Drinking alcoholic beverages can be equated with a national tradition. They find themselves at the table on both holidays and mourning days, spending their free time with them and relaxing, without thinking about the harm alcohol does to the body and its devastating effect on health.
Ethyl alcohol is poison to humans. Depending on the individual's predisposition, even small doses can provoke serious disturbances in organ function, cause behavioral changes, and impair overall well-being. Lack of measures and systematic consumption of alcohol often cause the development of addiction, the fight against which requires considerable physical, moral and financial effort.
Clinic specialists are aware of the dangers of alcohol, based on which patients are provided with competent and high-quality assistance aimed at eliminating the consequences of alcohol abuse. Clinicians help to cope with the symptoms of a hangover, get rid of heavy drinking, relieve intoxication and also choose a course of treatment and rehabilitation. Drug treatment is provided at home, on an outpatient basis or in a hospital setting.
Stages of development of alcoholism
Alcoholism is a disease characterized by the presence of importance and desire for alcohol. It takes place in stages, going through several stages.
Phase 1
The first stage of disease development is characterized by the appearance of a persistent craving for alcoholic beverages. The desire to drink manifests itself in intense stressful and emotional situations, regardless of their nature (joy or discomfort).
Phase 2
The frequency of alcohol consumption is constantly increasing, the volume and strength of beverages consumed is increasing. Gradually, a person loses control over the situation as well as the ability to critically evaluate their behavior and actions.
Phase 3
The body gets used to drinking alcohol, which is expressed in the weakening of the ability to resist its destructive influence. Even a small dose of alcohol provokes intoxication, and further use does not change the nature of the condition.
Consequences of drinking alcohol
Ethanol is a chemical that has a psychoactive effect and the ability to cause over-excitation of the central nervous system. Depending on the dose and individual reactions of the body, drinking can provoke a state of relaxation or periods of uncontrollable rage, lead to a slight loss of coordination or threaten with loss of consciousness and epileptic seizures. In clinics, doctors observe a range of consequences of alcohol intake, in each case, choosing an adequate way to provide relief.
The effect of alcohol on the brain
Under the influence of ethanol, various pathological processes occur in the body, including erythrocyte adhesion. The formed plaques enter the circulatory system and begin to circulate in the bloodstream. When they pass through the thin vessels of the brain, they can create a blockage that stops the blood supply. As a result, the brain begins to suffer from lack of oxygen, leading to cell death. Physically, this condition manifests as headaches during a hangover as well as memory loss.
Regular recurrence of the condition increases stress levels, which leads to irreversible changes in brain tissue. As a result, over time, a person may face diseases such as dementia and atherosclerosis.
The effect of alcohol on the nervous system
The central nervous system is subject to standard action. Due to forced relaxation, the sensitivity of nerve fibers decreases, which leads to the elimination of excessive stress. But it is precisely this state that becomes the trap. In anticipation of a pleasant sensation, a person begins to return regularly to drinking alcohol, which teaches the nervous system to relax. Without it, the tension progresses, creating a serious load on the body:
- increases the period of worry about stress and problems;
- internal anxiety and anxiety increases;
- stress does not decrease, causing mental and physical changes in condition.
The effect of alcohol on the liver
Like any other poison and toxin, ethanol has a negative effect on liver tissues and cells. Once ethyl alcohol enters the body, the liver begins to produce an enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase) that can process and neutralize it. High levels of stress provoke the death of healthy liver cells and their replacement by adipose and connective tissue. If the process does not stop, then the consequences are very terrible:
- liver failure develops: the organ does not cope with its work;
- the load on the digestive tract increases, the activity of the gallbladder decreases;
- there is an increase in the size of the liver, which provokes a shift in the position of the organs, an increase in the load on the vascular system, an increase in the risk of thrombus formation;
- as a result of liver depletion, the process of utilization of sodium compounds is delayed, which leads to increased stone formation in the bile ducts and bladder.
The effect of alcohol on the gastrointestinal tract
Drinking alcohol is harmful to your gastrointestinal health. The mucosa of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract is in direct contact with alcohol, which significantly increases the risks:
- development of peptic ulcer and inflammatory processes;
- changes in the acidity of gastric juice, which causes pain and digestive problems;
- development of reflux, which leads to the appearance of heartburn, mucosal burns and the development of other chronic diseases.
Alcohol harm to women
The female body turns out to be particularly vulnerable, the harmful effect of alcohol on it turns out to be more pronounced and strong compared to the effect in men. Even a small dose of alcohol can cause poisoning. Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages provokes rapid devastating effects.
The hormonal system suffers the most. Drinking alcohol becomes a powerful stress for him. The load causes disruption in the work of endocrine glands, suppresses the work of the ovaries and adrenal glands, the production of female sex hormones is significantly reduced, on the contrary, testosterone synthesis is increased. As a result, the systematic use of alcoholic beverages provokes the appearance of masculine features:
- the timbre of the voice changes: there is hoarseness and roughness of the voice;
- coordination of movement changes;
- grace and attractiveness are lost;
- bending appears;
- weight gain.
Alcoholism changes a woman's appearance. The state of intoxication and a hangover cause swelling of the face, the appearance of redness and swelling. Facial skin takes on an unhealthy, earthy color, the vascular network becomes visible, the whites of the eyes redden and then darken. Black circles also appear under the eyes. Fat deposits form in the abdomen. Excessive hair growth becomes noticeable.
Drinking alcohol has a negative effect on the condition of blood vessels and veins. Their walls lose elasticity, which is manifested in the appearance of cyanotic, vascular network, aggravation in the limbs, pain in the legs.
Alcoholism provokes the appearance of metabolic disorders. The body loses its ability to fully absorb nutrients while actively losing vitamins and minerals. In this regard, the manifestations of vitamin deficiency worsen, the skin and hair acquire a dull appearance. Fatigue appears, stamina disappears, activity is lost.
Regular drinking hits the reproductive system. Alcohol provokes disturbances in the functioning of the ovaries, which leads to lack of ovulation and difficulty with the onset of pregnancy. If conception occurs against the background of systematic drinking, then the risks to the fetus increase significantly. As a result, a child can be born with severe pathologies and developmental disorders.
Without qualified help, it is more difficult for women to cope with addiction and stop destroying the body. In this regard, contacting the clinic is of particular importance. A course of restorative therapy based on it helps to cope with unhealthy cravings for alcohol. The program for the treatment of female alcoholism is designed taking into account the specific nuances of the course of the disease, which increases its effectiveness in the fight against the disease.
Alcohol harm to men
Regular alcohol abuse harms the male body. Toxins destroy organs and systems, chronic diseases worsen, character changes, and health deteriorates.
Against the background of intoxication, the level of male hormones decreases, which brings about external changes: fat is deposited in the chest and hips, muscle weakness appears, the bags under the eyes become visible.
Alcohol is especially harmful to the reproductive system. Under the influence of toxins, the hormonal background changes, sexual stamina goes away, libido decreases, signs of impotence appear.
Drinking also provokes a problem such as a shrinkage of the testicles. As a result, sperm production and quality are significantly reduced. Conception becomes a problem. But even in the case of pregnancy, the risks of developing abnormalities in the fetus increase significantly.
Given the severity of the consequences of alcoholism, clinical treatment envisages an integrated approach to the problem. It aims to simultaneously fight alcohol dependence and restore the body.
Alcohol harm to teens
Drinking alcohol during adolescence is prohibited. But because of youth protest and the desire for adulthood, these prohibitions are often violated. Drinking alcohol at a young age is especially dangerous. The body is in the stage of formation and formation, and the toxic effect of alcohol interferes with this process. The harm of alcohol in adolescence is especially evident:
- addiction develops rapidly: even small doses are sufficient for its formation;
- symptoms of intoxication develop rapidly and appear with special brightness;
- the psyche does not withstand the load, which is expressed in the appearance of aggression, anger, irritation, inadequate reactions;
- memory decreases, the ability to concentrate deteriorates, the adolescent can not cope with his studies, begins to lag behind and degrade.
The treatment of adolescents and the selection of the appropriate strategy for therapeutic intervention requires that the characteristics of their development and their physical and psychological condition be taken into account. Clinics have developed special methods of care for a particularly vulnerable group of patients, the use of which gives good results.
Harmless doses of alcohol
The variety of alcoholic beverages and their availability create the impression that they are safe and harmless to drink. But the opinion of scientists on this issue remains categorical - alcohol is harmful to health in any dose. Depending on the level of its consumption, this damage can be minimal or critical. It has been proven that regular use of alcohol can cause disease as well as provoke a worsening of existing diseases.
Critical thinking and understanding of the severity of the problem is necessary in any situation, including the issue of alcohol consumption. Much depends on personal preferences, attitudes, and guidance, as well as health. It is easier for someone to completely exclude alcohol, someone accepts the possibility of its periodic use.
Scientific research suggests that the risks of developing addiction will be minimal if the daily dose of ethanol does not exceed 12/24 grams (rate for women and men). That is, women can safely drink a glass of wine or a glass of beer a day, a man's body can withstand a few glasses of wine or 0, 6 liters of beer. However, you should not take these numbers as a direct guide to action. Daily drinking is not helpful and can create a basis for the formation of addictions, which will eventually need to be addressed.