According to statistics, men are twice as likely to feel addicted to alcohol. Our society considers it absolutely normal to regularly consume alcoholic beverages, despite the fact that the consequences of alcoholism in men are very sad for both him and his family.
This opinion is, of course, catastrophic and should be considered. Alcoholism is a serious disease that destroys a person’s psyche and general health. It requires a comprehensive medical approach. As practice shows, even beer leads to stable alcoholism. This disease begins with it, and later the person switches to hard alcohol.
External signs of alcoholism
Addiction develops and develops gradually, step by step. The presence of alcoholism and its development can be recognized by the numerous characteristic signs of alcoholism in men. Psychologists and narcologists have developed the main symptoms by which initial alcoholism can be recognized:
- an irresistible craving for alcohol, a person seeks the strangest reasons to justify his desire to drink;
- aggression towards family members, friends, work colleagues;
- lethargy and fatigue;
- speech disorders;
- musculoskeletal disorders;
- knowledge of relationships with foreigners;
- apathy, mood swings;
- deterioration of general health.
These are the first signs of initial alcoholism, which can last up to 10 years. They are easy to miss at this stage, as they often do. The woman simply does not pay attention to them. He thinks that a man relieves stress after work, tries to escape problems with a can of beer or a glass of brandy. Meanwhile, the disease is not dormant and continues to progress.
Causes of male alcoholism
The problem of male alcoholism is dictated by the difference between the psychology of women and men. The male sex is less adaptable to changing external conditions and resorts to alcohol as a way to distract from the problems and worries that affect him. In addition, men often resist being persuaded to rehabilitate, believing they can fend for themselves.
But this is not the case - in addition to physical addiction, alcoholism also brings profound personality changes from the first months of abuse. The external environment often consists of the same alcoholics over time, which also prevents healing.
Every other family in our country will face the problem of alcoholism in the future or has already faced 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 occur singly or in combination. Social reasons include the presence of friends drinking in the environment. Social status plays a special role because people with good 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:
- mental imbalance;
- insufficient level of self-control;
- poor motivation for professional and mental development;
- the presence of a complex;
- low self-esteem.
There are a number of other factors that can lead to alcoholism in men. Here are just the most common.
There is another group of factors that cause constant drunkenness - 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 relevant to subsequent offspring. The person thinks that he will not become addicted and can easily give up alcohol at any time. A similar phenomenon is characteristic of alcoholics in all stages of alcoholism.
You recognize an alcoholic by his eyes and gaze. Ethanol has a negative effect on the eyes, they become "glassy" and tired. Over time, bags under the eyes and puffiness appear. Such a person looks tired. This indirectly indicates the presence of diseases of internal organs.
From a person who drinks constantly comes the smell of alcoholic "smoke", which is difficult to replace with any other. People who are stuck in alcoholism 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, which come one after the other. The later treatment is started, the harder it is to achieve success - psychological dependence and antisocial lifestyle negate the progress of treatment.
Signs of the first phase
In the initial phase of the development of alcoholism, a gradual increase in the amount of alcohol consumed is characteristic. There are various reasons for that, such a person starts looking for any reason to drink. At the same time, you get drunk more and more every time. Relatives can hear excuses for this behavior:
- I want to relax.
- Others drank more than me.
- Yes, I drink a lot, but I'm not an alcoholic.
- I’m just 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 phase is characterized by other signs related to physiology:
- no gag reflex;
- it is increasingly necessary to achieve the same degree of intoxication;
- there are power outages.
All of these manifestations cause a deterioration in general health, concentration of attention deteriorates, and efficiency decreases. They occur more often during the transition to the next stage.
At this stage, it is already necessary to start the treatment of alcoholism in men - the earlier the stage, the higher the probability of a successful outcome. In the first stage, drunkenness is completely cured, and the body, after recovery, returns to its original state, because the organs did not have time for great suffering and their functions are not severely impaired.
One cannot imagine one's life without alcohol. This is how he spends all his free time. This can cause problems at work, as an employee who often comes in with a hangover does worse. As a result, conflicts with colleagues and management begin. There are many problems in family life as well.
Signs of the second phase
In the second phase of alcoholism, other characteristic signs appear in men. Symptoms of withdrawal or hangover are more pronounced here. It consists of nausea, headache. Power outages are possible. Sleep and digestion are often disturbed. The craving for alcohol is already irresistible. The alcoholic in the second stage is no longer able to stop drinking. She is the main priority around which her whole 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 unjustified irritability.
Signs of the third phase
This is the last stage of alcoholism. At this stage, it is necessary to urgently hospitalize the patient in order to save his life. Complete degradation of personality and moral values become indifferent. The main goal of an alcoholic is to get a new portion of alcohol and because of that he can do everything, including breaking the law. It also takes place:
- intoxication comes from small doses;
- the hangover is very severe;
- sleep depends on the amount drunk as well as food intake.
According to medical statistics, the average life expectancy of alcoholics at this stage does not exceed five years. Due to constant poisoning of the body, the following symptoms may occur:
- intellectual degradation;
- speech loss or severe speech disorders;
- high risk of stroke, heart attack, paralysis, severe liver and kidney dysfunction.
If these symptoms start to appear, you need to understand that the addiction is only growing. The basis for 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 especially emphasized. Now this problem is gaining more and more weight in society. As a rule, many are convinced that beer cannot cause alcoholism. Narcologists have a different opinion on this issue - frequent consumption of beer can cause persistent alcoholism. He manifests himself in the need to drink this drink constantly, and in large quantities. Gradually, the amount drunk increased. In this case, it is worth warning and starting the rehabilitation process to get rid of this addiction.
Consequences of alcoholism in men
No matter how strong the body is, the consequences of alcoholism in humans will not wait long. They can be conditionally divided into two types - psychological and physiological. The latter can be manifested by disorders in the functioning of various bodily systems:
- Male impotence. Under the influence of alcohol, the hormonal background changes, testosterone production is disrupted.
- Problems with the digestive system. It can be gastritis, intestinal ulcer, stomach diseases.
- Pressure problems. Alcohol destroys the vascular system.
- Liver pathology. Frequent alcohol consumption leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
- Poor immunity. The body loses its protective properties, frequent infectious diseases occur.
- Heart problems. The probability of a heart attack in alcoholics is several times higher than in people who do not drink.
Alcoholism also affects the human psyche. These violations can be manifested by strange behavior:
- Feelings of persecution. Some people seem to be watching him.
- 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, consult a competent psychologist who works with alcoholics immediately. It is important to know that you can start treatment for alcoholism in men at any stage.
Recovery steps
- Step 1. Contact a specialized clinic
- Step 2. Persuading addicts for treatment
- Step 3. Detoxification (cleansing the body of toxins)
- Step 4. Comprehensive rehabilitation in an inpatient center
Only in a rehabilitation center will a man be helped not only to alleviate physiological dependence, but will also be brought to a complete cure with the help of inpatient treatment, and will follow the first steps in life after rehabilitation.
Of course, the sooner the qualified help of a narcologist is provided, the faster and easier the process of resolving this disease will take place. Therefore, if you have the slightest doubt, consult a specialist immediately.