Depending from the bad habit stage, the main symptoms manifest themselves in different ways. There are several stages with their own manifestations and signs, as well as negative effects on the body. The fact is that alcohol as such, regardless of its type, poisons internal organs and vital systems, disrupting their smooth functioning. This leads to the development of various chronic and pathological diseases, which provoke irreversible changes and death. So, let's look at what alcoholism is, what the signs are, stages and whether treatment is possible at home.
The first stage and its signs
The symptoms of the initial stage are quite vague, which sometimes does not allow the presence of a problem to be identified in time. A person gradually begins to depend on alcoholic beverages, increasing the dose of alcohol and the frequency of its use. The first stage of alcoholism in women and men, the symptoms of which are similar, provokes intoxication of the body. First, altered reality syndrome occurs when alcohol tolerance is impaired. Later you will notice the following features:
- Protective reactions against intoxication disappear
- Memory lapses appear ;
- A psychological complex is formed - a feeling of dissatisfaction, a bad mood without alcohol.
This is the period when the first signs of stage 1 can gradually increase, lasting from one year to several years. At this moment, the person retains his personality, social status, family and work, but the drinker’s body suffers. First, the liver suffers , and then - increased flatulence, diarrhea, and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. Alcoholic pancreatitis develops in men and women, which is characterized by pain in the left side of the abdomen and back, attacks of nausea, and loss of appetite.
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Treatment of alcoholism
There are many ways to overcome alcohol addiction. Treatment tactics are selected individually, depending on the stage and duration of alcohol abuse. Currently, there are many medications for alcohol addiction. Among them are “Esperal”, “Kolme”, “Proproten-100”. The first two make drinking alcohol extremely unpleasant after drinking. This leads to a reflexive aversion to the taste and smell of alcoholic beverages. "Proproten-100" is a homeopathic medicine to reduce cravings for alcohol. Also, along with drug therapy, psychological support is an important aspect of treatment.
The second stage and its symptoms
At this stage, problems may appear after 5 years of steady drinking. The duration of this phase can range from 5 to 15-18 years. During stage 2 of addiction in men, the signs intensify and can manifest themselves as follows:
- Pseudo-binges . They differ from ordinary binge drinking in the frequency associated with various socio-financial factors. For example, lack of money for the next dose of booze, the end of vacation, etc.;
- Persistent memory loss occurs , which takes on the appearance of complete amnesia for the entire period of intoxication;
- Formation of a persistent mental habit of drinking . Withdrawal syndrome is manifested by the inability to think properly and perform usual mental work;
- Physical dependence . The patient is depressed, in a bad mood, aggressive, and irritable.
With a complete refusal to drink alcohol, a person exhibits somatoneurological features - tremors, skin flushing, nausea, heart pain, dizziness. Signs of squirrel disease, liver disease, digestive system and heart disease appear. Watch a useful video on the topic:
Consequences of childhood and teenage alcoholism
Drinking alcohol at a young age is very dangerous. In children and adolescents, addiction develops much more rapidly than in adults. This is due to the physiological characteristics of the child’s body.
The health effects of alcohol consumption in children and adolescents also manifest themselves much more quickly. First of all, the fragile psyche of a teenager comes under attack. Children develop disorders such as neuroses, psychoses, and hyperactivity.
Changes in behavior gradually occur - a dependent teenager devotes less and less time to studying, becomes lazy, irritable and aggressive. His mood often changes from unbridled gaiety to deep depression. The next stage is deterioration of memory, attention, and ability to concentrate.
Against the background of psycho-emotional changes, somatic diseases also progress.
The third stage and signs of the problem
At stage 3 of alcoholism, it is more difficult to see the manifestations of the disease. The period during which this degree of disease develops is 5-10 years . As a rule, if you do not notice the signs of a problem at this stage, then everything ends in death. During this period, the alcoholic quickly reaches a dangerous level of intoxication, while drinking smaller doses of alcoholic beverages than in previous years. Binges end with severe psycho-emotional and physical exhaustion of the body. The habit of drinking at this stage does not have any mental symptoms as such, which is possible due to the formation of deeper changes in the psyche.
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There is no danger to the body, the habit of drinking is typical for many people, but in the specified quantities and with the specified parameters of the patient, it does not cause any harm to the body. Many people relieve stress with alcohol on holidays and after work, but are not addicted to it.
The patient sees alcohol as a way out of difficult situations and resorts to hard drinks more and more often. This stage is dangerous because in any difficult situation in life, this stage can smoothly transition into the next one, which is much more dangerous to health.
At this stage, an addicted person can no longer do without alcohol, but is firmly convinced that he is capable of quitting at any time, but not today. Already here complications with the liver and other difficulties with organs and well-being may begin.
Special treatment and a short course of rehabilitation, plus the support of relatives, can bring you out of this stage. This stage can provoke very serious problems with the liver and other organs, which will lead to illness for the rest of life.
This stage is not hopeless, but it requires an extremely serious approach to treatment and a long period of rehabilitation, with regular medical procedures, many medications and, often, expensive treatment.
Treatment period for addiction:
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The following signs can be noted:
- Increased aggressiveness in behavior;
- Emotional instability - a sharp change in mood , from joy to hysteria, depression, fun, anger and irritability;
- A person's personality is degrading ;
- Mental abilities are reduced .
Serious damage to internal organs also develops - liver cirrhosis , failure of this organ, epilepsy, toxic encephalopathy. The appearance changes, the person stops taking care of himself and gradually slides to the very bottom.
Alcoholism is a fatal disease.
The word “alcoholism” can be offensive to people who abuse alcohol.
For other people it still means weakness of will. At best, they say that alcoholism is a bad habit, at worst, that it is a sign of weakness of character.
But you need to remember a simple fact: alcoholism is a disease.
Like most other diseases (tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, allergies), it can affect people at any age.
This illness approaches a person unnoticed, gradually decomposing him socially, intellectual degradation occurs, and then physiological disorders of the body appear.
A person first dies for society: he is fired first from one job, then from another, and then not hired at all, he loses his value as a specialist.
But the disease does not stop there and destroys him on an intellectual level: he becomes a boring interlocutor, sometimes even tiresome, viscous, annoying, saying all sorts of nonsense, answering inappropriately, repeating the same words, jokes in the form of alcoholic humor.
And his friends turn away from him, his acquaintances try to avoid him, and for new acquaintances he is not interesting.
The family remains, but even there, no matter what the feelings and family ties may be, because of alcohol, quarrels and scandals become more frequent, irritation, mistrust, anger and aggressiveness appear.
And the patient with alcoholism moves away from the family, or the family moves him away, first on the psycho-emotional, mental level, and then on the physical level - a divorce occurs, the seed disintegrates.
Thus, he is left alone with his illness, but it does not calm down and destroys him at the physiological level.
More and more new diseases appear, both organic and mental in origin, and the person dies either by suicide or due to complete decomposition of the body.
Alcoholism, like any other disease, has its beginning and end. It develops at different rates in different people. Many patients develop alcoholism from the very minute they take their first sip of alcohol.
Alcoholism is a disease that subjugates people to itself, and don’t be fooled that you can get rid of alcohol abuse with the help of your will. You will not be cured without outside help.
The disease will not go away on its own. Remember that it is impossible to recover from this disease in one course of treatment.
Repeated reinforcing and supporting rehabilitation courses are necessary. Stop blaming the circumstances of your life and other people, take responsibility for all your actions.
The main task of people who abuse alcohol is to recognize themselves as suffering from alcoholism.
Yes, alcoholism is a disease in which a person does not feel that he is already sick, and that is the insidiousness of alcoholism.
It always seems to him that he is the same as everyone else, drinking “moderately”, normally, they do not notice how they are gradually getting into a “pool”, from which it will then be difficult to get out. He reacts painfully to comments about excessive drinking, especially if they come from his loved ones.
Alcoholism is a very insidious disease. For those suffering from alcohol addiction, alcohol gradually turns from poison into a certain biochemical substance, which is included in the biochemical processes of the body, in particular in carbohydrate metabolism, disrupting the so-called Krebs cycle.
In this case, a breakdown occurs, a failure of the body’s genetic program - the poison becomes desirable.
As soon as alcohol enters the body, pathological mechanisms not provided for by nature are activated, and the body begins to require more and more alcohol.
This, in particular, explains the formation of binge drinking.
A person can no longer consciously control the process of drinking, just as he cannot consciously, using willpower, control the processes of hematopoiesis, for example.
Figuratively speaking, his feet go to the store on their own, his hands pour the drink themselves, his mouth opens for the potion, and even if the patient is no longer happy about all this, he is unable to stop.
This continues until the liver is no longer able to cope with the functions of detoxification of alcohol breakdown products, which leads either to alcoholic psychosis (delirium tremens) or, at best, to resuscitation, in the worst case, to death.
I would like to add that its insidiousness lies in the fact that with this disease there is neither fever nor pain, it develops imperceptibly over the years, and breakdowns sometimes occur subconsciously.
What does
subconscious mean?
At this moment the patient can be compared to a sleepwalker. His movements are correct, like all the people around him, but this person does not understand what he is doing, is not aware of it.
Everything except what is associated with drinking disappears or becomes indifferent. A person finds “friends” and drinks without thinking about the consequences.
It is only after he drinks, or the next day, that he begins to realize what he has done. But it was too late, the mechanism of the disease began to work, and an exacerbation began.
The worst thing for you is the emergence of a craving for alcohol. It almost never manifests itself as an overt desire to drink.
This attraction has many masks. Here they are: “I need to calm down.” “I want to take a break, relax.” “I want to check the result of the treatment.” “I’ll just have a little drink and that’s all.”
Having suppressed the craving for alcohol for a while, you have not yet gotten rid of the disease. Sometimes patients with alcoholism at an appointment with a doctor or psychologist and in other places quite sincerely deny the attraction to alcohol: “I don’t want to drink,” “I have alcohol in my closet at home, and I don’t drink.”
This may indeed be the case, since in these situations there are no factors that aggravate the disease. However, as soon as a “serious reason” appears, a person’s behavior changes dramatically.
Often patients count and say: “I may or may not drink.” But this is absolutely not true. If they could not drink, they would not come to specialists for help, and they themselves would not drink and that’s it.
But it is almost impossible to relieve psychological dependence on alcohol on your own.
The disease can be compared to a worm that lives in your body and sucks your vitality. No medicine, no treatment will kill him. He will live in you until the last day of your life.
But with the help of medications and psychological correction of your personality, psychotherapy of your family relationships, this worm can be weakened and weakened. He will shrink, freeze, but still live.
The first sip of alcohol, like living water, will revive him, give him the strength to suck your life out of you again.
Keep in mind that the first 6-8 months of sobriety can be especially difficult for patients.
The first year is spent in some kind of struggle with oneself, or rather with the attraction to alcohol that appears under various masks.
During these months, beware of meetings with friends with whom you often drink; go around those places where you often drank before; try to avoid quarrels, conflicts in the family and at work; try not to be alone on vacation.
Avoid parties, weddings, and all holidays associated with feasting and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
The older the disease, the more alcoholism becomes a way of life, and your efforts should be aimed at learning to live a new life without alcohol.
Specialists in a rehabilitation course of psychotherapy can help you with this.
The more you try to build a new life as a healthy person, the more likely you will fail in your intentions. Strive to build your life like an alcoholic.
The basis of the sober life of a patient suffering from alcoholism is the ability to control oneself in anger and joy, force oneself to leave companies and celebrations, and suppress the desire to drink alcohol.
The ability to force yourself to do what you don’t want, to restrain yourself when you are angry, the ability to calm down, to evoke positive emotions in yourself - all this is not inherited, it must be learned.
You need to start learning with something simpler and you need to study every day, every hour, every minute.
Remember that as with any chronic disease, you should always expect the disease to worsen.
The following signs of an incipient exacerbation can be identified:
BODY:
sweating, loss of appetite, fatigue, tremor (shaking) of fingers, sleep disturbance, difficulty falling asleep, early awakening, sexual dysfunction, feeling tired.
MENTAL:
irritability, bad mood, lack of self-confidence, causeless anxiety, desire to drink, feeling that “something is missing”, “everything is wrong”, dissatisfaction with others, begin to smoke a lot and often, including at night, alcoholic dreams, desire for solitude, frequent memories of previously inflicted grievances, injustices, feelings of mental fatigue, helplessness, interest in family and work disappears.
If at least a few signs of exacerbation appear, you must immediately contact a specialist and undergo a course of treatment.
Try to help other patients recover from this disease. Remember that by helping another person get rid of alcoholism, you are helping yourself more than helping him.
We wish you health, happiness and long life!
The fourth stage and its signs
Some addiction specialists recognize certain distinctive features of alcoholism stage number four. During this period, serious damage occurs to all parts of the brain, and irreversible changes occur in the central nervous system - schizophrenia develops against the background of illness, liver problems and liver failure, and cerebral edema. Almost all internal organs work for wear and tear, and gradually fail. Signs of the last stage in men and women have a common picture and parallels:
- A person completely loses interest in life as such;
- Serious dissocialization ;
- The only meaning in a drunkard's life is the next dose of booze .
How many live in the last stage of the habit with signs of irreversible degradation and destruction of the body is difficult to answer. As a rule, within a few years a person dies from the body's complete inability to cope with alcohol intoxication , a heart attack or stroke.
Intoxicating euphoria: why do people start drinking?
Low standard of living, social circumstances, nervous and stressful work, stress, scandals in the family and at work, problems of a personal and intimate nature - these are all reasons that can cause the desire to “relax” with the help of a second glass. However, this does not mean that everyone in a socially disadvantaged environment drinks. What is alcoholism, and why does it only affect certain people?
The psychologist recommends considering several main reasons why some people start drinking alcohol:
1. Genetic factor
Today, based on a number of studies and observations, scientists have come to the conclusion that almost 75% of those suffering from alcohol dependence are people with a certain genetic predisposition.
More than 100 thousand proteins of various types are synthesized in the human body. And all such processes are coordinated by genes. A certain type of protein has an effect in performing the functions of a certain organ (brain, kidneys, liver, etc.). The cerebral cortex is also under the “control” of a certain protein structure. It is believed that this is where the main impulses and processes occur that can affect alcohol dependence at a certain stage of life.
The regulation of gene function determines the physiological characteristics of an individual. Changes between the physiological and alcoholic needs of a person have been proven by scientists using the example of just one gene. Research is ongoing, and there are both supporters of the theory and its opponents. However, today the following has become known: the correlation occurs under the influence of the ALDH1 gene.
Based on a number of observations, a certain pattern has become visible: Asian residents often cannot tolerate alcohol at all. Their blood levels of acetaldehyde (a breakdown product of ethanol) are elevated. As a result of consuming large amounts of alcohol, skin redness, rapid heartbeat, weakness and nausea occur. This is why many residents of Japan and China practically do not consume alcoholic beverages. Scientists have identified a natural connection between symptoms and an enzyme that is actively involved in the metabolism of ethanol - aldehyde dehydrogenase. The gene encoding the enzyme is ALDH1. The toxic effect of acetaldehyde on the human body does not allow drinking alcohol, and this is a “restraining” factor. It has been proven that some nationalities have different amounts of this enzyme and the presence of a modified ALDH1 gene:
- 45% of Japanese;
- 53% of Vietnamese;
- 30% of Chinese;
- 27% of Koreans;
- European race – up to 15%.
How to determine beer alcoholism?
There is such a thing as beer alcoholism , the symptoms of which are slightly different. This is a dependence on light intoxicating drinks that do not contain large amounts of ethyl alcohol, but cause no less harmful habit.
The signs of such dependence in women and men are not as obvious as with the abuse of strong drinks. Such a person is no different in appearance from the vast majority of teetotalers. As a rule, such a habit is manifested by excessive consumption of low-alcohol drinks every day for a long period of time. The problem manifests itself differently in men and women:
- Regular drinking throughout the day in small doses;
- Absent-mindedness , inability to concentrate without another dope;
- Isolation , loss of strength.
This type of addiction is dangerous due to the inability of the drinker to understand the seriousness of the situation. After all, even small daily doses of ethyl alcohol destroy the body from the inside, causing enormous harm to humans.
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Symptoms of alcoholism
Alcohol addiction can manifest itself in different ways. Signs and symptoms of the disease vary greatly between people. For example, some drink alcohol on a daily basis. While others drink periodically, thereby effectively hiding their condition from loved ones, friends and colleagues.
People who struggle with alcohol addiction feel that they cannot exist without alcohol. Drinking is a high priority in their lives.
Below are some common symptoms that indicate you have a drinking problem:
- A constant desire to drink that distracts you from daily activities.
- Lack of control and willpower. A person starts drinking every day and cannot stop.
- Increased tolerance to ethanol.
- Drinking alcohol at any time of the day. The first thing a person does when he wakes up is reach for the bottle.
- Drinking alcohol in situations where it is inappropriate, irresponsible or dangerous.
- Lack of interest in work, any other activity, family.
- Negation. A person who suffers from alcohol addiction does not see this as a problem.
- Lie. Hiding the fact of drinking.
- Detoxification. When you stop drinking alcohol, withdrawal symptoms occur. Irritability, unsteadiness, trembling, nausea, restlessness, fatigue and insomnia appear.
- Changing social circle. The appearance of drinking buddies among friends.
How to identify alcohol addiction in a woman?
Female alcoholism
is a disease that must be eliminated at its very beginning. The fact is that treating the symptoms of this problem in the weaker sex in the initial stages is more effective. Due to the characteristics of the body, women are more susceptible to the negative effects of alcohol and the habit of drinking forms faster.
One of the dangerous types of addiction to alcoholic beverages is beer or wine alcoholism in women, the signs of which can be seen even with the naked eye:
- The appearance of a sudden interest in drinking (wine, liqueurs, vermouth or beer);
- Unreasonable increase in mood ;
- Change in appearance – unkemptness , disheveled hair;
- Using various means to mask the smell of alcohol ;
- Deepening of the voice;
- Emotional instability, nervousness , irritation.
If you have this knowledge and know what to look for (for example, you have seen photos and examples on the Internet), pay attention to changes in appearance, the condition of the skin, hair, teeth - all this will indicate the presence of a bad habit. Unlike male drunkenness, ladies abuse alcohol secretly, trying to best fit the image of a decent woman. But a long period of dependence on alcoholic beverages ultimately leads to serious consequences . If the craving for drinking is not promptly addressed, the woman will lose her job, career, family, relatives and friends, as well as herself as an individual.
The binge stage of the habit can be determined if there is daily drinking and the inability to live normally without it. In this case, an increase in aggression and the formation of withdrawal syndrome indicate the need for emergency help for the woman.
To combat the problem, you may need the help of a psychologist or narcologist. But first, you can offer the woman a test to determine the severity of the problem. Another useful video on the topic:
The mechanism of alcohol dependence
Scientists still cannot come to a consensus on how alcohol addiction develops. It is believed that the habit develops due to the characteristics of the brain, more precisely its ability to produce neurotransmitters - substances responsible for the course of neuropsychic processes.
In the center of the brain there is an area called the pleasure center. It is in this area that the production of these biologically active components occurs, the quantity of which directly determines the emotional state and expression of emotions. Alcoholic drinks stimulate the activity of this zone, as a result of which the brain produces more neurotransmitters and the person experiences euphoria.
Human brain
The difficulty is that the tissues of this area are depleted over time, which leads to the fact that neurotransmitters can only be released under the influence of alcohol. As a result, a person cannot rejoice and feel happy without alcohol - a psychological dependence is formed. This is alcoholism.
If action is not taken in a timely manner, over time the habit will develop from a psychological to a physiological phase. In this case, a person will drink not only to cheer up, but also to avoid physiological discomfort.
How does addiction begin in men?
Alcoholism in men has a long period of formation into a persistent habit. Moreover, the symptoms and degree of development of the disease are directly related to the amount of drinks consumed, the duration of the period of addiction to them and the individual characteristics of the body. In the initial stages, men drink small amounts of alcohol to improve their mood, but over time the amount of booze consumed will steadily increase. This leads to the signs and consequences of this problem becoming more serious and pronounced .
If you look at photos of signs of a bad habit, people who drink - in particular men - do not always look sloppy. The overwhelming majority of them have a decent appearance, lead an active social lifestyle, attend work, and take care of children and family. But without timely treatment, the problems intensify, leading to disastrous health consequences:
- Mental personality changes;
- Physical disorders of internal organs;
- Loss of family, job, social status;
- Death.
Only with the help of qualified specialists and the support of relatives can a drunkard overcome his addiction to alcohol.
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Stages of development of alcoholism
In international medicine, there are 4 stages of alcohol dependence, each of which differs in symptoms and the patient’s condition. It is worth considering that the effectiveness of treatment directly depends on how timely therapy is started.
1st stage of alcoholism
If we classify alcoholism by stages, then the first stage is the easiest and less noticeable. It is characterized by minimal severity of physiological and mental symptoms. Since the patient remains socially adapted, he will continue to study or work, and will continue to communicate with relatives and friends as before. Because of these features, family members do not notice the development of alcoholism and consider the desire to drink and relax after a working day to be quite natural.
Severe hangover
In most cases, the stage is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- alcohol consumption gradually increases. To feel well, a person needs increasingly larger doses;
- drinking alcoholic beverages is carried out even without reason;
- a person ceases to control himself, after each drink he drinks, it becomes more difficult for him to express thoughts;
- the patient periodically shows aggression and anger towards relatives and friends;
- if a person has had too much to drink, which causes vomiting, he will not stop and will continue to drink;
- In the morning a severe hangover appears, accompanied by headache, dizziness, and nausea.
Another sure sign of the development of stage 1 of alcoholism is that a person has a negative attitude towards alcoholics and shows his disdain in every possible way, while not considering himself an addict. If treatment is not started at this stage, the disease will progress and inevitably move into the next phase.
Stage 2 alcoholism
The main difference between this stage and the previous one is the formation of not only mental, but also physical dependence on alcohol. At the same time, the severity of other symptoms of the disease will increase. It is worth considering that this stage is considered transitional and the lack of timely assistance can cause irreversible consequences.
The main signs of the second stage of alcoholism:
- the amount drunk per day increases even more compared to the 1st stage;
- after waking up, a person has a desire to get drunk, and the symptoms of pain immediately weaken;
- intoxication occurs faster than before;
- periodic memory lapses and inadequate reaction to comments are possible;
- If a person has not had a drink during the day, he will be in a bad mood and may display aggression and anger. When you mention the opportunity to drink, your mood immediately normalizes;
- the patient is sensitive to criticism.
The desire to get hungover
With stage 2 alcoholism, a moment comes when a plateau of tolerance occurs - it stops growing and remains at the same level with maximum doses of alcohol that do not cause intoxication. At this stage, addiction can only be overcome with an integrated approach. Typically therapy consists of:
- drug cleansing of the body from waste and toxins;
- coding - ampoules are sewn under the patient's skin or drugs are injected that cause alcohol rejection. In the absence of alcohol, such drugs will not affect the condition in any way; they cause a response only if alcohol enters the body;
- psychological support.
How long the treatment will last and when the effect will last depends on the mood and individual characteristics of the patient.
On a note! At the second stage, the disease can occur in a chronic or binge form. In the first option, the patient drinks alcohol daily in relatively small doses, and in the second, he drinks for several days, getting drunk until he loses consciousness.
Stage 3 alcoholism
At this stage, alcohol addiction causes problems not only for the patient himself, but also for his loved ones. A person degrades, cannot behave normally in society, and violates norms of behavior. As a rule, at this stage a person loses his job, friends and relatives stop communicating with him. Due to lack of work, a person cannot provide himself with alcohol, which causes theft of money, household appliances and other things that can be sold from home.
Stage 3 alcoholism is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- the patient cannot live even a day without drinking alcohol;
- changes in appearance become noticeable: arms and legs gradually become thinner, the stomach increases in size, the skin acquires a characteristic reddish tint, swelling appears on the face;
- mental disorder – a person reacts inappropriately to trivial things, refuses to make contact with loved ones;
- alcohol replaces food for a person - instead of eating, he prefers to drink;
- speech becomes incoherent and meaningless.
Spring changes
At this stage, serious health problems may appear - paralysis of individual parts of the body, hepatitis, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal dysfunction are often detected. Alcoholism becomes chronic, so treatment takes a long time and does not always bring positive results.
Stage 4 alcoholism
The last stage of alcoholism is accompanied by irreversible changes in both physical and psychological state. Most narcologists assure that at this stage it is no longer possible to save a person. A person diagnosed with stage 4 alcoholism has nothing in common with the person whom relatives and friends once knew - complete degradation occurs, and all instincts are replaced by only one desire to drink.
Conclusions and advice
The difficulty in diagnosing the disease lies in the fact that the alcoholic himself does not recognize his problems and finds thousands of explanations for the need to drink. Such people live among us. This is your colleague, neighbor, brother or even husband.
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Don’t let your loved ones and family lose themselves, become drunkards and slide into the very bottom of society. Seek help , support a person suffering from alcoholism morally, help him understand the reasons for his craving for alcohol, and he will regain the meaning of life and become a full-fledged member of society.
Causes of alcohol addiction
In modern society, difficulties arise in various areas of life that lead to alcohol abuse. Problems can be varied and appear for many reasons. These include:
Social
These are factors relating to both a person’s ethnic characteristics and his individual level of development:
- degree of education;
- culture of the country of residence;
- the presence of prohibitions or beliefs among the individual (usually religious);
- factors influencing personality development.
Traditions associated with drinking alcohol are passed down through generations and have a great influence on personal development. Often a person is in danger of becoming addicted to alcohol because his friends, colleagues, and fellow students drink. Today in the social environment there are traditions and psychological beliefs that promote alcohol consumption.
Wrong choice of job, part-time work without internal satisfaction - such reasons can lead to the subsequent development of alcoholism.
Some people are not able to withstand everyday difficulties and problems and prefer to “douse” them with alcohol. A person drinks after learning about a serious illness in order to dull physical or psychological suffering.
Poverty, poor living conditions, lack of a favorite job and cultural development are just an incomplete list of reasons that, in the case of a person’s emotional weakness, will be followed by the problem of alcoholism.
Psychological
This group of reasons depends on the character of the individual, his mental development and the ability to adapt to the surrounding life in society.
Often people start drinking alcohol due to the fear of trusting someone with their experiences.
When a person does not have the strength to realize himself, to “find himself” in this world, drinking makes it possible to forget about his difficulties. Unfortunately, addiction does not help in solving the problem, but becomes a dead end. Trying to attract attention in this way, they are at high risk of developing alcoholism.
Drinking is a desire to get away from complexes. This excuse is typical for people who are insecure. Alcohol addiction in order to get rid of shyness and stuttering. Guys often use this technique “for courage” when preparing for the first intimacy with a girl. People who have a tendency to obsessive fears and anxiety drink alcohol to suppress stress.
Alcohol addiction often develops when it is used as a psychotropic drug. By eliminating signs of anxiety and creating an imaginary feeling of euphoria, a person takes the path of developing an addiction.
It should be understood that if a person develops problems in his state of mind, it is necessary to seek the help of a qualified psychologist to prevent the development of alcoholism.
Another important reason for craving for alcohol is the excuse “to improve your health.” There is a theory that alcohol improves well-being and prevents cardiovascular diseases. This makes sense when you consume 100-150 ml. dry wine per day, not glasses of vodka.
Genetic causes
It has been proven that when a child has both parents suffering from alcoholism, the risk of the disease increases by 25% compared to non-drinking families. It can be concluded that genetic factors contribute to addiction, but are not the main cause.
In the totality of socio-psychological influences, heredity serves as a provocative danger.
Physiological factors
These reasons refer to the nuances of the body’s vital functions. True, it is not entirely correct to single them out as a separate group, because they go alongside the psychological, social and hereditary effects on a person. If these factors are layered, there is a risk of a “trigger” effect.
Physiological reasons include:
- structural features of the body;
- traumatic brain injuries;
- psychosomatic disorders;
- consequences of diseases suffered in childhood;
- poor metabolism;
- problems during pregnancy.
What is alcohol addiction - 3 stages
For convenience and simplicity, let's highlight 3 groups.
Light drinkers are people who will take a sip at a party. Or they will drink 30 grams. if they are frozen and they will shudder from the taste and smell. They can also have a drink to celebrate. Really for the holiday! On March 8 and New Year, and not on the day of the cavalryman and plumber.
Frequent drinkers – drinkers on all holidays. Celebrating a solar eclipse and the birthday of Uncle Vasya, who lived in the Urals in 1900 and who is a distant relative of Pasha’s neighbor.
They also enjoy drinking on a Friday night. Well, of course, it’s the end of the week. Such a reason! And they spend all meetings with friends over a glass, no matter what. It’s more fun this way, but without a glass there’s nothing to talk about.
And heavy drinkers are the category of people who are often already saved by their loved ones. They can't help but drink. They often drink every day and sometimes go into a tailspin, into a binge. They don't control their desires. They drink with or without reason, sometimes out of inertia, out of habit. They don’t often feel pleasure from it and don’t even think about why they drink.
How do people become alcoholics?
The lines between these categories are blurred, they are wide, and sometimes blurred. But you need to understand that everyone who drinks is very, very vulnerable and can easily end up in the third section. It's a kind of roulette. And if someone thinks that they control the process, that they can quit at any moment, then I assure you that you are mistaken.
This is the whole point of alcohol addiction, it is insidious, cunning and covers a person on the sly. None of the alcoholics would ever think that they would become drunk while in the first category. Everyone, as one, thinks: “Well, I’m only here on holidays.”
And the mousetrap slams, and the mouse is caught at the most inopportune moment. After all, when you drink on holidays, you walk on the edge of a knife. Every time there is a chance to change the category and slide, as they say, downhill.
Alcohol addiction is a problem that, if it enters a home, will remain there for a long time. Without outside help, it is almost never possible to solve this problem on your own. Maybe at the very beginning, in the first 2 categories. If the drinker suddenly comes to his senses and, either through an effort of will, stops drinking. Or he will use other working methods. But this rarely happens.
Because being in the first two categories people mistakenly think: “This won’t happen to me, everything is under control.” We sorted it out with understanding. Now let's talk, what exactly should we do if it's time to ring the bells?
Consequences of alcoholism
Excessive alcohol consumption over time negatively affects all aspects of a person’s life: from health to social status. Ethyl alcohol has ruined the lives of many thousands of people; because of it, families are breaking up and children are born with deformities and disabilities. The consequences of alcohol intoxication, social problems and much more - these are the results of uncontrolled alcohol consumption.
Alcohol poisoning
The negative consequences of binge drinking and alcohol intoxication can be irreversible for human health. Fatal outcomes are often observed when critical doses of alcohol are consumed in combination with sedatives and narcotic substances. Symptoms during detoxification:
- headache;
- nausea;
- loss of appetite;
- hand tremors;
- tachycardia.
Children of alcoholics
The reproductive system is one of the first to suffer from uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, so healthy children are rarely born to chronic alcoholics. A child who was conceived by drinkers often experiences genetic mutations (Down's disease, Turner's syndrome, phenylketonuria). Anatomical disorders often occur during intrauterine development: heart defects, organ underdevelopment, anencephaly, hydrocephalus, etc., alcohol syndrome develops.
If alcoholics give birth to a daughter with rice, they will give birth to offspring with pathologies. This is due to the fact that egg precursors are born during intrauterine development and are not subsequently renewed, but simply mature, so a girl who was systematically exposed to ethyl alcohol in the womb gives birth to unhealthy children. As a result, attention is paid to prevention and elimination of female alcoholism.
Social consequences
Alcohol is often the impetus for criminal behavior because... it relaxes a person’s consciousness and gives a feeling of impunity. Social consequences of alcoholism include:
- fights;
- theft;
- sexual violence;
- causing material damage;
- bad behavior;
- murders;
- domestic violence;
- drunk driving.
Coding
One of the methods of prevention, treatment and prevention of alcoholism is coding, i.e. a set of measures aimed at developing a reflexive rejection of alcohol or emotional disgust. In modern narcology, there are several types of such procedures:
- Medication. The use of medications that cause intolerance to even small doses of ethyl alcohol.
- Psychotherapy. Using modern methods of influencing mental perception.
- Hardware encoding. The use of physiotherapy to develop alcohol intolerance.
- Hypnotherapy. Using individual or group hypnosis sessions.
Encoding is considered successful, after which the person is physically unable to drink any alcoholic beverages, even if he wants to. When drinking alcohol, such patients immediately experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache. The most common method of coding patients with alcoholism is medication.
Therapy for alcohol addiction
Treatment must take place in several stages:
- Doctors prescribe medications. Their main action is aimed at cleansing the body, removing alcohol breakdown products from the blood. This is not an easy process, and the patient often requires antidepressants to alleviate the condition.
- Psychological help. The psychologist must help the addict realize the damage caused to the body. By accepting the problem, the patient takes a step towards healing.
- Social rehabilitation consolidates the effect obtained. The patient needs the attention of relatives and friends who set a good example. Abstinence from alcohol should be encouraged.
In order for a patient to overcome alcohol addiction, he must first understand his situation and the need for therapy. Until understanding comes, any action is useless. First, the patient needs to be surrounded with attention and care. He must feel his “need”, all the love and value for his family and friends.
Pressure, reproaches and impatience are not allowed. You cannot leave a drinking person alone and cause scandals. You need to be patient. The patient expects full support and care from the family, even if he does not admit this to himself.
When he decides to agree to addiction treatment, he must immediately go to a specialized drug treatment clinic. The patient is provided only with qualified medical care; conspiracies, fortune tellers, and folk remedies are useless.
The problem of alcohol addiction is not solved only in the family. Relatives should not make a diagnosis on their own. The psychiatrist will do everything himself. It is important to eliminate the reason that prompted the increase in alcohol consumption. Coding and treatment with a drip will temporarily suppress the syndrome, but will not get rid of the problem. An integrated approach is needed.
Increased cravings for alcohol
This phenomenon is familiar to every alcoholic at any stage of the disease. Many people drink alcohol from time to time, first with reason, and then without it. Drinking alcohol becomes desirable and necessary. This symptom cannot always be fully felt, because over time a person becomes accustomed to alcohol.
In order to understand whether there is a craving for alcohol, it is worth considering your relationships with friends. If at the beginning of your friendship you just talked, then changes happened: you started drinking alcohol together. First from time to time, and then constantly. And if at first someone refused, now this same person himself offers to drink. Each such friendly meeting ends with copious amounts of drinking.
Gradually, a person begins to make more and more new acquaintances, but they all drink alcohol, and it becomes somehow uninteresting to be with non-drinking acquaintances. Before a joint meeting and drinking, the alcoholic’s soul becomes joyful, and at home he always has a supply of alcohol “for friends.”
He finds a lot of excuses for his behavior: “drinking relieves stress,” “life becomes more fun,” etc. Unbeknownst to the alcoholic, his interests are narrowed to drinking, and everything else - family and work - interests him less and less.
Main complications of alcoholism
Since alcohol is a toxin, it poisons the body, destroying every cell in the body. Alcoholism and its consequences are manifested in the fact that the liver, brain, and heart suffer first of all. But the changes that alcohol causes are not immediately noticeable.
At first, drinking alcoholic beverages elevates the mood, and only over time, due to prolonged alcohol consumption, the functioning of the central nervous system (brain) is disrupted. Alcohol disease impairs the ability to think normally and blurs the boundaries of what is permitted and what is not permitted. A bad habit changes the usual way of thinking, mood and behavior, leads to confusion and the development of mental illness.
Since the addict does not want to change his attitude towards alcohol, regular consumption of alcohol in large doses impairs a person’s muscle coordination and ability to speak coherently. Heavy drinking can lead to coma.
The liver suffers greatly from alcohol, which often manifests itself in the form of hepatitis or cirrhosis. If hepatitis is treated, then cirrhosis is a pathological and irreversible disease that relentlessly progresses and almost always ends in death (not only after 50 years, but also at a young age). The answer to why alcohol causes liver damage is that it destroys liver cells so much that they lose their ability to regenerate.
Regular consumption of alcohol in large quantities can lead to damage to the heart muscle, heart failure and heart attack. That's why young people who drink regularly have a significantly increased risk of developing heart disease in later years. The problem of alcoholism in this case is observed because ethanol damages the walls of blood vessels in the same way as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Causes alcohol dependence and problems in the gastrointestinal tract. For example, an alcoholic may develop pancreatitis. This is a dangerous disease in which the body’s ability to digest food, absorb vitamins and produce hormones that regulate metabolism is impaired. Gastritis is also possible.
The harm of drinking alcohol
In the initial stage of the development of alcoholism, the consequences of alcohol poisoning (headache, nausea) appear. Over time, the symptoms of regular drunkenness become obvious: the mood often changes dramatically, depending on the consumption of alcohol. Without drinking, the patient becomes aggressive and inadequate, and memory loss appears. An alcoholic thinks only about drinking; other joys, hobbies and needs do not exist for him, and even the need to eat fades into the background.
The second stage of addiction development is characterized by not only a psychological, but also a physical need for alcohol. The body requires new, higher doses of alcohol, without it it ceases to function normally. At this stage, a person often quits work and becomes apathetic and depressed. The patient can no longer stop drinking on his own.
At the third stage of the disease, a person quickly degrades as a person, his psyche is disturbed. Morphological destruction in the central nervous system, the functioning of organs and systems of the body leads to partial loss of movement and speech, and sudden paralysis of the entire body occurs. Malignant neoplasms develop in liver cells, and severe kidney and vascular diseases occur. In addition, frequent intoxication leads to alcoholic delirium, often fatal.
Beer alcoholism
Despite the fact that beer is a low-alcohol drink, it poses no less a danger to life and health. Such alcoholism has a direct negative effect on all body systems. Among the most unpleasant consequences of beer addiction is the harm that the drink causes to the heart. Large doses of “foamy” will affect the general well-being and the condition of its blood vessels.
- How alcohol affects the human body - toxic effects on organs and systems
- Does the body recover if you give up alcohol: changes in humans
- Alcoholism in women - symptoms and first external signs, why it is incurable and how to deal with addiction
In the history of medicine, the term “Bavarian beer heart” is known, which was designated by a German physician for patients whose hearts had become pathologically changed as a result of daily consumption of large amounts of beer. This condition is characterized by the following symptoms:
- thickened walls of the heart chambers;
- necrosis of muscle fibers;
- dilated heart cavities;
- decrease in the number of mitochondria in cells.
Symptoms of the 3rd (final) stage of alcoholism
The manifestation of the final phase is characterized by qualitatively different symptoms.
Signs of alcohol dependence at this stage:
- The attraction to drinking becomes uncontrollable and is caused not by the desire for euphoria, but
the desire to relieve depression and other psychophysical discomfort.
- Decreased tolerance. People begin to get drunk from small doses and often drink weak drinks.
- Formation of an abstinence variant that requires constant hangover several times during the day, including at night.
- The development of pronounced personality degradation is the most striking symptom of late-stage alcoholism. Alcoholics lead a vagabond lifestyle, lose their family, their jobs, beg, and humiliate themselves in order to get a drink. They have many chronic pathologies: cardiopathy, geaptitis and cirrhosis, encephalopathy and neuropathy.
- Diagnosis of alcoholic psychoses. Externally, they manifest themselves with a variety of neurological symptoms. Patients talk to themselves, live in the grip of hallucinations, do not recognize anyone, are disoriented in space and time, and lose cognitive abilities and memory.
A minority of patients survive to stage 3. Death from severe complications most often occurs at the end of the phase of full-blown alcoholism.
Psychological causes of alcoholism
Most often, the causes of drunkenness and alcoholism are the character and mental abilities of a person, his ability to adapt to life’s troubles. Individuals with a weak will and a tendency to depression are most likely to suffer from alcohol addiction. They make a problem out of everything and suffer in the company of a bottle.
One of the psychological reasons for alcohol addiction is a person’s inability to self-realize and find a good job, build relationships and family. Such people suffer because they cannot find their calling and place in the world, and can often drink. Men worry about the lack of well-paid jobs, and women worry about the fact that they cannot arrange their personal lives and have children.
People with complexes and insecure people may drink more often than others. Such a person is full of fears, uncertainty about the future, and does not know how to make new acquaintances and get along with other people. To gain courage before an important event or date, he drinks a few glasses and becomes more relaxed and confident, everything seems more rosy. Individuals full of complexes, suspiciousness, and doubts drink to relax and suppress their fears. It is believed that a person who was suppressed by parents as a child is most at risk of alcoholism.
Among the main psychological causes of alcoholism is the desire to relax after a hard week with friends or alone. Alcoholic drinks quickly relieve tension, fatigue, and lift your spirits. A person gradually gets used to this way of life and finds it difficult to give it up. Most often, people do not see this as a problem, since this is a common form of recreation.
Some people start drinking to improve their health. There is a common misconception in society that wine can strengthen the heart and blood vessels. Some parents may give their children 50 grams of Cahors or dry wine “for appetite” before dinner. As a result, this passion for alcohol develops into chronic addiction in adults and children.
Chronic alcoholism and its consequences
A chronic alcoholic is visible at first glance - his hoarse voice, puffy face, and specific smell give him away. But much more dangerous are the changes that occur inside. They are the cause of terrible illnesses or even death.
Effect on the body
The greatest impact falls on organs in direct contact with ethanol:
- Liver. Fatty hepatosis, hepatitis, cirrhosis - all these diseases cause damage to liver cells of varying degrees. The only treatment option is to completely stop drinking flammable liquids.
- Heart. The structure of the tissue of the organ changes, its contractile function worsens, and the volume of processed blood also decreases. In addition, a hypertensive crisis, coronary artery disease is possible, and the rhythm of contractions is disrupted.
- Stomach and intestines. Acetaldehyde destroys the gastrointestinal mucosa, and as a result, the absorption of nutrients worsens. A person suffers from vitamin deficiency, sometimes dystrophy, but at the same time the amount of visceral (internal) fat increases. Gastritis, ulcers, and acute pancreatitis develop.
- Brain. During drunkenness, a huge number of brain cells die. Dopamine metabolism is disrupted. In response to vitamin B1 deficiency, memory functions, assimilation of new information deteriorate, and reactions slow down. At the last stage of addiction, the following develop: alcoholic encephalopathy, Korsakoff's disease, epilepsy, paralysis of the limbs, and dementia.
- Psyche. It all starts with emotional instability, aggression, and sleep disturbances. Next, personal changes occur: deceitfulness appears, unhealthy egocentrism appears, a sense of humor is lost, all reactions become simplified. Over time, a person completely degrades. In the final stages, the patient may be plagued by jealous delirium, delirium, hallucinations, and paranoia. Some diseases pose a direct threat to life: in an attack of hallucinations, the patient can injure himself, others, or commit suicide. A particularly severe form is chronic auditory hallucinations, when voices constantly sound in the patient’s head. Some drunkards get used to them, do not pay attention to them and outwardly seem quite adequate.
Physiological causes of alcoholism
Research has found that alcoholism can occur for a number of physiological reasons. These include features of the development and structure of the human body. This may be influenced by the course of pregnancy, the process of gestation and childbirth. Some diseases of the mother can affect the development of metabolism in the child and serve as a factor in the formation of chronic disorders. The development of alcohol dependence may depend on the gender and age of the person. Studies have shown that the most acute form of alcoholism can develop in adolescence, regardless of gender, and in women at a later age.
Alcohol addiction develops due to biochemical reasons. The substance ethanol takes part in the chemical reactions of the body, while destroying the nervous system and other organs. This is why people get used to alcohol so quickly. Alcoholism develops in people prone to psychiatric disorders: depression, neuroses, schizophrenia and others. Among the physiological causes of alcoholism there may be various brain injuries and traumatic brain injuries.
Genetic causes
According to research, genetic causes are among the main causes of alcoholism. Bad heredity is passed on from parents to children if at least one of them suffered from a similar disease. If both parents were alcoholics, the risk of developing the disease increases 5 times. To this factor we can add the psychological aspect of personality formation, since children tend to copy the behavior of their parents. Scientists have also found that people from Russia and the CIS have a much higher genetic resistance to alcohol than people from Asia.
Researchers have identified two groups of genes that cause alcohol dependence. These are genes responsible for the metabolism of alcohol in the body and control neuropsychic functions. When drinking alcoholic beverages, a positive effect of “pleasure” is formed in the brain, so a person cannot normally relax and improve his mood without alcohol. It is known that inherited alcoholism is difficult to treat. If there is a history of alcoholism in your family, it is better not to start drinking at all, even in small quantities.
Parkhomenko Oleg Viktorovich, narcologist When treating alcoholism, it is important to identify the root cause - the basis of the disease. The patient must himself declare his intention to quit drinking, and only then can he be taken to the appointment. To do this, you need to talk with the alcohol addict, talk about the dangers of alcohol, and give compelling arguments in favor of a “sober life.”
Diagnosis of alcoholism
The diagnosis of this pathology can only be made by a medical commission consisting of 3 specialists.
Such responsibility is caused by the limitations and dangers that the disease brings not only to patients, but also to the people around them. A biosocial disease - alcoholism is often accompanied by criminal acts with the subsequent bringing of the perpetrators to criminal liability. Most traffic accidents, fights, murders, robberies and rapes are committed while intoxicated, including by individuals with chronic alcohol addiction. When identifying the presence of an addiction to alcohol, doctors take into account:
- Interview and examination data. The nature of drunkenness is revealed, the external characteristic features of a drinking person are the “face of an alcoholic”: puffy, bluish, with purple veins, often yellow sclera of the eyes, bag-like lower eyelids.
- The opinion of relatives and close people reporting details that the patient is trying to hide.
- Results of laboratory diagnostics, specific abnormalities in the heart detected by X-ray examination, liver problems - toxic hepatitis and cirrhosis.
- Study of the neurological status - identification of impaired tendon reflexes, instability in the Romberg position, inaccurate performance of the finger-nose test and obvious horizontal-vertical nystagmus.
- Mental state – degradation of personality in its entirety.
Alcoholism is a disease that requires painstaking and long-term treatment. The longer the problem has been running, the more effort and time it requires to heal. In order to avoid mistakes in this case, it is better to immediately seek help from qualified narcologists who will help you get rid of the disease and return to a normal and healthy life.
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Alcoholism in Russia
Modern statistics constantly contain information about the number of alcoholics in Russia and neighboring countries. Drunkenness is one of the most serious problems on a national scale.
In Russia, in some families, people have been drinking since adolescence. The World Health Organization made a report on alcohol consumption and published it in 2019.
The document contains data on the amount of alcohol consumed per person over 15 years of age. In this report, Russia is in 4th place.
Alcoholism is a social problem. Every year people die from drunkenness. Not only the drunkards themselves suffer, but also those around them. Drunk people drive vehicles, and most road accidents are caused by a drunk driver. Chronic alcoholics are characterized by inappropriate behavior and are socially dangerous individuals.
Men
According to research and statistics, alcoholism is diagnosed more often in men than in women. In men, the factors of alcoholism are the following:
- Alcohol addiction begins unnoticed. First, the man drinks after hard work. With the help of alcoholic drinks it is possible to relieve emotional stress. Gradually, your lifestyle changes, and without another dose of alcohol you cannot avoid stress;
- Loss of a job, lack of support from a loved one. When a man lacks the desire to solve problems, he goes on a drinking binge. This is why spiritual problems arise;
- Alcohol addiction often occurs in youth. Trying to fight their complexes, young people find salvation in alcohol;
- Psycho-emotional trauma. Men find it more difficult than women to cope with psychological problems. The emergence of another problem can cause binge drinking;
There is a high probability of alcohol dependence in men with weak character. In families where only the woman makes decisions, men begin to drink, thus drowning out anger and dissatisfaction with what is happening.
Many men become drunkards, trying to achieve self-realization and increase self-esteem.
Women
Among women, there is a smaller percentage of alcohol dependent people. But the low level of statistics is compensated by the fact that the desire to drink develops into a disease in the shortest possible time.
The causes of alcoholism in women are somewhat different in nature compared to men. The main causes of drunkenness and alcoholism in women are the following circumstances:
- separation from a loved one, divorce from a husband;
- any type of depression, a depressive state occurs against the background of hormonal changes associated with childbirth, menopause, PMS;
- prolonged illness and death of loved ones;
- financial difficulties;
- mental disorders leading to depression and nervous breakdowns;
- the woman feels lonely and unnecessary.
A peculiarity of the mechanisms of development of female alcohol dependence is that addiction to alcohol begins with light drinks. Ladies first drink champagne and wine, and gradually move on to strong alcohol. Women, trying to hide their addiction, turn to doctors at an advanced stage of the disease, when the nervous system is damaged, and they can no longer stop drinking on their own.
Children
Factors that provoke alcohol dependence in children are psychological and social phenomena.
The main reasons for the development of childhood alcohol addiction:
- parents drink;
- when intoxicated, a teenager feels like an adult and independent;
- The reasons for alcoholism in children are often the desire to free themselves from parental control.
Examples of children's addiction to alcohol can be found in frequent conflicts at school. This is a lack of understanding on the part of classmates and teachers.