The consumption of alcoholic beverages can be equated with a national tradition. They meet at the table both on vacations and on days of mourning, spend leisure time and relax with them, without thinking about the harmful effects of alcohol on the body and its destructive effect on health.
Ethyl alcohol is a poison to humans. Depending on the individual's predisposition, even small doses can cause serious disturbances in the functioning of the organs, cause changes in behavior and disturb the general well-being. The lack of measures and the systemic consumption of alcohol often lead to the development of dependence, the fight for which requires considerable physical, moral and financial efforts.
Clinic experts know firsthand the dangers of alcohol, on the basis of which patients receive competent, high-quality care aimed at eliminating the consequences of alcohol abuse. Clinic doctors help to deal with the symptoms of a hangover, avoid binge drinking, alleviate intoxication, and also select a course of treatment and rehabilitation. Drug treatment is carried out at home, on an outpatient basis or in a hospital environment.
Stages of alcoholism development
Alcoholism is a disease that characterizes the presence of significance and the craving for alcohol. It develops in stages, going through several stages.
1st phase
The first stage of disease development is characterized by the emergence of a steady craving for alcoholic beverages. The urge to drink arises in stressful and emotionally intense situations, regardless of its nature (joy or displeasure).
Stage 2
The frequency of alcohol consumption is constantly increasing, the volume and strength of the drinks consumed increase. Gradually, the person loses control over the situation, as well as the ability to critically assess their behavior and actions.
Stage 3
The body becomes accustomed to drinking alcohol, which expresses itself in the weakening of the ability to resist its destructive influence. Even a small dose of alcohol causes intoxication, and further use does not change the nature of the condition.
the consequences of drinking alcohol
Ethanol is a chemical with a psychoactive effect and the ability to cause overexcitation of the central nervous system. Depending on the dose and individual body reactions, drinking can trigger a state of relaxation or uncontrollable tantrums, lead to a slight loss of coordination, or threaten to lose consciousness and have epileptic fits. In clinics, doctors look at a range of consequences of drinking alcohol, in each case choosing an appropriate way to provide care.
The Effect of Alcohol on the Brain
Under the influence of ethanol, several pathological processes take place in the body, including erythrocyte adhesion. The formed plaques enter the circulatory system and begin to circulate in the bloodstream. As they pass through the brain's thin vessels, they can create a blockage that interrupts the blood supply. As a result, the brain begins to suffer from lack of oxygen, leading to cell death. Physically, this condition manifests itself as headaches during a hangover as well as memory lapses.
Regular repetition of the condition increases the stress level, which leads to irreversible changes in brain tissue. As a result, over time, a person may experience illnesses such as dementia and atherosclerosis.
The Effect of Alcohol on the Nervous System
The central nervous system is subject to the action of the pattern. Due to forced relaxation, the sensitivity of the nerve fibers decreases, which leads to the elimination of excess stress. But it is precisely this state that becomes the trap. In anticipation of a pleasant feeling, a person begins to consume alcohol regularly, which teaches the nervous system to relax. Without it, the tension progresses, creating a serious load on the body:
- the period of worry about stress and problems increases;
- inner anxiety and anxiety increase;
- the stress does not lessen, causing physical and mental changes in the state.
The Effect of Alcohol on the Liver
Like any other poisons and toxins, ethanol has a negative effect on liver tissue and cells. As soon as ethyl alcohol enters the body, the liver begins to produce an enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase) that can process and neutralize it. A high level of stress causes healthy liver cells to die and replace them with adipose and connective tissue. If the process is not stopped, the consequences will be dire:
- liver failure develops: the organ cannot handle its work;
- the load on the digestive tract increases, the gallbladder activity decreases;
- there is an increase in the size of the liver, which causes a change in the position of organs, an increase in the load on the vascular system, an increased risk of thrombus formation;
- as a result of liver depletion, the process of utilizing 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 gastrointestinal health. The mucous membrane of the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract is in direct contact with alcohol, which significantly increases the risks:
- the development of peptic ulcer and inflammatory processes;
- changes in the acidity of the gastric juice, which causes pain and digestive problems;
- the development of reflux, which leads to heartburn, burns of the mucous membrane and the development of other chronic diseases.
The harms of alcohol for women
The female body turns out to be especially vulnerable, the harmful effect of alcohol on it ends up being more pronounced and strong compared to the effect on men. Even a small dose of alcohol can cause intoxication. Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages causes quick destructive effects.
The hormonal system suffers the most. Drinking alcohol becomes a powerful stressor for her. The load disturbs the work of the endocrine glands, suppresses the work of the ovaries and adrenal glands, the production of female sex hormones is visibly reduced, in contrast, the synthesis of testosterone increases. Thus, the systematic use of alcoholic beverages causes the appearance of male traits:
- the timbre of the voice changes: there is hoarseness and harshness of the sound;
- coordination of movement changes;
- grace and attractiveness are lost;
- curve appears;
- weight gain.
Alcoholism changes a woman's appearance. The state of drunkenness and hangover causes swelling of the face, appearance of redness and swelling. The skin on her face takes on an unhealthy, earthy color, the vascular network becomes noticeable, the whites of her eyes turn red and then darken. Dark circles also appear under the eyes. Fat deposits form in the abdomen. Excessive hair growth becomes noticeable.
Alcohol consumption has a negative effect on the condition of blood vessels and veins. Its walls lose elasticity, which manifests itself in the appearance of cyanotic and vascular meshes, heaviness in the limbs, pain in the legs.
Alcoholism causes the appearance of metabolic disorders. The body loses the ability to fully absorb nutrients while losing vitamins and minerals. In this sense, the manifestations of vitamin deficiency are aggravated, the skin and hair acquire an opaque appearance. Fatigue sets in, stamina disappears, activity is lost.
Drinking regularly affects the reproductive system. Alcohol causes disturbances in the functioning of the ovaries, which causes the absence of ovulation and difficulty for the occurrence of pregnancy. If conception takes place in the context of systematic alcohol consumption, 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 deal with their addiction and prevent the destruction of the body. In this sense, contacting the clinic is of particular importance. A course of restorative therapy based on it helps to deal with unhealthy alcohol cravings. The treatment program for female alcoholism is designed taking into account the specific nuances of the course of the disease, which increases its effectiveness in combating the disease.
The harms of alcohol to men
Regular alcohol abuse harms the male body. Toxins destroy organs and systems, chronic diseases worsen, character changes, and health worsens.
In a context of drunkenness, the level of male hormones decreases, which causes external changes: fat is deposited on the chest and hips, muscle weakness appears, dark circles become visible.
Alcohol is especially bad for the reproductive system. Under the influence of toxins, the hormonal background changes, sexual resistance disappears, libido diminishes, signs of impotence appear.
Drinking also causes problems such as shrinking testicles. As a result, semen production and quality are significantly reduced. Design becomes a problem. But even in the case of pregnancy, the risks of developing abnormalities in the fetus increase significantly.
Considering the seriousness of the consequences that alcoholism brings, the treatment in the clinic allows an integrated approach to the problem. It aims to simultaneously fight alcohol addiction and restore the body.
The harms of alcohol for teenagers
Drinking alcohol during adolescence is prohibited. However, due to 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 formation and formation phase, and the toxic effect of alcohol interferes in this process. The harms of alcohol in adolescence are especially noticeable:
- dependence develops quickly: even small doses are sufficient for its formation;
- symptoms of intoxication develop rapidly and manifest themselves with a particular glow;
- the psyche does not take care of the charge, which expresses itself in the appearance of aggression, anger, irritation, inappropriate reactions;
- the memory diminishes, the ability to concentrate worsens, the adolescent cannot keep up with his studies, he starts to fall behind and deteriorate.
The treatment of adolescents and the choice of the correct therapeutic intervention strategy requires taking into account the characteristics of their development and physical and psychological condition. The clinics have developed special methods of treatment for a particularly vulnerable group of patients, whose use yields 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 scientists' opinion on the matter remains categorical - alcohol is unhealthy at any dosage. Depending on the consumption level, this damage can be minimal or critical. It has been proven that the regular use of alcohol can cause illnesses, in addition to worsening existing illnesses.
Critical thinking and understanding the seriousness of the problem are necessary in any situation, including the issue of alcohol consumption. Much depends on personal preferences, attitudes and guidelines, as well as health. It is easier for someone to completely exclude alcohol, one admits the possibility of its periodic use.
Scientific research suggests that the risks of addiction formation will be minimal if the daily dose of ethanol does not exceed 12/24 grams (the norm 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 handle two glasses of wine or 0. 6 liters of beer. However, you should not interpret these numbers as a direct guide to action. Drinking every day is not beneficial and can create a foundation for addictions that will eventually have to be dealt with.