According to statistics, men are twice as likely to develop an addiction to alcohol. Our society considers it completely normal to consume alcohol on a regular basis, despite the fact that the consequences of alcoholism in men are very deplorable both for him and his family.
This opinion is, of course, disastrous and should be reconsidered. Alcoholism is a serious illness that destroys a person's psyche and general health. It requires a comprehensive medical approach. As practice shows, even beer leads to stable alcoholism. It is with him that this disease begins, and later a person switches to strong alcohol.
External signs of alcoholism
Addiction is formed and developed gradually, step by step. It is possible to recognize the presence of alcoholism and its development by a number of characteristic signs of alcoholism in humans. Psychologists and narcologists have developed the main symptoms by which one can recognize nascent alcoholism:
- an irresistible craving for alcohol, a person looks for the strangest reasons to justify his urge to drink;
- assault on family members, friends, co-workers;
- lethargy and fatigue;
- speech disturbances;
- disorders of the musculoskeletal system;
- familiarity with foreigners;
- listlessness, mood swings;
- deterioration of general well-being.
These are the first signs of incipient alcoholism, which can last for up to 10 years. At this point, they're easy to miss, as is often the case. The woman just doesn't pay attention to them. Think that a man relieves stress after work, tries to escape problems with a can of beer or a glass of brandy. During this time, the disease does not stop and continues to progress.
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Causes of male alcoholism
The problem of male alcoholism is dictated by the difference between the psychology of women and men. The male sex adapts less well to changing external conditions and resorts to alcohol to distract themselves from the problems and worries that befell them. In addition, men more often resist persuasion to undergo rehabilitation, they believe that they are able to cope on their own.
But that's not the case - in addition to physical addiction, alcoholism brings about profound personality changes from the first few months of abuse. The external environment often consists of the same alcoholics over time, which also impedes healing.
Every second family in our country will face the problem of alcoholism in the future, or have already encountered it. It affects all family members without exception, especially children. In general, the reasons for the appearance of this addiction can be divided into three types:
- social;
- psychological;
- physiological.
They can appear individually or in combination. Social reasons include the presence of drinking friends in the environment. Social status plays a special role, as people with good jobs and higher education are less likely to face the problem of drug addiction. It is especially necessary to underline the presence of stress at work, the level of well-being.
The psychological factors are:
- imbalance of the psyche;
- insufficient level of self-control;
- low motivation for professional and mental development;
- the presence of complexes;
- low self esteem.
There are a number of other factors that can lead to alcoholism in a man. Here are only the most common.
There is another group of factors that provoke constant drunkenness - factors of a physiological nature. These are metabolic disorders that lead to the rapid development of addictions and hereditary factors. If there have been cases of alcoholism in previous generations, it is likely that they will be relevant to subsequent descendants. A person thinks that he will not become addicted and that he can easily give up alcohol at any time. A similar phenomenon is characteristic of alcoholics at all stages of alcoholism.
You can recognize an alcoholic by his eyes and his gaze. Ethanol has a negative effect on the eyes, they become "glassy" and tired. Over time, bags under the eyes and puffiness appear. Such a person looks tired. This indirectly indicates the presence of diseases of internal organs.
From a person who drinks constantly, often comes the smell of alcohol "smoke", which is difficult to confuse with another. People stuck in alcoholism usually do not take care of their hygiene, appearance, and do not hesitate to wear wrinkled and dirty clothes.
The stages of alcoholism and their signs
There are several stages of alcoholism in humans. There are only three, which follow one another. The later the treatment is started, the more difficult it is to be successful - psychological dependence and an antisocial lifestyle negate the progress of treatment.
Signs of the first stage
At the initial stage of the development of alcoholism, a gradual increase in the amount of alcohol consumed is characteristic. There are various reasons for this, such a person begins to look for a reason to drink. At the same time, each time, getting drunk more and more often. Relatives may hear excuses for this behavior:
- I want to relax.
- Others drank more than me.
- Yes, I drink a lot, but I'm not an alcoholic.
- I'm just tired at work and want to rest.
If these sentences are accompanied by aggression, this is a clear sign of developing addiction. Also, this stage is characterized by other signs associated with physiology:
- no gag reflex;
- more and more are needed to reach the same degree of intoxication;
- there are breakdowns.
All these manifestations lead to a deterioration in the general state of health, the concentration of attention deteriorates, and the efficiency decreases. They appear more often when moving to the next stage.
At this stage, it is already necessary to begin treatment for alcoholism in a man - the earlier the stage, the greater the chances of success. At the first stage, drunkenness is completely cured, and the body, after recovery, is restored to its original state, because the organs did not have time to suffer much and their functions are not greatly impaired.
A person cannot imagine his life without alcohol. This is how he spends all his free time. Because of this, problems can arise at work, as an employee who often has a hangover works less well. As a result, conflicts begin with colleagues and management. There are also a lot of problems in family life.
Signs of the second stage
At the second stage of alcoholism in humans, other characteristic signs appear. Withdrawal symptoms or hangovers are more pronounced here. It consists of nausea, headache. There may be breakdowns. Sleep and digestion are often disturbed. The craving for alcohol is already overwhelming. The second-stage alcoholic is no longer able to stop drinking. It is the main priority around which all life revolves.
In addition, this phase of the disease is characterized by mental disorders - alcoholic psychoses. This is expressed by an unstable emotional state, frequent manifestations of aggression, inappropriate behavior and unwarranted irritability.
Signs of the third stage
It is the last stage of alcoholism. At this stage, it is necessary to urgently hospitalize the patient in order to save his life. A complete degradation of the personality sets in and moral values become indifferent. The main goal of an alcoholic is to get another serving of alcohol and for that he can do anything including breaking the law. It also takes place:
- poisoning comes from small doses;
- hangover is very difficult;
- sleep depends on how much you drink, as does food intake.
According to medical statistics, the average lifespan of an alcoholic at this stage does not exceed five years. Due to the constant poisoning of the body, the following symptoms may appear:
- intellectual degradation;
- loss of speech or severe speech impairment;
- high risk of stroke, heart attack, paralysis, severe liver and kidney dysfunction.
If these symptoms start to appear, you need to understand that the addiction just keeps growing. The basis of effective and successful treatment is the desire to get rid of the addiction of the patient himself. The situation is complicated by the fact that alcoholics are often drunk and unable to make informed decisions. This greatly complicates dialogue with such a person.
The alcoholism of beer should be noted separately. However, this problem is gaining more and more weight in society. As a rule, many are convinced that beer cannot cause alcoholism. Narcologists have a different opinion on this - frequent consumption of beer can cause persistent alcoholism. It manifests itself in the need to constantly drink this drink, and in large quantities. Gradually, the quantity drunk increases. In this case, it is also worth raising the alarm and starting the rehabilitation process to get rid of this addiction.
The consequences of alcoholism in humans
No matter how strong the body is, the consequences of alcoholism in a man will not be long in coming. They can be conditionally divided into two types - psychological and physiological. The latter can be manifested by disturbances in the functioning of various body systems:
- Male impotence. Under the influence of alcohol, the hormonal background changes, the production of testosterone is disturbed.
- Problems of the digestive system. It can be gastritis, intestinal ulcers, stomach diseases.
- Pressure problems. Alcohol destroys the vascular system.
- Pathology of the liver. Frequent alcohol consumption leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- Bad immunity. The body loses its protective properties, frequent infectious diseases occur.
- Heart problems. The risk of heart attack in alcoholics is several times higher than in non-drinkers.
Alcoholism also affects the human psyche. These violations can manifest as strange behavior:
- Feeling of persecution. It seems to a person that she is being watched.
- The appearance of hallucinations. Under the influence of alcohol, the brain can create visual and auditory illusions.
- Encephalopathy. It is associated with poor circulation and poor nutrition of brain cells.
If such phenomena appear, you should immediately contact a competent psychologist working with alcoholics. It is important to know that you can start treating alcoholism in men at any stage.
Only in a rehabilitation center, a man will be helped not only to relieve physiological dependence, but also will be brought to a full recovery with the help of hospital treatment and accompany the first steps of life after rehabilitation.
Of course, the sooner the qualified assistance of narcologists is provided, the faster and easier the process of getting rid of this disease will proceed. Therefore, if you have the slightest suspicion, immediately contact a specialist.