Symptoms of alcohol dependence in women. Unusual experiment: what a drinking woman looks like after a month of abstinence from alcohol Treatment of child and adolescent alcoholism

When it comes to excessive alcohol consumption, the first thing that comes to mind is the impact of a large amount of strong drinks on the psyche, state of mind and appearance of a person. Do you know what happens to a person's skin at the moment when he indulges in his favorite pastime - drinking?

In an attempt to find an answer to this question, British doctors, together with journalists from the Daily Mail, decided to conduct an experiment to observe what changes occur in the skin of a person who daily “passes a glass” of a high-grade drink.

A 40-year-old woman, a mother of two children, who refused to drink alcohol for a month, agreed to become the only participant, or rather, a participant in the experiment. It should be noted that before the start of the experiment, the woman had the habit of drinking up to 5 glasses of wine during the week, despite the fact that the recommended norm is no more than 1 glass per week.

At the beginning of the first week, Laura complained of a reddish tone to the skin of her face and décolleté. The skin on the forehead and nose was glossy with fat, but dry patches appeared on the cheeks.

When the second week of the experiment came, the woman said that she began to sleep longer in the morning and did not wake up as often during the night. Moreover, Laura happily reported that she was less drawn to harmful sweets, which she used to constantly chew. She developed this habit as soon as her addiction to alcohol began.

At the beginning of the third week of the experiment, a resident of the UK noticed changes in the color and condition of her skin: excessive dryness disappeared, wrinkles were slightly smoothed out, the skin looked much better, not only on the face, but also on the hands. After 3 weeks of a non-alcoholic lifestyle, relatives and even friends began to notice changes in Laura's appearance.

During the last week of the experiment, Laura felt her physical and psychological state change: her energy increased and the frequent migraines that bothered her before disappeared. In addition, after a month of giving up alcohol, the woman's lips stopped drying out, and she lost 1 kg and 360 gm.

Incurable. A number of logical questions arise: does it mean that male alcoholism is curable? Why did such a division of a severe psychological illness by gender arise? What is the difference between the effect of alcohol on the female and male body? Let's see if there are specific addictions in women, or is it a myth. After all, alcoholism is not associated with the physiological characteristics of a person, there are no doctors who specialize in working exclusively with female alcoholics, just as in medicine there is no concept of a female therapist, cardiologist or surgeon. So why does this disease have such a division? How do the symptoms of alcoholism in women differ from those in men?

The first signs of alcoholism in women

Alcoholism is a serious disease that is practically not amenable to drug treatment. It is impossible to wrest a person from the tenacious paws of the “alco-beast” without the desire of the user. Therefore, it is much better to pay attention to the first signs of the disease and try to prevent its development.

In women, it is more difficult to identify adherence to alcohol than in men. The fair sex tend to hide their addiction, fearing the condemnation of society. According to statistics, there is one drinking woman for four drinking men, female alcoholism is not so common, so society is much tougher on such abuse. In addition, it is easier for a man to seek help, even under the influence of relatives.

There are a number of signs that in 80% of cases will lead to a diagnosis. Signs of alcoholism in women:

1. alcohol consumption becomes a system, starts from 1-2 times a week, gradually increases and turns into daily abuse;
2. ladies prefer low-alcohol drinks or wines, with the development of the disease, the requirements for the quality of alcohol fall;
3. drinking alcohol alone;
4. depressive, depressed state is replaced by fun after use;
5. willingness to spend "deferred" money on the purchase of alcohol.

There are many reasons for the occurrence of female alcoholism, we will divide them into groups:

• physiological (the tendency occurs against the background of existing diseases of the liver, nervous system or problems with metabolism);
• genetic (alcoholism can be safely called a “hereditary” disease due to the possible mutation of genes in the children of drinkers. It is 4 times easier to succumb to the temptation of such children than to teenagers from a non-drinking family);
• psychological (depression, depression, frequent stress, failures at work or personal life become a reason to drink);
• social (the lifestyle of the immediate environment directly affects the attitude towards alcohol, for example, in a drinking team, the disease develops under the motto: “Do not break away from the team!”).

Each of these factors or their combination can lead to the onset of the disease. Therefore, if you notice, especially in combination with the above factors, you should consult a doctor!

For effective treatment of alcoholism, experts advise means "AlcoLock". This drug:

Possible consequences

Alcoholism does not occur spontaneously; for women, the final diagnosis is made after 3–8 years of abuse. During this time, the alcoholic goes through 4 stages, aggravating the dependence and consequences of use. At the first stage, a person loses control over what he has drunk, he cannot stop before the onset of intoxication, and becomes uncontrollably aggressive if he is deprived of the opportunity to drink.

At the second stage, it becomes necessary to increase the amount of alcohol to achieve intoxication. A woman may begin to feel bad on a physiological level, she needs a new portion of booze. An unmet need leads to hallucinations or psychosis. Drinking alcohol at this stage ends with a binge with partial memory lapses.

At the third stage, a few glasses are enough for intoxication. The patient's memory worsens, the ability to reason, speech becomes incoherent. At the fourth stage, irreversible damage to internal organs that lead to death is diagnosed. If we reduce all the consequences of female alcoholism to general categories, we get:

1. socio-psychological (craving for alcohol, isolation, dubious connections, neurosis, etc.);
2. physiological (deterioration of general health, changes in skin color, loss of hair, nails, reproductive function also worsens, or children are born with psychological disorders);
3. economic.

Signs of alcoholism in women on the face

Frequent alcohol intake adversely affects the female appearance. A woman who hides her addiction to alcohol can be quickly identified by her face. Due to the systemic use of alcohol, skin cells are dehydrated, it becomes dry, less elastic, wrinkles appear faster. With prolonged abuse, swelling, swelling, bags under the eyes occur. Alcohol destroys beneficial substances in the body, in the absence of vitamins and microelements, the skin loses its elasticity, the contour of the face changes, and “sagging cheeks” appear. Alcoholism in women is especially noticeable in the photo.

The changes will also affect the complexion, it will take on shades from earthy gray, yellow or even light purple. The result of impaired blood circulation is red spots or a thin mesh of burst vessels in the region of the nasolabial triangle. The skin of a drinking woman becomes more like a man's skin with deep pores. Also, after a long binge, asymmetry on the face may occur: some muscles come into excessive tone, while others, on the contrary, relax. Deterioration of control over facial muscles is a sign of advanced neurology.

Do you still think that it is impossible to cure alcoholism?

Judging by the fact that you are now reading these lines, victory in the fight against alcoholism is not on your side yet ...

And you already thought to code? It is understandable, because alcoholism is a dangerous disease that leads to serious consequences: cirrhosis or even death. Pain in the liver, a hangover, problems with health, work, personal life ... All these problems are familiar to you firsthand.

But maybe there is a way to get rid of the pain? We recommend reading Elena Malysheva's article on modern methods of treating alcoholism...

Drinking alcohol does not decorate a woman, both socially and physiologically. In addition to external signs, deep processes of personality degradation take place. A woman can no longer fulfill the duties assigned to her as a keeper of the hearth, mother, wife. Although, we note that married women with children are much less likely to fall into the "paws of the green snake" than single ones, their level of well-being is not of decisive importance. Loneliness, boredom, lack of hobbies and self-realization lead the girl to drink. The main feature and complexity of the female course of the disease is that ladies drink too much faster, their body tolerates alcohol poisoning more easily, and it is almost impossible to identify and motivate it to change.

Female alcoholism is the result of a number of different causes, which, in turn, are closely intertwined with the causes of male alcoholism, which gives grounds, in general, to put an equal sign between the provoking factors. Meanwhile, female alcoholism has one extremely important distinguishing feature in such a comparison. About what this difference is, about the stages of alcoholism and the features of its treatment in women - our today's article.

Causes of female alcoholism

Returning to what we started, we note that the difference between female alcoholism and male alcoholism stated above lies in the fact that its basis in women is emotional and psychological, which determines its features. When even a small amount of alcohol enters our body (and, more specifically, it enters our brain), it has a corresponding effect, which in particular affects the neurotransmitter system. Against the background of such an impact, the adoption of alcohol is accompanied by euphoria, relaxation and general calm. It is precisely the listed features of the impact that in the vast majority of cases cause the desire to use this particular tool to distract from problems and to relax. Given that women are more flexible psychologically, their ability to skilfully balance between states of brain activation due to alcohol and oppression is determined, which in particular applies to the doses consumed.

Delving into the reasons against which female alcoholism develops, one can make a complex generalization in two main categories for all the factors that act as their basis, in particular, these are psychological and physical causes. Let's take a closer look at these options.

• Psychological reasons:
• The predisposition of women on an emotional level to solve problems associated with a state of stress without the involvement of outsiders. Here, in particular, we can consider the almost familiar way of relieving stress through “gatherings” with friends, which, in turn, are almost traditionally accompanied by drinking alcohol (going to the doctor, as you know, is excluded, the problem of one order or another is solved at the specified social level ).
• An increased level of stress load, which in general, under certain conditions, falls on the female body.
• A high level of significance of social factors and society as a whole. In this case, it implies the adoption of certain forced positions, to which certain life circumstances predispose, as well as the role that a woman adheres to against their background. Because of this, in turn, there is an excessive load, which a woman is often not able to adequately endure. As an example, we can cite a situation in which, based on the model of behavior that has developed in society, a woman cannot show her weakness because of the “wrongness” of such behavior. As a result, the load becomes excessive, and the easy way to relaxation helps to get rid of it, which, as you know, goes through alcohol.
• The existing model of a woman's perception of other female representatives who drink alcohol, dislike for them. Because of this internal contradiction, reinforced by other concomitant factors, domestic drinking among women has a hidden form. Because of this situation, additional stress arises, which, this time, is associated with the need to hide one's own addiction. Such a vicious circle leads not only to an increase in the general stressful state of a woman, but also to the fact that alcohol begins to be consumed in even greater quantities.
• Physical reasons:
• a smaller amount of water in a woman’s body, due to which the concentration of alcohol in it is higher;
• less muscle mass, due to which severe intoxication occurs;
• achievement of the required antidepressant result due to a smaller amount of alcohol consumed, as a result of which an illusory perception of it is formed regarding the safety of this method of dealing with stress;
• an increased degree of absorption of ethanol, due to hormonal characteristics inherent in the female body.

In general, continuing to consider the causes of female alcoholism, one cannot help but dwell on some other, no less important features of it. So, for example, the first of them is that the loss of loved ones is perceived by a woman much deeper (this applies to such examples as, for example, divorce, the loss of a child, etc.). Against the background of this kind of stress, women tend to escape from reality, using an improvised means, which, as is clear, is considered alcohol. Further - the awareness of some "underrealization", missed opportunities, family troubles and the general way of life (suspicions about the husband's mistress, the passage of time and the departure of youth, sacrificing a career for the current role of a housewife, etc.).

An equally common cause of female alcoholism is a career. Having completely devoted herself to the role of a successful business woman, a woman, meanwhile, loses an equally important role - the role of a happy woman and mother, in other words, personal life suffers against the backdrop of success in her professional activities, which can also lead to the subsequent formation of an addiction to drinking. alcoholic beverages, due to which this kind of inferiority is drowned out. Inferiority is considered both in the context of the general way of life and in the context of considering oneself as a person, which in both cases exacerbates the essence of the problem.

An equally significant role is given to problems of a different social scale. In particular, this is a certain specificity of professional activity and the difficulties that accompany it, these are material difficulties that, for one reason or another, a woman has to face, these are, after all, the features of the initially laid and reinforced foundations in terms of education and upbringing. A common problem with the listed options is the presence of drinking men in any of the woman's social circles. Strange as it may seem, women in leadership positions are also at particular risk (which we have already considered in the context of the definition of a business woman), as well as women in similar positions in companies directly involved in the production of alcoholic beverages or in their sale. The presence of certain nervous diseases, as well as mental illnesses, attitudes towards criminal activity or prostitution - all this also causes the formation of an addiction to alcohol in women.

Regardless of the examples that readers themselves can add to the listed options, the relevance of the problem of female alcoholism, unfortunately, will not decrease from this, and any of the factors considered can play a leading role in the formation of such an addiction. On the basis of approximate statistics, it is known that female alcoholism, especially in recent years, is seen as a rather serious problem. Again, based on these data, it is known that about 25% of women who drink alcohol do so systematically, and 45% of women even drink alcohol during their heavy drinking periods. In about 4% of cases, women drink alcohol periodically (“on occasion”) and about 28% of the total number of drinkers balance within periods of abstinence, alternating with binges (we can also talk about daily drunkenness). It seems that it makes little sense to focus readers' attention on the fact that such figures are seen as at least frightening.

Features of female alcoholism

Despite the presence of common parallels with male alcoholism, female alcoholism, of course, has a number of its own characteristics, and although we have considered some of them a little higher, it would not be superfluous to reveal the issue concerning them in more detail.

First of all, the point here lies in the peculiarities of women's addiction to alcohol. So, in particular, it is known that full-fledged dependence and the corresponding addiction to alcohol - all this develops in women much faster than in men. So, if in order to obtain the status of an alcoholic, a man needs to regularly take alcohol for a period of 7 to 10 years, then addiction in women, which causes subsequent dependence, occurs much faster - about 5 years.

Remarkably, the symptoms of alcoholism in women begin to develop so rapidly that treatment due to this feature is associated with a number of difficulties. Based on such a quick addiction to alcohol of the female body, it is not surprising that the effect on the state of the body also occurs in a more pronounced and rapid version. Among the most common pathologies that are relevant for female alcoholics, various pathologies of the pancreas and liver are considered.

Due to the influence of alcohol, a woman loses the ability to adequate behavior, as a result of which the status of a cheeky person is assigned to her, which, in turn, leads to the consolidation of another, no less vividly characterizing side of a woman - a commitment to promiscuity. Due to the lack of necessary hygiene of this type of connections, certain venereal diseases, as well as diseases of the genitourinary system, become frequent companions of alcoholism. On the basis of a number of data relating to medical research on female alcoholics, it was revealed that only 10% of them can "boast" of the normal state of the functions of the gonads. As for the rest of the women, here the picture in a certain direction is not only depressing, but also irreversible. In particular, we are talking about motherhood, or rather, about the inability to do so. This limitation is due to the fact that, against the background of alcohol abuse in women, the ovarian tissue degenerates into fatty tissue, resulting in the loss of childbearing function.

But that's not all. No less serious consequences are caused by female alcoholism in terms of the gradual development of mental disorders, and these disorders only intensify under the influence of alcohol consumed by a woman. Changes also relate to character traits, which manifests itself in hysteria and nervousness, in selfishness and aggressiveness. Significantly earlier in women (in comparison with men) with alcoholism, encephalopathy also develops, which causes further degradation of the personality and the development of dementia.

Female alcoholism: stages

Alcoholism develops in accordance with certain stages, in accordance with them, there is a transition from a period of minimal dependence, in which doses of alcohol consumption are small, to a period of absolute loss of self-control, within which alcohol consumption is accompanied by personality disintegration in combination with actual somatic pathologies. Let us single out the specific stages of the process of alcoholization, while we note that in their consideration we are already talking about already formed alcoholism, in which, accordingly, there is already a dependence on alcohol.

First step is the loss of control over the dosage of alcohol. In everyday life, such an order of alcohol consumption is called "ignorance of the measure / norm." In general, intoxication has a fairly pronounced form during each of the episodes of alcohol consumption, while there are no concomitant psychoneurological disorders of one type or another at this stage, as a rule, a certain self-criticism persists. Meanwhile, regardless of the severity of the situation within this stage, not every woman is ready to admit the fact that she simply becomes an inveterate drunkard.

Second phase characterized by the formation of a hangover or withdrawal syndrome. This is due to the fact that a certain kind of change has already occurred in the body against the background of alcohol abuse, and changes of a very significant scale, such that as a result of which tolerance to ethanol has increased, and therefore, in order to achieve the usual state of intoxication with the accompanying consequences, it is already necessary large dose of alcohol. As a result, the higher such a dose, the more intense becomes the poisoning due to acetaldehyde, and this, in turn, causes an even more severe form of intoxication of the body.

Based on the actual processes of this stage, characteristic changes occur in the appearance of a woman, in particular, they consist in the development of puffiness of the face and in the reddening of his skin, the lips become swollen, the eyes take on the appearance of slits. Also, purple-type spots or bluish spots appear on the skin, bruises form under the eyes, the eyes may shine, but a general unhealthy appearance is noted. A drunk woman ceases to take care of herself, her hair is tangled and greasy. Due to the rapid disappearance of fatty tissue against the background of alcohol intake, the legs, arms and shoulders of women lose their inherent smoothness in movements, excessive muscularity develops due to this type of loss.

It should be noted that the appearance of a woman who abuses alcohol changes not only quite quickly, but also irrevocably, in the literal sense, she becomes decrepit day after day. Again, they suffer from the effects of alcohol on the female body and hair, which begin to fall out and turn gray quite early, as well as teeth - they, in turn, crumble a lot. In addition, shortness of breath becomes a frequent companion of female alcoholism, and, as you can understand, corresponding, negative changes in character appear. It should also be noted here that the listed changes are relevant to the second stage, which is characterized by a greater degree of severity of the course, which, accordingly, complicates the subsequent treatment of female alcoholism at this stage.

Concerning third stage, then here already alcohol affects almost everything, from emotional manifestations to physiological manifestations. The main symptom corresponding to this stage of female alcoholism is hard drinking.

Female beer alcoholism

This type of alcoholism in most cases is perceived by our fellow citizens as a matter of course, moreover, as a normal and safe phenomenon, which has nothing to do with alcoholism. Meanwhile, this is not at all the case, and in this section we will briefly explain why exactly, highlighting also the main symptoms, stages and features of beer alcoholism in women.

The formation of a beer addiction usually begins with a standard scenario in which low-alcohol drinks are used as a means of relaxation. We can only talk about one bottle a day, however, due to the apparent harmlessness of this way of relaxing, beer is consumed daily.

Thus, drinking one or two bottles of this type of alcohol a day, a woman does not feel any special changes in her own body, nor does she feel the danger associated with drinking beer. All that accompanies the use of alcohol is euphoria and some feeling of intoxication. As in any such scheme (take, for example, drug addiction), the sensations experienced during intoxication are fixed in the brain, and this is accompanied by the desire to repeat these sensations again and again. At this stage, it is advisable to consider the transition to the next stage of alcoholism. According to the same scheme and for the same reason, the doses of alcohol taken are gradually increased, reaching about several liters per day. In the future, there is a risk of a subsequent increase in dosage or switching to more “serious” drinks, because beer does not allow you to achieve the desired effect in the same volume. Meanwhile, as you can see, it is beer that acts as a kind of springboard for alcoholism as such.

Addiction to beer in women (as well as in men) develops in an imperceptible way, and dependence manifests itself much faster than in cases with drinking another type of alcohol. For the most part, attractive taste characteristics, as well as the already noted imaginary harmlessness attributed to beer in comparison with other types of alcohol, serve as the basis for this.

As for the symptoms associated with beer alcoholism, they are mostly similar to the symptoms that appear when drinking another type of alcohol. We single out a number of signs on the basis of which a preliminary diagnosis of "beer alcoholism" is made:

• beer is consumed by a woman in an amount exceeding 1 liter per day;
• within the framework of the so-called "sober" periods, a woman becomes angry, aggressive;
• disruption of events and meetings during which it was planned to drink beer leads to pronounced anger and irritability;
• headaches are common;
• beer acts as a kind of stimulant that ensures the normal mood of a woman;
• in the daytime, drowsiness is noted, while at night, on the contrary, insomnia is relevant;
• without the need to drink beer, a woman cannot rest and relax in a normal way.

As for the external manifestations that accompany beer alcoholism, they are similar to the symptoms already considered earlier and are as follows:

• constant weakness and lethargy;
• puffiness;
• untidiness;
• cyanosis of the lips, swelling of the lips (due to increased stress on the kidneys);
• disproportionate thinness of the lower extremities;
• early withering of the skin and the appearance of wrinkles on it, as well as early aging of the skin.

In addition, due to significant volumes of beer consumption, women become masculine, which is accompanied by characteristic symptoms. In particular, this is a change in the figure in accordance with the indicated sign, "beer mustache", coarsening of the voice. Also, hair may begin to grow in the face or chest area.

The accelerated scheme of the process of destruction of the female body by alcohol is determined by the peculiarities of natural female enzymes, which differ from male enzymes in their own activity in terms of the breakdown of alcohol and its deactivation.

Among the physiological manifestations of the symptoms of beer alcoholism, the following points can be distinguished:

• reduced fertility;
• depression;
• the development of chronic diseases relevant to internal organs (kidneys, heart, liver, etc.);
• development of diseases of the nervous system.

Due to a violation of tissue nutrition in the body, as well as due to damage to small nerves by alcohol, a woman's intelligence gradually decreases, memory lapses occur and, ultimately, dementia develops. Interest in everything that happens around is lost, and the main goal of existence (not life, but existence) is getting one way or another the next and next portion of beer.

As for the psychological symptoms that are relevant for beer alcoholism, here women face problems in the form of internal psychological introspection and depression, they also become capricious, tearful. Among other things, the maternal instinct decreases, and any desire to take care of the family also disappears, which, again, is dictated by new goals in a woman's life. Against the background of beer alcoholism, an absolute degradation of the personality develops, within which an understanding of one's own position is lost.

To say that female alcoholism is incurable is, of course, wrong. Meanwhile, it can be quite difficult to change a person's perception of the belief that alcohol is an effective tool for dealing with severe forms of experiences, as well as with various adversities in a particular area of ​​life. It is also difficult to change the attitude of patients to their own condition and to convince them of the need to treat alcoholism because of its current relevance, which is not always recognized by patients.

In a situation where a person (in our consideration - a woman, although this certainly applies to men) feels that drinking alcohol leads to relief, it can be argued that there is already a real problem with alcohol. If the use of alcohol develops into a habit, this, accordingly, also determines the relevance of the problem. And, finally, when there is a feeling that there is not enough alcohol (in one form or another) to ensure normal and adequate well-being, then here we are talking not just about a problem, but about alcoholism as such. It is the awareness of the problem, regardless of the scale of its relevance, that is the main step in the treatment of alcoholism.

Returning to treatment, we repeat that the disease, namely alcoholism, is treated, only it is necessary to start treatment as early as possible. The point, as the reader could understand, is the rapid progression of degradation against the background of alcoholism in women, not to mention other related problems. Separately, the emotional degree of involvement of a woman is also taken into account here, this also includes dependence on the current opinion of the environment, self-suggestion. Again, the lack of special intelligibility in sexual relations, eliminated by alcohol - all this also does not add to the attractiveness of the overall picture of alcoholism. By the way, during the period of the so-called “enlightenment” (time without alcohol intake, a pause in the form of a state of sobriety), a woman, delving into the peculiarities of her own behavior during the period of alcoholic euphoria and oblivion, usually encounters a pronounced feeling of guilt, bordering on self-destruction, which , in turn, provokes a subsequent return to alcoholic libations for relief. Thus, without assistance in the form of appropriate treatment, a woman is simply forced to be in such a vicious and vicious circle.

In general, methods of treating female alcoholism can be called traditional. In particular, this is treatment in a drug dispensary, coding, aversive therapy, psychocorrection. It is also allowed to use alternative treatment methods, homeopathic medicines, dietary supplements. Moreover, in some cases, a combination of methods is also possible, on the basis of which there is a high probability of achieving successful results. Let us dwell on some methods of treating alcohol dependence in women.

Coding and common methods of dealing with female alcoholism

Coding determines either the provision of a certain psychological impact, or the formation of the development of a ban on the use of alcohol through a conditioned reflex that occurs as a response to the current disulfiram-ethanol reaction. Also allowed is the option of combining a psychotherapeutic method, combined with a certain medicinal effect on the woman's body.

Regardless of whether we are talking about a suggestion session or a medical procedure, coding for alcoholism is initially based on communication with the patient, as well as on taking an anamnesis of the disease we are considering. In some cases, you may also need data obtained through a survey of relatives in one direction or another.

Regardless of the coding method, the patient's consent to it is a prerequisite for its implementation. Before the procedure, the doctor explains all the points that are relevant in it, the emphasis is not only on the possible positive result, but also on what the consequences and complications of coding may be. Also, before coding, the patient must avoid alcohol within a certain time period, the duration of such a period can be from 2-5 days to 2 weeks.

The duration of the coding period is determined on an individual basis, taking into account the history and characteristics of the patient's condition; in general, coding is possible for a period of one month to five years.

Torpedo. This coding method assumes intravenous administration of a long-acting form of disulfiram. If a woman starts drinking alcohol after that, then the gradual release of disulfiram will provoke a sharp and immediate formation of an appropriate reaction, in which medical assistance cannot be dispensed with. The treatment of female alcoholism, reviews of which relate to this method, is very controversial in terms of the nature of its effectiveness, there are many negative opinions about it. So, in the West it has not been used for a long time due to the fragility of the result, and also because of the serious harm to patients at the psychological level. Nevertheless, there is no need to talk about the lack of effectiveness either, because the method is quite suitable for its implementation.

Dovzhenko method. This method is the very first in coding, it implies the impact on the patient through his consciousness. Initially, the psychotherapeutic effect occurs within the framework of group therapy, then it is already on an individual basis, for which both psychological and physical measures are used.

Esperal. In this case, either Esperal-gel is administered (parenterally - injections that prevent their entry into the gastrointestinal tract environment), or a special type of tablet is sewn in. Disulfiram, which acts as an active ingredient, is slowly released when drinking alcohol, provokes a corresponding reaction from the body, against which a negative attitude towards alcohol is formed in patients. The method is easy to implement and quite in demand, in addition, its long-term effectiveness (up to 5 years) is its positive side. The method is good for those patients who have successfully endured the period of sobriety previously set by the doctor as a measure of preparation for the procedure. Esperal can also be taken in the form of tablets, but although this method is the simplest, it is very easy to break into the systematic use of them, as well as in the intake of alcohol.

Hypnosis. This method in the treatment of alcoholism is a variety of options for author's methods of hypnosis. Their goal is based on introducing the patient into a controlled state of hypnosis, in which bringing him to a borderline state is accompanied by the suggestion of negative thoughts about alcoholism while simultaneously forming a negative attitude towards any type of alcoholic beverages.

Aversive therapy, namely, it implies the listed coding options, is often accompanied by a number of additional problematic issues. So, for example, patients often develop various phobias, they also have fears about fermentation products, and there is fear about skin contact with any liquids that contain alcohol.

Another disadvantage of these measures lies in the treatment of manifestations of the disease, but not in the impact on the causes that provoked it. Given this feature, in the treatment of alcoholism, it is preferable to use any of these methods as the initial stage of treatment, due to which for a certain time it will be possible to restore the normal functioning of the body as a whole, and also to enable the patient to soberly (literally and figuratively ) to come to an understanding of their own lives.

Joseph Addison

With the help of exercise and abstinence, most people can do without medicine.

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Today, the problem of female alcoholism is of increased relevance. Statistics show that over the past five years, the number of women drinking alcoholic beverages has increased by more than 150%. On the territory of the Russian Federation, about 30% of the fair sex systematically take alcohol, and a third of them suffer from binges.

Alcohol dependence in women has a more dangerous course in contrast to male alcoholism. Signs of the disease become noticeable after several years of regular use of alcohol, due to the physiological and anatomical features of the body, including:

1. Poor tolerance of alcohol by the body.
2. Low content in liver cells of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of ethyl alcohol.
3. Unlike men, the female body contains a smaller amount of fluid that helps break down ethanol.

The time span, from the first stage of alcoholism to the moment when a woman begins to suffer from withdrawal symptoms, is so short that the diagnosis of "alcoholism" falls like snow on her head. During this period, a woman can completely sleep, without the possibility of further rehabilitation and recovery.

Thus, alcohol dependence in women is an extremely serious disease that develops rapidly and has a very unfavorable course.

Usually, the causes of female alcoholism lie in such problems as: severe stress, emotional wounds, loneliness, lack of work or, conversely, excessive workload, loss of a loved one, betrayal of a loved one, etc. To drown out emotions, the fairer sex begins to drink. Most often, alcoholism affects women with low social status, lack of a profession and poor heredity. The latter is explained by genetic predisposition and family structure. Children whose parents regularly drank alcohol, in the future, consider this lifestyle normal.

Often, alcohol addiction is formed with the regular intake of alcohol for appetite, to relieve fatigue after a hard day, to kill time when there is nothing to do or when gathering with friends over a bottle of wine. Many of the women, realizing that society condemns such behavior, begin to drink alcohol at home alone. However, the feeling of loneliness only aggravates the woman's condition, forcing her to drink more and more. Lack of hobbies, family, friends and work turn into alcoholism for the fairer sex.

Symptoms of female alcoholism

Due to the fact that the fair sex tries in every possible way to hide their addiction to alcoholic beverages, at the initial stage, the symptoms of the disease can go unnoticed, and often even the closest people do not recognize the presence of a problem. But still, there are a number of signs that speak of alcoholism in a woman:

1. Systematic intake of alcohol. The intervals between the use of alcohol are reduced, and over time, the libation becomes a daily ritual.
2. No requirements for the quality of alcoholic beverages. With the development of the diagnosis of alcoholism, the fair sex becomes undemanding to the type and taste of alcohol, the only criterion is the presence of ethanol in the composition.
3. Drinking alcohol alone. A woman ceases to worry about the reason for the use. Even in the absence of the company, the alcoholic does not refuse the next portion of alcohol.
4. Mood changes. In the absence of the possibility of drinking alcohol, the woman's mood becomes depressed, she can show aggression and, conversely, in anticipation of the next dose, the alcoholic behaves unusually cheerfully and joyfully.
5. Spending the last money on alcohol. Even if there is no free money in the family budget, or they are set aside for an important purchase, a woman is ready to part with her last savings in order to purchase alcoholic beverages.

Even neglected female alcoholism, the symptoms of which are clearly visible in appearance, is very rarely recognized as the most ill, at this moment it is very important that relatives are there, show patience and provide support.

Signs of addiction

Female alcoholism is vehemently condemned by society, which is why many representatives of the weaker sex hide, drinking alcohol alone. However, prolonged alcohol intake leaves an indelible imprint on the body, thanks to which it is quite easy to identify an alcoholic. The photos provided in the article clearly demonstrate the ongoing external changes. Signs of alcoholism in women are as follows:

1. External. At the initial stage of the development of the disease, external signs can be masked under the applied makeup. But with the course of the disease, even professional cosmetics will not be able to hide swelling, swelling under the eyes and spots on the surface of the skin. The first signs of alcoholism in women on the face are manifested in the following changes: the skin becomes flabby, the tone in the muscles disappears. The whites of the eyes take on an icteric tint, due to disturbances in the functioning of the liver. The face may take on a blue or red tint, this indicates disorders in the circulatory system. Edema appears on the face, and noticeable "bags" under the eyes.
2. Physiological. Long-term use of alcohol-containing drinks leads to the accumulation of toxins in the body, which have a detrimental effect on the internal organs and vital systems of the female body. As a result, an alcoholic develops a whole range of diseases, including: cirrhosis of the liver, fatty hepatitis, oppression of the reproductive system, hormonal disruptions, arrhythmia, kidney failure, decreased intellectual abilities and memory lapses.
3. Psychological. The character and habits of the alcoholic are radically changing, she no longer restrains herself within the bounds of decency. The psyche also undergoes pathological changes: a woman becomes irritated, aggressive, the desire to get drunk becomes the main desire, the social circle consists of the same people who have sunk to the social bottom. In advanced situations, hallucinations (both visual and auditory) and mental illness may appear. Often alcoholics become patients in psychiatric hospitals.
4. Social. The fair sex is no longer interested in family ties, the maternal instinct disappears, ties with society and relatives come to naught. Often such women begin to lead a promiscuous sex life.
5. Minor. These signs clearly indicate that a woman is suffering from an addiction, among them: a sloppy appearance, dirty hair, an unpleasant smell, unwashed clothes, etc.

Stages of alcoholism in women

Alcoholism in women occurs in 3 stages, which differ in the degree of complexity of the condition, the behavior of the addict and the method of treatment.

1 stage. At this stage, dependence on alcohol is just beginning to develop. As a rule, this stage is accompanied by a desire to drink when conflicts arise in the family or at work. In the future, a woman may begin to look for a pseudo-reason for the next use. This is how the first stage flows into the second, and often it is not possible to catch this fine line. It becomes very difficult to fight desire, and the woman begins to drink systematically.

2 stage. During this period, irritation of opioid receptors occurs if a woman does not take a serving of alcohol. The representative of the weaker sex begins to suffer from psychological dependence on alcohol. Pathological changes do not yet occur in the structures of brain neurons and internal organs. This stage of alcoholism in women is characterized by regular intake of alcoholic beverages and binges. This is the most common stage among the fair sex, which leads to early aging, destruction of internal organs and the transition to the most difficult stage.

3 stage. This is the last and most dangerous stage of alcoholism in women, during which irreversible changes occur in opioid receptors, the brain, and internal organs. In the third stage, the dependence on alcoholism becomes so serious that the female representative begins to drink on a regular basis, completely changing her lifestyle. At the same time, the alcoholic develops psychological diseases, and the internal organs are destroyed. Treatment of alcoholism in women at this stage rarely gives results, due to the complete lack of desire in the patient to undergo rehabilitation and a high mortality rate.

Consequences of alcohol addiction

Female alcoholism is a very dangerous phenomenon that can lead to severe and sometimes irreversible consequences. The purpose of a woman is to be the guardian of the family hearth, take care of her husband and raise children, but in a state of intoxication, this becomes impossible. Thus, alcoholism destroys families, leads to divorce, severing ties with friends and relatives, violence, and also causes the formation of psychological diseases in children. That is why it is so important to pay attention to the presence of a problem in time and start treatment.

Alcoholism in the fairer sex develops extremely rapidly, and therefore the changes that occur in the body proceed faster . Ethanol has a destructive effect on the psyche and internal organs, often leading to the death of the patient. The consequences of alcohol dependence include toxic alcoholic encephalopathy, which is expressed in the form of brain damage. Patients may develop polyneuropathy, in which disturbances occur in the structures and work of all peripheral nerves. In addition, intellectual abilities decrease, reaction decreases and mental illness develops.

The most pronounced consequences of drinking are delirium tremens and hallucinations. In addition, frequent companions of alcoholism are toxic fatty hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Patients with alcoholism suffer from kidney failure, diseases of the pancreas and stomach. Ethanol has a destructive effect on the heart muscle, increasing the risk of developing a heart attack or stroke. Regular use leads to impaired blood circulation in the limbs, which can provoke the appearance of trophic ulcers and gangrene. As a result, it becomes necessary to amputate the affected limbs. Such severe consequences pose a serious danger to the life of an alcoholic, which is why treatment should be started immediately when the first signs appear.

How is the treatment

The path to recovery begins with the awareness of the need to treat the patient herself. A strong desire to get rid of addiction and return to a full and healthy life is the first step towards a cure. Unfortunately, compulsory treatment, even with the most modern and effective methods, will not give a stable and lasting result.

During the rehabilitation period, it is very important to give the patient sufficient attention, to give her the opportunity to feel needed and complete. In addition, you should not put pressure on a woman and pour out problems on her. The task of close people is to help the patient not to miss the moment of desire to be cured, and at this very moment to make every effort to provide her with comprehensive treatment. It includes:

1. Sessions of psychotherapy and psychocorrection.
2. Body detoxification procedure using modern medicines.
3. Drug therapy aimed at the formation of aversion to alcohol.
4. The use of drugs that block certain receptors in the brain.
5. Coding using hypnosis and psychotherapy sessions.
6. Restoration of the body and affected internal organs.

All therapeutic measures should be selected on an individual basis, based on the patient's condition, the stage of alcoholism and other factors. Getting rid of alcoholism is a long and difficult path, and its effectiveness directly depends on the woman herself, her mood and desire to get rid of her destructive addiction.

- pathological dependence on alcohol in women. Due to the physical, mental and endocrine characteristics of the body, the development and course of alcoholism in women in a certain way differs from a similar dependence in men. Female alcoholism develops in a short time, accompanied by rapid mental degradation and rapid destruction of internal organs. Often proceeds latently up to stage II or III. The diagnosis of "female alcoholism" is made on the basis of anamnesis, a survey, and tests for alcohol content in bodily fluids. Treatment - various types of coding in combination with psychotherapy.

General information

Women's alcoholism in society is treated more negatively than men's. Drinking men are stimulated for treatment, they try to educate, they take them to doctors. Women who drink are turned away. When the first signs of female alcoholism appear, or even just the publication of information about regular drinking, in the absence of obvious physical and psychological changes, a woman is less likely to receive help and support from relatives and friends. In advanced cases, after severing ties with the former environment and the fall of the social level, the support of others with female alcoholism becomes extremely unlikely.

Causes of female alcoholism

Alcoholism in women occurs under the influence of various factors and their combinations. Sometimes the cause is unfavorable heredity and family traditions, which allow excessive drinking, drinking alcohol not only on holidays, but also on weekends, after work, etc. Often, female alcoholism develops due to psychological exhaustion. Modern representatives of the fair sex have to bear a heavy load, combine career advancement, household chores and caring for children. This leads to emotional breakdowns, which patients try to relieve with alcohol.

Women's alcoholism can also occur due to other problems. In particular, women who are housewives sometimes begin to drink alcohol to dispel the boredom provoked by the monotony of domestic worries and to eliminate the feeling of lack of demand due to the lack of professional fulfillment. Quite often, family problems become the impetus for the development of female alcoholism: husband's infidelity, dissatisfaction with family relationships, violence, loss of a loved one, divorce, etc.

Sometimes alcohol intake is provoked by loneliness, lack of full-fledged close relationships and lack of time to create a family. Female alcoholism also often develops in the wives and cohabitants of alcoholics. At first, a woman begins to take alcohol "for company" so as not to destroy the relationship and be able to control her husband's behavior. Subsequently, due to the rapid development of female alcoholism, she herself becomes the initiator of drinking. Often, the physical and moral degradation of such women occurs faster than that of their husbands, who began to drink alcohol earlier. As a result, the husbands of the patients initiate divorces and find other partners for themselves, and the women who are left alone quickly sink to the very bottom.

Dependence on alcohol in men, on average, occurs after 7-10 years of regular drinking, for the development of female alcoholism it takes only 5 years. The faster development of alcoholism is due to the psychological and physical characteristics of the body of the fair sex. Liver enzymes in women break down ethanol worse than in men. At the same time, blood flow in the depot organs (liver and spleen) in women is slower than in men. These factors provoke accelerated liver damage in female alcoholism.

The protective function of the blood-brain barrier in women is lower than in men, so alcohol and its decay products in large quantities penetrate the brain, quickly damage brain cells and destroy neural connections. This causes rapid mental degradation, deterioration of thinking, decrease in intelligence, loss of moral and ethical guidelines. Female alcoholism has an extremely negative effect on appearance. As a result of all of the above, an image of a typical alcoholic is formed - repulsive, devoid of individuality, interested only in finding and drinking alcohol.

Symptoms and stages of female alcoholism

The development of alcoholism in a woman is evidenced by her positive attitude towards drinking, bursts of vivacity and enthusiasm when offered to arrange a feast, self-initiation of alcohol consumption. A woman begins to take alcohol at every opportunity, motivating this by the need to relax after work, celebrate some minor event, etc. Patients with female alcoholism drink on a par with men. The dose required to achieve the state of intoxication is gradually increased.

Some women drink alcohol secretly, trying not to catch the eye of their family and friends. In such cases, female alcoholism can be suspected on the basis of indirect signs: no one knows where the missing money, hidden full or open bottles, some disheveled and “tired” appearance, the smell of alcohol, which the patients try to kill using chewing gum, lollipops, coffee beans, etc. e. Over time, coarsening of the voice occurs. With female alcoholism, the character changes, the woman becomes less balanced, less likely to show empathy. Scandals and inexplicable emotional breakdowns are becoming more frequent.

Women's alcoholism, like men's, has three stages. At the first stage, the sense of proportion disappears, the individual “norm” necessary to achieve intoxication increases. The use of alcohol becomes regular, the patient, suffering from female alcoholism, is actively looking for reasons to drink. Nausea and vomiting disappear even after large doses of alcohol. There are gaps in memory. The next day after drinking alcohol, a hangover is observed. During long periods of sobriety there is a growing irritation.

The second stage of female alcoholism is characterized by the development of withdrawal syndrome. Tolerance to alcohol continues to increase and reaches a "plateau". Control over behavior after drinking alcohol is further reduced, aggression and immoral acts are possible. There are short-term, and then long-term binges. With a sharp interruption of hard drinking, the development of meth-alcohol psychoses is possible. The appearance is gradually deteriorating. The face of a patient with female alcoholism becomes moon-shaped, bags appear under the eyes, the skin acquires a yellowish or grayish tint.

The woman begins to neglect the rules of hygiene. She tries to hide the changes in her appearance by using a lot of makeup, and because of this, she takes on a characteristic vulgar appearance. Female alcoholism leads to a slowdown in thinking and assimilation of new information. Without alcohol, there is constant aggression and irritability. Life priorities are changing, all interests are centered around drinking alcohol. There is a decline in moral standards. The condition of the internal organs gradually worsens.

In the third stage of female alcoholism, the amount of alcohol required to achieve a state of intoxication decreases. Pronounced intoxication occurs after one glass, after a further increase in the dose of alcohol, the state practically does not change. There is no control over the amount drunk. Gross changes in appearance are observed. At this stage of female alcoholism, severe pathological changes in the liver and gastrointestinal tract occur. Marked intellectual and moral degradation is noted. Emotions are flattened and impoverished.

Diagnosis of female alcoholism

The diagnosis of alcohol dependence in women is made on the basis of clinical symptoms. Any methods of laboratory research are of an auxiliary nature and cannot be evidence of alcoholism. Four signs are considered as the main diagnostic criteria for female alcoholism. The first is a change in the value system, an inappropriately high place for alcohol in the list of personal priorities. The second is the loss of control over the dose of alcohol (the patient almost always consumes more than planned). The third is the continuation of alcohol intake in spite of obstacles (personal, social and professional interests of a woman). The fourth is the development of an abstinence syndrome.

The first three signs confirm female alcoholism with the presence of mental dependence, the fourth indicates the development of physical dependence. The conversation with the patient is supplemented by testing using various questionnaires. The simplest survey for the preliminary diagnosis of female alcoholism includes only four questions:

• Has the woman thought that it is time for her to stop drinking?
• Does other people bother her with complaints about drinking?
• Does she feel guilty about drinking alcohol?
• did she ever want to get drunk?

The interview and the survey are supplemented by an external examination to identify specific markers of female alcoholism. Chronic alcohol abuse may be indicated by redness of the face, expansion of subcutaneous capillaries on the skin of the face, enlargement of the parotid glands, coated tongue, enlarged liver, trembling of the extremities, polyneuropathy, muscle atrophy, symmetrical reddening of the palms, increased sweating, telangiectasias, a transient increase in blood pressure and characteristic of the female alcoholism, a change in the figure (disappearance of the waist, thinning of the arms and legs in the presence of a stomach).

Treatment of female alcoholism

Treatment tactics are determined individually, depending on the duration of regular alcohol consumption, the stage of female alcoholism, health status, motivation level, strong-willed qualities, personality traits and some other factors. A prerequisite for successful treatment of female alcoholism is the complete rejection of alcohol. Reducing the dose and trying to "use in moderation" will obviously be ineffective, since the alcoholic is not able to control the amount of alcohol he drinks and breaks down even after taking a small dose.

Subsequently, the patient is referred to psychotherapy to identify the causes of the development of female alcoholism, to develop new ways of thinking and behavior. Psychologists and psychotherapists help the patient to go through a difficult period of giving up alcohol, often accompanied by emotional breakdowns caused by a change in the usual way of life, the need to find new priorities, changes in relationships with loved ones, etc. In the process of treating female alcoholism, both individual and group psychotherapy are used. .