds are able to penetrate into the biochemical processes of the body and cause physiological dependence. However, alcoholism has a psycho-emotional background.

Types of alcoholism and risk groups, details can be found at the link.

Psychologists believe that there are personality types that are more prone to addictions:

• emotionally unstable people with impulsive-hysterical reactions to what is happening and problems with motivation;
• people with infantile ways of reacting on emerging troubles, seeking to escape from problems, and not solve them;
• people with low self-esteem who do not know how to express their feelings and have problems with socialization.

In the minds of most people, an alcoholic is a downcast person with shaking hands, who is ready to do anything for a new dose. However, this is not always true. There are several types of alcohol addicts, which at first glance are not much different from ordinary people:

1. Household alcoholics. In the company, it is these people who are most worried about whether they have enough alcohol. They like to convince others to drink and are extremely persistent.
2. Secret alcoholics. For the most part, these are quite lonely people who are prone to depressive states. They carefully hide their addiction, preferring to drink only at home.
3. beer alcoholics. These are the people who cannot imagine their life without an evening bottle of beer. Gradually, the dose of the foamy drink increases, but the person categorically refuses to recognize the presence of an addiction.
4. Drunken alcoholics. They are difficult to recognize if you do not communicate with them constantly for a long time. They are able not to drink alcohol at all for several months, and then go into a long binge for a couple of weeks.

How alcohol addiction manifests itself in appearance

Ethanol in the body affects all internal organs, the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system, which leads to certain characteristic changes in appearance.

Alcoholics are characterized by:

1. Earthy loose skin. The reason for such metamorphoses is the lifestyle of a drinking person: he eats poorly, there is a lack of necessary trace elements. In addition, alcohol leads to thyroid dysfunction, which also changes the complexion.
2. Puffiness of the eyelids. Regular use of alcohol leads to a disruption in the normal functioning of the kidneys, due to which the removal of fluid worsens, and edema occurs on the face.
3. Red-blue spots on the face. Alcohol dilates blood vessels. With frequent libations, small vessels burst and move closer to the upper layer of the dermis. This is called vitriol, and it occurs most often in alcoholics.
4. cloudy eyes. In people who systematically consume alcohol, vision deteriorates, and the eyes begin to water. Turbidity is also caused by problems with the liver.
5. Expanded nostrils. Chronic swelling from alcohol leads to swelling of those parts of the body that cannot store fluid. This happens with the nose, which gradually swells and takes on a characteristic shape.

People who abuse alcohol have the so-called “alcoholic face” with deep nasolabial folds, weakened mouth muscles and superciliary arches that are in constant tension.

Traces of alcohol abuse do not appear on the face immediately. It takes several years for ethanol to do its job.

The photo shows typical external signs of abundant libations:

Under the influence of alcohol, the gait changes, it becomes "shuffling", the patient's hands tremble, the voice becomes rougher and becomes more hoarse.

How to stop drinking on your own, expert advice at the link.

Changes in behavior

Alcohol completely changes a person's lifestyle.

Depending on the stage of development of addiction, there are distinctive features in human behavior that indicate the presence of alcohol addiction:

1. Pre-alcohol stage. A person is more often in euphoria after drinking a dose of alcohol, libations occur in cheerful companies of friends, and the idea that alcoholic beverages are a reliable source of good mood is firmly strengthened in the mind of a person. At this stage of addiction formation, the main sign that should cause concern is an increase in the amount of alcohol taken.
2. prodromal period. At this stage, the person has bouts of partial amnesia after drinking. An alcoholic begins to hide from his relatives an increasing dependence, remorse of conscience is especially aggravated with a hangover syndrome.
3. Drunken phase. The patient begins to blame others for his problem, shows aggressiveness, which is sometimes replaced by apathy and guilt. Scandals begin in the family, problems at work. The alcoholic begins to make “stash”, as he develops a fear of being in a situation in which he will not be able to take alcohol. Drinking becomes a top priority in life.
4. chronic stage. The patient ceases to resist addiction, binges become constant and prolonged. There are alcoholic psychoses, delirium and panic attacks. You need very small doses of alcohol to get drunk. Without alcohol, a person cannot act and make decisions. The patient is ready to drink any drink containing ethanol (cologne, drugs).

The longer a person drinks alcohol, the more serious the health problems become. There are chronic diseases, disorders in the brain and central nervous system.

Getting rid of alcohol addiction is not easy. Early detection of the problem allows you to count on good results in treatment. In the chronic phase, the consequences for the body can be irreversible, and it is almost impossible to completely eliminate the physiological and psychological dependence.

An experienced narcologist will tell you about the main causes of alcoholism and the distinguishing features by which you can recognize an addicted person:

Conclusion

The ability to consider addiction to alcoholic beverages in a loved one can help save his future, protect him from the serious consequences of regular libations.

Monastic tea for alcoholism: methods of use, recipes and effectiveness. Read here.

After all, alcoholics at first glance may seem like ordinary people who do not give themselves away.

You can not remain indifferent, you need to be attentive to your loved ones and not leave them in trouble.