At the end of a hard day at work, you want to relax with a glass of wine or a can of beer. It would seem, what will happen if you drink alcohol every day "for pleasure"?
The so-called "evening alcoholism" does not cause open disapproval of society. At first glance, nothing bad happens: there is no instant withdrawal syndrome from a glass of vodka. But the frequent use of alcohol affects the human body, regardless of the "elite" of the drinks. Successful 25-40-year-olds, who buy expensive cognac, don't even notice the last link in the alcohol chain standing in the same queue with them: a gaunt man with a long beard in crumpled clothes. If you suggest that this is your possible future, they will surely be offended. However, if a person drinks alcohol every day, he will soon have to pay not only with money, but also with health, family ties and position in society.
The pitfall of ethyl alcohol
The amount of alcohol consumed in terms of pure alcohol should not exceed 5ml / day (women) and 10ml / day (men). It is best to divide it into several tricks. That is, 25 ml of strong drink, 100 ml of wine, 250 ml of 3-4% beer drunk at the festive table will not bring destructive harm to a woman's body (for men, the amount doubles). However, the frequency of use of even such "harmless" doses makes them dangerous.
The destruction of the body begins gradually. It directly depends on age, health, weight, hereditary predisposition. With an unfavorable coincidence of these factors, the first stage of alcoholism can occur in six months or a year. And a person who abuses alcoholic beverages will live the rest of his life on alcoholic drugs.
Psychic changes
Since the daily use of alcohol is aimed at the rapid achievement of a psychotropic effect ("relaxation"), psychological dependence occurs first. After a week, a person gets used to relieving stress in this way, without a break to get sober, and after a year they forget that it could be different.
The main symptoms of what is happening in the body:
- Insomnia. Despite the strong hypnotic effect of ethanol, healthy sleep phases are disrupted under its influence. Sleep becomes either deep narcotic, or vice versa - short, restless. Subsequently, a person has to drink alcohol only to fall asleep.
- Nervousness and irritability. The constant presence of alcohol in the blood causes oxygen starvation in the brain. Along with sleep disturbances, this leads to fatigue, which causes early alcohol consumption. This is how a "vicious circle" is formed.
- Lowering of the criticality threshold. A person begins to react sharply to comments ("Yes, I drink constantly, but what is so terrible about this? "), He constantly finds new reasons to drink.
- Look for a reason. Gradually, festive parties and small doses are replaced by copious drinks on the TV every night. The patient is ready to blame the whole world for having a formal reason to take another dose.
- Increasing aggression. It is in the first and second stages of alcoholism that most domestic crimes occur. Imaginary courage makes you look for adventure, the case often ends in fights.
Physiological changes
The consequences of long-term alcohol intake are irreversible disorders in the body.
- Change in blood composition. Literally a few hours later, glucose levels drop, thrombus formation increases, and blood circulation worsens.
- Avitaminosis. Against the background of general intoxication, the lack of vitamins seems to be a small problem. However, it gradually leads to hair loss, destruction of dental tissue, indigestion and decreased immunity. Perhaps the development of anemia, early dementia, acute clinical depression.
- Aging effect. The classic signs of an alcoholic are swelling of the face, vascular "stars" on the cheeks, pale or cyanotic-purple skin. The person appears 10-15 years older than the passport age. The appearance of women changes especially rapidly.
- Destruction of nerve cells and tissues of internal organs. Absorbed through the esophagus, ethanol with bloodit spreads to every cell of the body, progressively affecting the liver, kidneys, stomach, brain.
Big belly and thin legs - all the "delights" of beer alcoholism
Beer is one of the most insidious drinks. The shops offer a wide selection of a wide variety of varieties, the commercials invite you to "cool off". Initially low psychological alertness, which is triggered by heavy alcohol, leads to an increase in domestic beer alcoholism.
Unlike vodka, beer has a lower calorie content, is easier to tolerate, and has a mild hangover syndrome. However, if you drink it every day, the effects will be the same.
The elements that beer contains influence the production of hormones. In men with addiction to beer, the breasts grow, fat settles on the stomach and hips, the timbre of the voice becomes higher, impotence develops. If a woman drinks a lot of beer, she acquires masculine characteristics: her voice hardens, the antennae begin to grow above her upper lip, her figure becomes stocky, masculine.
Alcoholism in beer gradually destroys the hormonal system. Infertility, thyroid cancers, diseased pancreas - this is just a small list of problems resulting from the abuse of foamy drinks.
But beer has the most damaging effect on the heart. In people who periodically drink up to 3-5 liters of beer per day, the volume of the heart muscle increases several times. The so-called "bovine heart" effect occurs, which doctors refer to as cardiomegaly. Muscle tissue gradually degenerates, shortness of breath appears, the heart rhythm is disturbed. In the future, the "bull's heart" threatens with serious complications.
It is important to remember that small doses of ethanol in beer lead to alcohol addiction. Except it's much more difficult to track him down.
Is the truth in the wine?
Speaking of the relative utility of wine, doctors mean drinks that are products of grape fermentation, with a strength of no more than 13%. A glass of dry wine a week won't do any tangible harm.
However, excessive passion for them has the same sad consequences that arise when drinking alcohol. Wine causes the destruction of the limbic system of the brain, which is responsible for memories and emotions. Abuse of wine leads to memory loss, dementia, premature dementia and impaired consciousness.
Red wine is contraindicated for migraines, hypertension, diabetes, gastritis. White wine has a negative effect on the pancreas and nerve cells in the brain.
Dessert wines are high in calories, the combination of sugar and preservatives exacerbates the negative properties of ethanol.
Champagne wines, due to saturation with carbon dioxide, accelerate the absorption of alcohol into the blood. How much can a person drink at a festive table in order not to get drunk on champagne? Literally a glass. Furthermore, the individual reaction can be unpredictable.
Alcohol and chemistry
Can I drink low alcoholic beverages alongside taking medications? The medical answer will be categorical: no!
Even "harmless" antipyretics such as aspirin and acetaminophen, when combined with ethanol exposure, can cause sudden gastric bleeding or anaphylactic shock.
During treatment, even small doses of alcohol in the evening are worth giving up. Ethanol increases the resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics, increases the side effects of many drugs. In addition, the disease itself is a contraindication.
You shouldn't experimentally find out what will happen if you drink alcohol along with taking medications. There is a high probability of complications, up to fatal ones.
Environment reminder
It is worth worrying if:
- loved one drinks more alcohol every day (including low-alcohol drinks);
- he became irritable, nervous;
- has symptoms of intoxication (hangover syndrome);
- complains of depression, insomnia, nightmares;
- no holiday at home goes without alcohol.
When the first symptoms appear, it is important to convey to the person the need for treatment. However, you cannot speak to an alcoholic when he is under the influence of intoxicating drinks or suffering from a hangover. Choose a convenient time, do not insist, speak calmly, in a low voice. Seek professional help if needed.
Remember: if one spouse drinks alcohol, there is a risk that the other spouse will become addicted.