Female Alcoholism - Symptoms And Consequences Of Female Alcoholism, How To Cure?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Female alcoholism

There is no objective explanation for the fact why modern society is drowning in rivers of alcohol, which, like a whirlpool, pull healthy people into their arms, making them practically disabled. Indeed, with a relatively safe functioning of organs and systems, people are not able to independently give themselves an account of their actions, falling out of the dense structure of society.

This is especially true in relation to female alcoholism. For some reason, recently it was this type of disease that began its epidemic spread. This fact cannot but receive a great resonance, since it is the beautiful half of humanity that is the basic element of any of the cells of society around which everything revolves. It is necessary to understand this and make every effort to eliminate alcoholism, as the main destroyer of women's destinies.

Content:

• Description of the disease
• Features of female alcoholism
• Signs and symptoms
• Stages of female alcoholism
• Consequences of female alcoholism
• How to cure female alcoholism?

Description of the disease

Female alcoholism is a psycho-narcological disease associated with the abnormal addiction of women to alcoholic beverages and their systematic use, accompanied by damage to the brain tissues and internal organs. It would seem, what's wrong with that? Everyone drinks alcohol and nothing bad happens. But it has its own characteristics that are associated with the female body and addiction to alcohol in general.

The periodic use of drinks containing alcohol cannot be considered alcoholism. Dangerous can only be called the abuse of these substances, especially in large quantities.

Normally, the human body needs a certain amount of ethanol, which, due to the correct organization of metabolism, is produced daily. At the same time, up to 50 milliliters of alcohol in the equivalent of 40-50% alcohol solution, which neutralizes the liver without consequences, will not harm the female body.

But if we simulate a similar situation in which ethanol will systematically enter the blood, even in this amount, a certain part of it will penetrate through the blood-brain barrier of the brain. This will certainly irritate the opioid receptors, which are responsible for the formation of dependence on the substance. Therefore, the disease comes from afar, passing along the fine line of norm and pathology.

With the development of an addiction to alcohol, the dose that regularly enters the body increases, which has a toxic effect on the liver cells, heart, brain, nervous tissue and kidneys. Sooner or later, this will lead to irreversible structural changes with the development of organ failure, which will further aggravate the toxic effects on the brain.

Features of female alcoholism

The general patterns of development of the disease in the female and male body do not differ. But there are some features that made it necessary to distinguish female alcoholism as a separate disease. It is characterized by its own laws that affect the development, course, outcomes and treatment of the problem. These include:

• Relative psycho-emotional lability of women. This means that their higher nervous activity is arranged in the direction of the predominance of not logical, but intuitive activity of the brain. In this regard, they are more emotional and more susceptible to the negative influence of stress factors;

• Increased sensitivity of the liver tissue to the toxic effects of ethanol against the background of reduced ability of enzyme systems to process and detoxify. This leads to prolonged action of small doses of it and the strongest destruction of the liver with transformation into cirrhosis;
• The fragile structure of nerve cells and interneuronal connections. This leads to a violation of the transmission of nerve impulses already in the initial stages of alcoholism in women;
• Slow blood flow in the depot organs. These are the liver and spleen. This is due to the relatively low activity of metabolic processes, hypotension (low blood pressure) and a large volume of venous vessels, which additionally contributes to damage to these organs;
• Weak structure of the blood-brain barrier (a special membrane that limits the brain from toxic substances). As a result of this feature, alcohol almost unhindered gets to unprotected neurons;
• Reduced excretory function of the skin and kidneys, which slows down the excretion of ethanol metabolism products;
• Rapid absorption in the intestine;
• Incompatibility of female sex hormones and alcohol breakdown products.

Thus, a situation arises that a woman herself, without noticing it, very early begins to feel the need for alcohol. This very quickly causes a decrease in self-criticism, and any comments of relatives on this matter are denied. The damage to the brain, liver and other internal organs occurs even faster. Ultimately, everything pours out with lightning speed into a severe form of alcoholism with persistent dependence and multiple organ dysfunction.

Signs and symptoms of female alcoholism

It is unlikely that the woman herself, who is drawn into this most dangerous disease, will be able to identify its signs in herself. The main responsibility lies with her family and friends. Especially if they lead a correct lifestyle. Of course, if there are “associates” living according to the laws of alcohol addiction, it will not be possible to realize the disease at all. Such people are really unhappy because they lose everything without realizing it. And when they think about it, it turns out that the time is wasted. Therefore, it is very important to notice female alcoholism in its embryonic state. Symptoms include:

• Increased desire to consume alcoholic beverages, and no matter what. Those with alcoholism, begin to look for any reason and excuse to drink;
• Strong denial of remarks in their direction about alcohol abuse;
• Increasing the doses of alcoholic beverages required to achieve a state of intoxication that was not there before;
• Refusal to "snack" after the accepted portion of drinks containing ethanol and loss of appetite in general;
• Loss of interest in previous hobbies and values;
• A person's isolation and connection with people suffering from alcohol addiction;
• Inappropriate behavior: rudeness, hysteria, obscene speech, which were not previously noted;
• Decreased self-criticism and intelligence;
• Irresponsible attitude to work and the use of all means to purchase alcoholic beverages;
• Drinking alcohol alone;
• Cyanosis and puffiness of the face;
• An increase in the size of the abdomen due to the development of alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver;
• Minor tremors (tremors) of the limbs.

These symptoms develop depending on the stage of the disease, gradually overlaying each other. An important role in their progression belongs to the reduced excitability of the vomiting center of the brain. The more severe the stage, the more inhibited the vomiting reflex, which leads to the fact that women alcoholics with a detailed clinical picture never experience feelings of nausea and vomiting.

Stages of female alcoholism

In the clinical course of female alcoholism, there are three stages. Their designation is advisable from the point of view of the formation of dependence and complications, as well as therapeutic measures.

First stage. In the pathogenetic respect, it is represented by the process of the emergence of alcohol addiction. During this time, the opioid receptors become addicted to ethanol products. It is this process that paves the way for the formation of persistent mental dependence and the transition of the process to the second stage. Clinically, this is manifested by the woman's unusual desire for a drink. As a rule, this is motivated by poor health, problems in the family and at work. The most important thing is that it occurs more often than was observed before, which indicates the failure of the brain to resist pathological desire.

Second stage. It occurs when opioid receptors irritate the brain in the absence of alcohol. This suggests that the woman already has a mental dependence on him. There are no structural changes in the neurons of the brain and tissues of internal organs. Clinical manifestations at this stage can manifest themselves in the form of a drunken form or constant intake. For women, the second type of disease is more characteristic, which leads to a rapid withering of the female body and the transition of the process to the next stage.

Stage Three. It is characterized by irreversible structural changes in opioid receptors, brain and other organs. This leads to a persistent dependence on alcohol, the use of which becomes a way of life for the sick woman. At the same time, in addition to mental dependence, organ dysfunction develops.

Consequences of female alcoholism

Given the fact that female alcoholism is characterized by a lightning-fast course, it extremely quickly leads to serious consequences. All of them either disrupt normal life activity, or lead to damage to internal organs that are incompatible with life. These include:

• Toxic alcoholic encephalopathy with brain damage;
• Polyneuropathy with impairment of the structure and functioning of all peripheral nerves;
• Critical decline in intelligence and mental disorders;
• Alcoholic delirium (delirium tremens);
• Toxic hepatitis with transformation into liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension with the development of ascites;
• Overdose and poisoning with alcohol substitutes;
• Renal failure;
• Acute pancreatic necrosis and chronic pancreatitis (damage to the pancreas);
• Positional Compression Syndrome, which occurs when women get drunk to the point that they feel nothing and compress limb segments. At the same time, there is a violation of blood circulation in them, which leads to gangrene with subsequent amputation.
• Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

How to cure female alcoholism?

In deciding the issue of helping women suffering from alcoholism, it is necessary to be guided by the most important rule: "the rescue of a drowning person is the work of the drowning person himself." As cruel as it may sound, this is actually the case. If a woman does not realize that she has lost her way in life, succumbing to bad influences, no effect should be expected from the most expensive methods of treatment.

Therefore, such a person should be surrounded by the necessary attention. A woman should feel that she is complete and that someone needs her. But do not overload her with all sorts of problems, especially when urging to treatment. You should never put pressure on such a person. All arguments and comments should be tried to be presented in an easy way. Patience is something that all close people need to stock up on. This is the only way to force a person to come to an understanding of his problem himself.

When this happens, not a day is to be lost. A woman should become a patient of a narcological hospital, where complex treatment will be carried out.

1. Specialized psychological and psychotherapeutic assistance.
2. Detoxification therapy.
3. Drug treatment of alcoholism itself - drugs that form an aversion to alcohol in women (disulfiram).
4. Suturing for alcoholism - subcutaneous administration of drugs that block opioid receptors in the brain (naltrexone). The duration of the drug depends on its dose.
5. Coding with hypnosis and psychotherapy.
6. Correction of pathology of internal organs.

The consistent and phased implementation of each of the treatment methods depends on the stage of alcoholism and is subject to strictly individual selection. Don't be put off with this. After all, nothing in life happens just like that.

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The author of the article: German Oleg Leonidovich, narcologist, specially for the website ayzdorov.ru