EntranceExcessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health! The Ministry of Health is discussing the introduction of frightening pictures on bottles of alcohol An inscription about the dangers of drinking alcohol.
Alcoholic drinks have long been part of our culture, one of the most popular drinks is beer, mostly young people drink it. But do not forget that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health. Many do not think about the consequences of alcohol abuse, although no one denies its harm. Let's figure out in order what danger alcohol hides in itself and whether it is worth completely abandoning it.
Features of the disease
Almost all labels of alcoholic products contain the inscription: “The Ministry of Health warns that alcohol is harmful to your health”, unfortunately, few people pay attention to these warnings. From drinking one bottle of beer or a glass of vodka, the harm will be little noticeable, but if this happens regularly, it leads to irreversible consequences. The warning about the dangers of alcohol is very often met with a smile, but no one is safe from alcoholism, no one can say what dose will become that red line which cannot be passed. The addiction of the body to alcohol occurs gradually and imperceptibly.
In general, the concept of alcoholism includes not only physical dependence, but also psychological and emotional. As a rule, the patient denies his addiction and this is a big obstacle on the way to recovery, because the first step to solving the problem is its awareness.
If the patient denies the disease, then no one can help him, since any method of dealing with alcohol addiction requires the consent and firm decision of the patient. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to serious consequences, the most terrible of them is alcoholism, because it affects not only the physiological state, but also the spiritual component of a person.
Depending on the state of health, hereditary predisposition and other individual characteristics of a person, addiction to alcohol occurs in different ways. A few years will be enough for someone, and he is already a slave to the bottle, others can drink all their lives and not get drunk. The problem is that with a high degree of probability it will not work to predict which category a particular person belongs to. It is obvious that if there were alcohol addicts in your family, then the risk of being in the same problem increases many times over. Conventionally, alcoholism is divided into 3 stages:
Alcohol in small doses
Many people think that it is possible to drink alcohol in small quantities without consequences, but this is not entirely true. Ethanol is a poison for our body, and even one glass of vodka a day will disrupt normal life processes. The harm from alcohol in small quantities is due to several factors:
Daily alcohol consumption o leads to a lot of problems. If it is not possible to completely abandon strong drinks, then you need to follow some rules: reduce the dose of a single consumption and drink no more than twice a week. Attention should also be paid to the quality of alcohol, since annually a large number of people are poisoned because of low-quality alcohol.
Health impact
Alcohol causes a serious blow to the entire body, mainly affecting the liver, brain, heart and reproductive system. Let's take a look at exactly what effect ethanol has after consumption. Alcohol begins to be absorbed into the blood in the oral cavity, then in the stomach and intestines. When it enters the bloodstream, it acts on red blood cells (red blood cells that carry oxygen), under the influence of alcohol they begin to stick together with each other, resulting in the formation of the so-called thick blood.
Red blood cells glued together easily pass through the arteries and veins, but when they reach the capillaries, difficulties begin. The fact is that the size of the capillary is 5–10 µm, and the size of erythrocytes is 6.2–8.2 µm. If several blood cells stick together, then it becomes simply impossible to pass through the capillaries. As a result, blood circulation slows down, first of all it is felt in the brain.
Due to lack of oxygen, brain cells (neurons) begin to die off, in connection with this, there is clouding of consciousness, dullness of attention, headache and other symptoms. The more alcohol that gets into the blood, the stronger this effect will be.
In addition to brain cells, the liver is also hit hard. The occurrence of cirrhosis is almost always associated with the use of alcohol. Cirrhosis of the liver occurs due to the action of ethanol and its toxins on it, the liver has the ability to regenerate (restore) cells and tissues. Under the influence ethyl alcohol these processes are disturbed, as a result of which the liver grows uncontrollably in size. This disease affects 20% of alcoholics.
Impact on teenagers
In Russia, according to statistics, the vast majority of people tried alcohol for the first time before the age of 14. A large number of adolescents regularly drink alcohol, mainly low-alcohol drinks such as wine, beer, champagne and others. The effect of ethanol on the body of a teenager is several times more destructive than on an adult. How does alcohol affect teenagers?
Alcoholism treatment
Treatment is carried out in several stages. If the patient is in a state of binge, then it is necessary to stop the binge first. To do this, intravenous infusion will help, which will accelerate removal of ethanol from the blood. It will take about a month to completely intoxicate the body, of course, drinking alcohol at this time is out of the question. An important factor is the patient's recognition of his addiction and the desire to get rid of it, only after a firm decision is made, recovery is possible.
The next step is to avoid alcohol as much as possible, and it is also possible to use special drugs that reduce cravings for alcohol. There are a large number of methods for the treatment of alcoholism, and a qualified medical worker should select the drugs and the method of treatment.
Soft drinks
A good substitute for alcohol would be non-alcoholic beer or wine, the ethanol content in them is minimal - 0.5%, kvass contains approximately the same amount of alcohol. If you have already developed an alcohol addiction, then it will not be possible to switch to wine or beer. the best option. But for those who drink alcohol several times a week - soft drinks will be a great replacement. In addition, non-alcoholic wine has many useful properties, and the taste of a quality drink cannot be distinguished even by tasters. But do not abuse and drink in unlimited quantities, 3-4 glasses a day will be an easily digestible norm.
Alcoholism is the scourge of modern society, excessive drinking will necessarily affect the state of health. Even if released from this addiction, the consequences will be irreversible, and the harm caused by alcohol can lead to premature death. If you want to live a long and fulfilling life, then it is better to give up or limit the use of alcohol.
Holidays and meetings are accompanied by the intake of alcohol, which has a devastating effect on the body. The packaging says that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health, but the information is misleading. As a refutation, examples are given with drinking relatives, and the concept of the norm is conditional. For alcoholics, it reaches several bottles of beer or a liter of vodka per day; for other people, this portion will cause withdrawal symptoms.
What is considered overuse
On a container with alcoholic drinks warn about the dangers of alcohol in its excessive consumption. However, no exact numbers are not reported, leading to various myths. There are theories about the benefits of moderate drinking, which improves appetite and boosts immunity. Long-term observations have shown the inconsistency of this theory. Especially dangerous is the excessive consumption of beer. Due to the low alcohol content, a person easily exceeds the allowable dosage, which leads to the formation of a persistent beer addiction.
Experts refer to excessive alcohol consumption as taking more than 3 servings per day for women and 4 servings for men. One serving equals 30 ml of vodka, 150 ml of wine or 330 ml of beer for women. Men are allowed to drink 50 ml of vodka, 250 ml of wine or 0.5 liters of beer. Ultimately allowable norms may increase or decrease depending on general health, age, body weight, and individual response to ethanol. Also, weekly servings of 7 doses for women and 14 for men should not be exceeded.
Terrifying statistics
Alcohol, in its destructive capabilities, competes with drugs. From the consequences of alcohol intake, 4% of deaths in the world occur, which is 22.5 million people. Almost half of the deaths are caused by cirrhosis of the liver and intoxication. A quarter is due to accidents and different kinds injuries. One fifth of the dead died from pathologies of the cardiovascular system. One tenth or two million people commit suicide because of a depressive psychological state.
The statistics for Russia are depressing: more than half of alcoholics are young people aged 24-30. The total number of addicts reaches 20 million and their number is increasing every year. The strength of drinks and the degree of aggressiveness of patients increase, so 80% of murders are committed while intoxicated. People die in domestic fights, in a showdown or in an accident with drunk drivers.
Stages of alcohol intoxication
At the initial stage, the disease manifests itself weakly, a person skillfully controls his behavior. Then changes begin in the body at the psychological and physiological level. Experts distinguish three stages of intoxication: mild, moderate and severe. The speed of transition from one degree to another is influenced by numerous factors:
- age;
- gender;
- hereditary predisposition;
- general health;
- individual physiological characteristics;
- duration of alcohol intake.
At first, a person tries to justify drinking alcohol, to find a reason for a feast. As addiction progresses, the requirements for the quality of the drink, the surrounding company and one's own behavior are reduced. Depending on the degree of changes in the functioning of the nervous system and in the functioning of internal organs, doctors determine the stage of alcoholism. After that, you can build a treatment strategy if the person himself is aware of the problem.
Easy stage
The first degree is manifested in psychological dependence, in the desire to drink to cheer up. A person is looking for reasons to drink alcohol, after which he experiences a state of euphoria. Bans go away, sociability and emancipation appear. The following signs of violations are observed:
- Slight redness of the skin, especially the face.
- Rapid breathing.
- Difficulties with coordination.
- Decreased visual acuity.
Movements become inaccurate, vague, which leads to a decrease in the reaction rate. A person wants to prove himself, show his own significance. Such changes become especially dangerous for drivers who make risky maneuvers.
Drinkers have been at this stage for several years, and portions of alcohol are minimal. If you stop in time, there will be no disturbances in the functioning of internal organs.
middle stage
When the concentration in the blood reaches 2 ppm, the middle stage of intoxication begins. Instead of friendliness and sociability, a negative attitude towards others appears, gradually reaching aggressiveness. The speech of the drunk is difficult to make out, the skin becomes pale, and problems with coordination increase.
Reality appears in a distorted form, so all family ties fade into the background. Any remark that would normally go unnoticed can provoke a fit of rage. The body tries to cleanse itself with the help of nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and drowsiness come to replace aggressiveness.
In the second stage, a person usually stays for 3–5 years, and physiological dependence is added to psychological dependence. Without alcohol, the patient develops a feeling of fear, discomfort and insecurity. The mood changes from euphoria to complete apathy, and control over the amount drunk is lost. Even large portions of ethyl-containing liquids do not cause a hangover.
Third stage
The third degree of intoxication is considered the most severe. Tolerance to ethanol is reduced, even small portions lead to vomiting. The risk of severe poisoning increases, which causes coma, respiratory arrest and death. The following symptoms allow you to determine the transition:
- insensitivity to external stimuli;
- constriction of the pupils;
- respiratory failure.
At the last stage, irreversible changes develop in the liver, urinary and digestive systems. There is a replacement of hepatocytes with scar tissues, so any portion of alcohol is dangerous. Due to prolonged oxygen starvation, the likelihood of a stroke increases, and the lack of brain nutrition causes dementia.
Why does alcohol poisoning happen?
Ethanol is a substance that does not participate in metabolic processes so the body doesn't need it. The internal organs try to get rid of toxins, but at high doses they cannot cope with the task. The peculiarity of ethyl is in its rapid and complete assimilation, which begins in the oral cavity. Then 20% is absorbed in the stomach, and the remaining amount is carried through the general bloodstream.
Alcohol molecules are highly soluble in water, so they go to areas rich in moisture. The brain cells that are left without food for a long time are the first to be hit. There is a violation of connections, which causes memory lapses and dementia. The liver processes toxins, but with an excess intake of ethyl alcohol, it does not have time to break them down to acetic acid. Severe intoxication occurs, which, without medical assistance, ends in death.
The use of cheap alcohol and a surrogate leads to intoxication. Dangerous is methanol poisoning, which in a short time leads to the production of a huge portion of toxins.
If a person immediately has a headache with a throbbing in the temples, nausea with vomiting and cutting colic in the abdominal cavity after drinking, an ambulance should be called. Such symptoms may indicate methanol poisoning, which cannot be saved at home.
Alcoholism
Conventionally, all the causes of the development of alcoholism are divided into 3 large groups: physiological, psychological and social. Most often, the cause of the disease is a combination of several provoking factors at once.
Physiological causes include head trauma and hereditary predisposition. Children of alcoholics have an increased sensitivity to ethanol, so the use of alcohol in any portions leads to the formation of dependence.
The first portions of alcohol are tried too early, in the family circle. Over time, the habit of celebrating all events with alcohol is fixed, psychological dependence arises. Complexes, low self-esteem and depression lead to frequent binges. Sometimes the reason is a provocation from acquaintances, friends or relatives.
An important role is played by social factors, teenagers start drinking to maintain the company. They are trying to show their independence, to raise prestige in the eyes of their peers. If they are not stopped in time, the disease progresses rapidly. Adults drink too much because of loneliness, lack of support and dissatisfaction with social status.
The most dangerous is excessive drinking on holidays and complete abstinence at other times. One-time increased loads lead to negative consequences on the part of the nervous system, digestive organs and other systems. There is alcoholism, which is rapidly progressing.
Norm of alcohol consumption
There are certain norms for drinking alcohol, which are 30 ml of pure alcohol for women and 40 ml for men. This portion is contained in a small shot of vodka or 3 glasses of wine. Stretch the portion should be for the whole holiday to reduce the burden on the liver and kidneys.
Small doses of alcohol with frequent use cause great harm to internal organs. The functioning of the nervous system is disrupted, vascular thrombosis and the risk of premature death occur.
It is impossible to drink 2-3 glasses of wine daily, as alcoholism will quickly develop. If it is impossible to completely give up alcohol, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of drinking to 2-3 times a week. Quality drinks should be chosen, and non-alcoholic wine becomes an ideal alternative.
For pregnant and lactating women, drivers, people with allergies and mental illness, any servings of alcohol are contraindicated. A driver under the influence of alcohol loses concentration, and pregnant women put their unborn child at risk. Children born to such mothers have FAS syndrome.
Impact on physical health
Alcohol causes significant damage to physical health. The first signs are ignored, and as alcoholism develops, the dangerous symptoms disappear. Due to physiological characteristics, ethanol affects people in different ways, but most often patients experience the following pathologies:
- hepatitis;
- cirrhosis;
- diabetes;
- stroke;
- heart attack;
- kidney failure;
The breakdown product of ethanol is acetaldehyde, which the liver decomposes to safe compounds. When too much alcohol is taken in at one time, the overloaded organ cannot cope, which causes general intoxication. With alcoholism, the liver undergoes a gradual degeneration, when hepatocytes are replaced by scar tissue. Such an organ cannot function for a long time, which causes the death of the patient.
Influence on the psyche
Ethanol has an effect on the human psyche. Due to ethyl, protein compounds are destroyed, which leads to oxygen starvation of the brain. Neural connections are broken, cell death occurs. In chronic alcoholism, a significant decrease in brain mass and negative changes in the behavior of patients are observed.
Increased production of dopamine under the influence of ethyl leads to an improvement in mood. People are excited, joyful and sociable. After the withdrawal of the drink, joy is replaced by depression, the person becomes aggressive. In the absence of an additional portion of alcohol, alcoholics break down on others.
Impact on social life
The development of dependence leads to a complete rejection of social values. A person is not interested in work, career, friends and caring for his own body. He takes on a sloppy look, the main interest is the production of booze. As soon as the addiction becomes known at work, the patient is fired.
When attempts to cure a relative fail, the wife and children leave the alcoholic, friends turn away. The usual social circle is rapidly changing to degraded individuals who are only interested in the extraction of alcohol-containing mixtures. At this stage, it is difficult to socialize and cure the addict, as the patient does not recognize the existence of a problem.
Alcoholism is a serious disease that destroys lives and quickly leads to death. It needs to be warned, to carry out preventive measures, and not to advertise alcohol. Mass acquaintance of society with the problem and illustrative examples will reduce the percentage of addicts and return people to normal life.
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In addition to textual warnings, social activists propose placing frightening pictures about the dangers of alcohol on alcohol packages, just as they do on cigarette packs. A letter with a corresponding initiative, sent to the head of the Ministry of Health, Veronika Skvortsova, was at the disposal of RT.
According to the author of the appeal, the head of the federal project "Sober Russia" Sultan Khamzaev, the package with alcohol should contain not only textual information about the detrimental consequences of excessive consumption, as prescribed by the current legislation. Illustrations are also needed - for example, photographs of organs affected by alcohol. This, according to Khamzaev, will give citizens a complete picture of the dangers of drinking and give them an incentive to take better care of their health.
“Today, people are practically not informed about the negative consequences of alcohol consumption. Only on the label of the bottle is it written in small print "Excessive drinking is harmful to your health." Citizens have the right to know what the use of such products can lead to, how it can affect their brain, heart, liver and other organs. Such pictures will make people at least think before buying alcohol,” Khamzaev explained.
Anti-advertising methods
Press Secretary of the Minister of Health, Director of the Department of Public Health and Communications of the Ministry of Health Oleg Salagai told RT that the department was ready to study the initiative.
“We will consider this offer. We will work together with specialists, study the existing experience in other states, as well as relevant scientific data,” he said.
First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection Natalya Sanina approved the idea, but expressed doubts that the proposed measure could prevent people from purchasing alcohol en masse.
“As a doctor, I support this initiative - so that there are “horror stories” on a bottle of alcohol. As a person, I believe that this will be ineffective. How long have we had “Ministry of Health Warning” written on cigarette labels? Few people take this into account and quit smoking. The "horror story" a person still has to consider. And if he suffers from alcoholism, he only thinks about how to quickly buy a drink, ”Sanina explained.
She is convinced that regular social advertising about the dangers of alcohol in the media can be a more effective measure.
Clinical psychologist, head of the psychological center Mikhail Khors believes that frightening pictures can affect the younger generation. This means that the positive effect of this measure will manifest itself only in the long term.
“This is a preventive measure, and it will not give an immediate effect, since it is aimed at developing a certain attitude in people towards alcohol. Such pictures will primarily affect those who have not yet drunk. This will allow them to begin to treat alcohol as some kind of absolute evil and avoid it. Those who are already used to drinking will not reconsider their behavior, ”says Horse.
The psychologist noted that alcohol is now romanticized in the minds of young people - it is part of the culture, many holidays are associated with it, including New Year's Eve.
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- Jochen Tack
Meanwhile, according to the Sober Russia organization, about 20 thousand people die during the New Year holidays due to excessive consumption of strong drinks in the country.
UK instead of organs
Pavel Shapkin, head of the Center for the Development of National Alcohol Policy, also spoke about the need to focus on anti-advertising of alcohol among young people. At the same time, he believes that instead of a photograph of the affected organs, links to the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Offenses should be placed on the front side of the alcohol package.
“For example, if it is written on the bottles that the involvement of minors in drinking alcohol is subject to criminal liability (Article 151 of the Criminal Code. - RT), it will be more efficient. When parents begin to drink in front of a child, for example, at his own birthday, this can be considered as the mentioned involvement. Such excerpts will at least remind adults that children need to be protected from this, ”Shapkin explained.
Recall that in Russia recently the fight against alcoholization of the population has intensified. Since January 1, 2018, the country has banned the production and circulation of low-alcohol tonic drinks. The State Duma is developing a bill to ban hidden advertising of alcohol. We are talking about cases where billboards with the image of alcohol can be shown on television during broadcasts of sports matches or other events.
On the labels of alcohol bottles, images may appear that inform about the dangers of alcohol.
Specialists of the Ministry of Health are now evaluating the prospects for adopting this measure, in the future it may be included in the Strategy for the formation of a healthy lifestyle of the population until 2025. This was reported to Izvestia in the press service of the department. In world practice, frightening pictures on alcoholic beverages are not used. Although they can play a role in informing the public about the dangers of strong drinks, experts say.
The fact that the Ministry of Health may introduce new restrictive measures designed to reduce consumption alcoholic products, "Izvestia" was told in the press service of the department. This includes the appearance of demotivators on bottles of alcohol - pictures that will inform citizens about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption. In the future, a paragraph about pictures can be added to the Strategy for the formation of a healthy lifestyle.
“Currently, this issue is being worked out,” the ministry’s press service said, noting that the Ministry of Health is discussing additional measures aimed at limiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages. But it is “premature for the time being” to give any specific comments, the press service of the ministry stressed.
“The purpose of this measure is to show people the consequences of excessive drinking. To inform the population that alcohol is associated not only with joy, but also with severe social consequences," a source in the department explained. - For example, with the commission of criminal acts, serious injuries. Therefore, such pictures may contain episodes of a social orientation.
Since 2013, manufacturers have been required to place a warning label on alcohol bottles stating that excessive drinking is injurious to health. At least 20% of the label or counter label is allocated to it. Also on alcohol there is a reminder that alcoholic beverages should not be consumed by pregnant women, people with diseases of the nervous system, and so on.
Daria Khalturina, a representative of the Central Research Institute of Organization and Informatization of Healthcare of the Ministry of Health, noted that warning images on cigarette packs have worked well as a preventive measure.
- Therefore, a similar measure for alcohol is considered as promising. This is an interesting task that requires research and new approaches,” she said. “After all, alcohol consumption creates more social problems than tobacco consumption. Therefore, warnings should be more varied.
According to the expert, the placement of such images is not yet widespread in world practice. Although in the UK there is a symbolic image of a crossed-out pregnant woman with a glass of alcohol on bottles of alcohol.
Vadim Drobiz, head of the Center for Research on Federal and Regional Alcohol Markets, believes that the innovation will not affect consumers in any way.
“Until now, the restrictive measures introduced have not had a significant impact on alcohol consumption by adults,” he said.
The Ministry of Industry and Trade was unable to assess the consequences of the appearance of frightening images on bottles of alcohol. The Ministry of Economic Development did not respond to Izvestia's request.
Previously, Sober Russia insisted that photographs of internal organs affected by alcohol should be placed on alcohol. For example, brain, heart or liver. According to the author of the idea and the head of the organization, Sultan Khamzaev, this will serve as an incentive for citizens to take better care of their health.
Almost everyone knows that the abuse of alcoholic beverages is harmful to health. What consequences this hobby leads to, what kind of diseases it causes and how many years the life of an addict is shortened, doctors do not stop talking. But sometimes warnings remain only in words. The statistics of drinkers in our country is very sad.
When at first acquaintance with alcohol "gives" a feeling of euphoria and pleasant relaxation, no one thinks about exactly how excessive alcohol consumption harms your health. Retribution comes later, along with the development of persistent addiction. And there are troubles due to a systematic increase in dosage and gradual intoxication of the body. And how soon does a sad result overtake a drunkard?
Alcoholism is one of the most important and urgent problems of our time.
Persons who suffer from their addiction have practically no chance to safely wait for old age and die a natural death. How long a person will live, being under the yoke of alcohol, depends on the regularity, volume, strength of the alcohol consumed, the sex of the person and his initial physiological characteristics.
According to statistics, every year death from alcohol intoxication is about 4% of all deaths.
According to statistics, the number of people who drink is on the rise.
That is, every year about 22.5 million people die as a result of alcohol addiction in the world. From this number:
- 10% commit suicide;
- 15% of deaths come from pancreatitis;
- 20% of pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
- 25% die as a result of accidents, injuries;
- 40% die from cirrhosis of the liver and subsequent intoxication.
Of course, the consequences of drinking alcohol are not always fatal. But in any case, alcohol significantly reduces life expectancy and leads to various health problems.
Stages of alcohol intoxication
Narcologists define three stages of alcohol poisoning. These are mild, moderate and severe. A combination of several factors influences how quickly a mild degree of poisoning turns into an average one, and then into a severe one. Such as:
- age;
- the gender of the person;
- heredity;
- physical health;
- features of physiology;
- duration of alcohol consumption.
One of the key points in this matter is the time during which ethanol is absorbed in the body. It is necessary to take into account the presence of individual intolerance. In this case, even a sip of strong drink leads to sad results.
Light degree
Mild intoxication occurs when 0.5-1.5 ppm of ethanol accumulates in the human body. The individual experiences emotional arousal, good mood, is overly talkative. In addition to psychological symptoms, there are also external confirmations of drinking:
- Blurred vision.
- Increased respiration.
- Coordination disorders.
- Redness of the skin.
Mild drunkenness
If you have time to pull yourself together and stop drinking alcohol at this stage, everything will pass without consequences. Only to some, especially sensitive natures, a hangover syndrome may come in the morning.
middle stage
But, when a person continues to drink, he gradually approaches the development of the second degree of intoxication.. At this time, the level of alcohol in the blood reaches 2-2.5 ppm. At this stage, the consequences of excessive drinking are as follows:
- Slurring of speech.
- Facial blanching.
- Mood swings.
- Problems with coordination.
- Blurred perception.
- Nausea to the point of vomiting.
Average degree of alcohol intoxication
Third level
This is the most dangerous period for the human body. Being in such a stage of intoxication, a person greatly risks his health. For a severe degree of alcohol intoxication, the ethanol level is 2.5-4 ppm. This concentration of alcohol causes the following manifestations:
- Difficulty breathing.
- Constriction of the pupils of the eyes.
- Immune to pain.
- Lack of response to external stimuli.
Severe degree of alcohol intoxication
The danger of such a condition lies in the fact that a person may experience paralysis of the respiratory center or cardiac arrest. The result is the death of a person from intoxication.
Why does alcohol poisoning happen?
Often alcohol intoxication occurs due to the consumption of surrogate, low-quality alcohol or unsuitable liquid for ingestion. This distinguishes chronic alcoholics, who can take any drug containing alcohol, which often turns out to be poisonous.
The consumption of an alcoholic substitute increases the severity of intoxication many times over, and complicates the manifestation of symptoms.
The main causes of alcoholism
A person receives fatal poisoning from the presence of ethyl and methyl alcohol. Methanol is especially dangerous, which, once in the body, begins to actively synthesize toxic toxins, leading to global intoxication. The first signs of poisoning are:
- sudden headache;
- severe nausea with profuse vomiting;
- strong pulsation in the temporal region;
- cutting soreness in the region of the peritoneum.
In this case, you should immediately call the ambulance team, delaying help is fraught with life-threatening consequences. It is strictly forbidden to try to organize self-treatment. Uncontrolled and regular consumption of alcohol is a serious problem for the entire modern society, and this problem affects all segments of the population.
The consequences of alcohol abuse are extremely severe for all aspects of human existence. Physical and mental health suffers, socialization is disturbed.
Features of alcoholism
But why do strong, full of strength and vivacity people suddenly turn into degraded alcoholics? For the most part, the first taste of alcohol occurs surrounded by friends or at a common table of relatives in adolescence. A person quickly gets used to celebrating all joyful events, pouring a glass of alcohol during stress or sadness. Narcologists classify three types of alcohol dependence:
- Male.
- Female.
- Teenage.
Imperceptibly, a mental dependence appears, which quickly forms a physical one. At this stage, a person can no longer exist without alcohol, and the absence of a favorite alcoholic drink causes a strong and painful withdrawal syndrome.
How alcohol withdrawal syndrome manifests itself
Norm of alcohol consumption
Many people wonder: "What is excessive drinking, it's how much alcohol you need to take." According to WHO experts, it is considered that a moderate (permissible) alcoholic dose includes one serving of an alcohol-containing drink per day, that is:
For women:
- vodka: 30 ml;
- wine: 150 ml;
- beer: 330 ml.
For men:
- vodka: 50 ml;
- wine: 250 ml;
- beer: 500 ml.
Excessive consumption is exceeding the limit allowable dose and consumption:
- For women: from 3 servings per day or 7 doses per week.
- For men: 4 servings per day or 14 doses per week.
The claim that small doses of alcohol are good for health is false.
The Ministry of Health also warns that certain categories of citizens are generally prohibited from drinking alcohol, even in a minimal amount. These are the following people:
- drivers;
- pregnant and lactating women;
- persons allergic to ethanol;
- suffering from mental illness.
Also, doctors do not share the strong opinion that alcohol in a minimal dose can benefit the body by activating the immune system. Doctors say that even a small level of ethanol increases the possibility of developing various pathologies. But the consequences of uncontrolled and regular drinking are much worse.
Physical health and alcohol
Alcohol causes harm literally from the first minute of consumption. How severe the consequences of drinking will be depends on the natural protective function of the body. When the forces of the body are exhausted, the person ceases to perceive the symptoms of poisoning. Instead, a persistent addiction is formed.
Natural protection against alcohol is individual for each person. It is for this reason that some drink much faster, while others take decades to turn into an alcoholic.
The physical consequences of alcohol abuse are the development of numerous pathologies. These diseases pose a direct threat to human life:
- hepatitis;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- diabetes;
- heart problems;
- oncological processes;
- kidney failure.
The first organ to be destroyed is the liver. After all, it is she who is responsible for neutralizing the toxins that enter the human body with food. When splitting, ethanol produces a toxic compound - acetaldehyde. When this toxin becomes too much, the liver ceases to cope with its task, leading to global intoxication.
The liver is the first organ to be destroyed by ethanol.
If alcohol consumption becomes systematic, mass destruction of hepatocides (liver cells) begins. For some time, the liver can still be resuscitated and returned to a healthy state. But in the absence of competent treatment, cirrhosis begins, leading a person to death..
Sudden, periodic sharp pain in the area of the right side testifies to liver damage. In this case, you should immediately visit a doctor.
Mental health and alcohol
When the level of ethanol exceeds all permissible levels, not only the physical, but also the mental health of the individual is destroyed. Narcologists, considering exactly how alcohol affects the body, distinguish two reasons, due to which the result is problems in the psyche:
- Destruction of protein compounds. Ethanol, once in the blood, provokes the destruction of the layers between the proteins. As a result, the supply of oxygen to the parts of the brain is significantly reduced, which leads to blockage of neural channels and death of brain cells.
- Ethyl alcohol also increases the production of dopamine and leads to a sharp narrowing of blood vessels. This explains the strangeness in the behavior of an intoxicated person.
Regularly drinking individuals gradually lose their human appearance. After all, people who are in such a state, moral principles disappear, spiritual values are forgotten. The person begins to gradually degrade.
Social life and alcohol
Excessive consumption of alcohol leaves an imprint on the social sphere of a person's existence. When alcohol consumption becomes a habitual part of a person's life, becoming a priority, all other needs gradually disappear. Important life responsibilities disappear, such as:
- personal care;
- work, career;
- caring for loved ones;
- family relationships.
Over time, work colleagues and superiors will find out about the passion for alcohol. Almost always this is followed by dismissal, no one wants to entrust any business to a person for whom alcohol has become the main thing in life. After all, relying on an alcoholic is simply impossible.
Gradually, friends turn away from the addict, and the environment of the drinker begins to consist of the same degraded personalities. This further immerses the drinker to the bottom of life. Family structures are also being destroyed. There comes a moment when close people, tired of a constantly drunk relative, cut off all contacts with him, wives leave, children turn away.
The whole trouble and difficulty of the situation lies in the fact that it is very difficult to cure alcoholism. Of particular difficulty is the drinking person herself, who does not perceive the presence of such a disease. In the end, the drunkard is left completely alone and dissolves into a drunken pool.
The consequences of alcohol addiction are terrible and inevitable. Therefore, it is so important to stop the developing craving for drinking in time and help a person at an early stage in the development of a deadly addiction.