According to statistics, men are twice as likely to experience alcohol dependence. Our society considers the regular consumption of alcohol to be absolutely normal, despite the fact that the consequences of alcoholism for men are very miserable for both him and his family.
This view is certainly catastrophic and needs to be reconsidered. Alcoholism is a serious disease that destroys a person's psyche and overall health. Requires a comprehensive medical approach. As practice shows, even beer leads to persistent alcoholism. It is with him that this disease begins, and later a person passes into 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 from a range of characteristic signs of alcoholism in men. Psychologists and narcologists have developed the main symptoms by which early alcoholism can be distinguished:
- an irresistible craving for alcohol, a person seeks the strangest reasons to justify his desire to drink;
- aggression against family members, friends, work colleagues;
- lethargy and fatigue;
- speech disorders;
- disorders of the musculoskeletal system;
- familiarity in relations with foreigners;
- apathy, mood swings;
- deterioration of general well-being.
These are the first signs of initial alcoholism, which can last up to 10 years. At this stage, they are easy to lose, as they often do. The woman just does not pay attention to them. Thinks a man relieves stress after work, tries to get rid of problems with a can of beer or a glass of brandy. Meanwhile the disease does not stand still 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. Male sex adapts less to changing external conditions and turns to alcohol as a way to distract attention from the problems and worries that fall on it. Moreover, men more often resist the persuasion to undergo rehabilitation, they believe they are able to cope on their own.
But this is not the case - in addition to physical addiction, alcoholism brings profound personality changes from the first months of abuse. The external environment often over time consists of the same alcoholics, which also prevents healing.
Every second family in our country will face the problem of alcoholism in the future, or has already encountered it. This 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 drunken friends in the environment. Social status plays a special role, as people with jobs and higher education are less likely to face the problem of addiction. It is especially necessary to emphasize the presence of stress at work, the level of well-being.
Psychological factors are:
- psyche imbalance;
- insufficient level of self-control;
- poor 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 just the most common ones.
There is another set of factors that cause persistent intoxication - factors of a physiological nature. These are metabolic disorders that lead to the rapid development of addiction and hereditary factors. If there have been cases of alcoholism in previous generations, they are likely to be significant for later offspring. A person thinks he will not become addicted, and he can easily give up alcohol at any time. A similar phenomenon is characteristic of alcoholics at all stages of alcoholism.
You can distinguish an alcoholic by his eyes and his gaze. Ethanol has a negative effect on the eyes, they become "glassy" and tired. Over time bags appear under the eyes and swelling. Such a person looks tired. This indirectly indicates the presence of diseases of the internal organs.
From a person who drinks constantly, often comes the smell of "smoke" of alcohol, which is difficult to confuse with any other. People who are addicted to alcohol usually do not take good care of their hygiene, appearance and do not hesitate to wear wrinkled and dirty clothes.
Stages of alcoholism and their signs
There are several stages of alcoholism in men. There are only three of them, which come one after the other. The later the treatment is started, the harder it is to achieve success - psychological dependence and an antisocial lifestyle negate the progress of the treatment.
Signs of the first stage
In the initial stage of development of alcoholism, a gradual increase in the amount of alcohol consumed is characteristic. There are a number of reasons for this, such a person starts looking for any reason to drink. At the same time, every time, getting drunk more and more often. Relatives may hear excuses for this behavior:
- I want to rest.
- Others drank more than I did.
- Yes, I drink a lot, but I'm not an alcoholic.
- I'm tired at work and want to rest.
If these phrases are accompanied by aggression, it is a clear sign of the development of addiction. Also, this stage is characterized by other signs related to physiology:
- no mouth reflex;
- it is increasingly required to achieve the same degree of intoxication;
- there are interruptions.
All of these manifestations cause a deterioration in overall health, worsen attention span, and decrease efficiency. They appear more often during the transition to the next stage.
At this stage, it is already necessary to start treating alcoholism in a man - the earlier the stage, the greater the likelihood of a successful outcome. In the first stage, the intoxication is completely cured and the body, after healing, returns to its original state, as the organs did not have time to suffer much and their functions are not much damaged.
A person can not 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 comes with a hangover works worse. As a result, conflicts begin with colleagues and management. There are also many problems in family life.
Signs of the second stage
In the second stage of alcoholism in men other characteristic signs appear. The symptoms of withdrawal or hangover are more pronounced here. It consists of mixed, headaches. There may be interruptions. Sleep and digestion are often disturbed. The craving for alcohol is already irresistible. The alcoholic in the second stage is no longer able to give up drinking. It is the main priority around which all life revolves.
Also, this stage of the disease is characterized by mental disorders - alcoholic psychosis. This is expressed in an unstable emotional state, frequent manifestations of aggression, inappropriate behavior and unwarranted nervousness.
Signs of the third stage
This is the last stage of alcoholism. At this stage, urgent hospitalization of the patient is necessary to save his life. Complete degradation of personality is established and moral values become indifferent. The main goal of an alcoholic is to get a new portion of alcohol and for his sake he can do everything, including breaking the law. Also developed:
- intoxication comes in small doses;
- hangover is very difficult;
- sleep depends on the amount drunk, as well as food intake.
According to medical statistics, the average life expectancy 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 serious disturbances in it;
- high risk for stroke, heart attack, paralysis, severe liver and kidney dysfunction.
If these symptoms start to appear, you need to understand that addiction is only growing. The basis for an effective and successful treatment is the desire to get rid of the patient's own addiction. The situation is complicated by the fact that alcoholics are often drunk and unable to make informed decisions. This greatly complicates the dialogue with such a person.
Beer alcoholism should be noted separately. Now this problem is gaining more and more weight in society. As a rule, many are convinced that beer can not cause alcoholism. Narcologists have a different opinion about this - frequent consumption of beer can cause persistent alcoholism. It manifests itself in the need to drink this drink constantly and in large quantities. Gradually, the amount of drunkenness increases. In this case, it is also worth sounding the alarm and starting the rehabilitation process to get rid of this addiction.
Consequences of alcoholism in men
No matter how strong the body, the consequences of alcoholism in a man will not be delayed. They can be conditionally divided into two types - psychological and physiological. The latter can appear in disorders of the functioning of various body systems:
- Male impotence. Under the influence of alcohol, the hormonal background changes, testosterone production breaks down.
- Problems with the digestive system. It can be gastritis, intestinal ulcers, stomach diseases.
- Problems with pressure. Alcohol destroys the vascular system.
- Liver pathology. Frequent consumption of alcohol leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- Weak immunity. The body loses its protective properties, frequent infectious diseases occur.
- Heart problems. The chance of heart attacks in alcoholics is several times higher than in those who do not drink.
Alcoholism also affects the human psyche. These violations can manifest themselves in strange behaviors:
- The feeling of persecution. A person seems to be being observed.
- Occurrence of hallucinations. Under the influence of alcohol, the brain can create visual, auditory illusions.
- Encephalopathy. It is associated with poor circulation and poor nutrition of brain cells.
If such phenomena occur, you should immediately contact a competent psychologist who works with alcoholics. It is important to know that you can start treating alcoholism in a man at any stage.
Only in a rehabilitation center, a man will be helped not only to alleviate physiological addiction, but will be brought to a complete cure with the help of hospital treatment and will accompany the first steps in life after rehabilitation.
Of course, the sooner the qualified help of narcotics doctors is provided, the faster and easier the process of getting rid of this disease will continue. Therefore, if you have the slightest doubt, contact a specialist immediately.