Features of the development and treatment of female alcoholism. Why female alcoholism is incurable

Today, a rather serious social problem in Russia is female alcoholism. According to statistics, for every one hundred male alcoholics, there are about fifty women with such an addiction. Mostly young girls and middle-aged women (30-40 years old) are subject to alcoholism. As people say: “If a man drinks, it’s scary, but if a woman drinks, it’s doubly scary.”

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Our mentality is such that the weaker sex is assigned the role of patient housewives, who bear the sins of their husbands, their rudeness and drunkenness. In this light, female alcoholism is an unforgivable and unacceptable way of life for a woman. Consequently, often the representatives of the weaker sex are left only to themselves in solving this problem.

In this article, we will find out what are the signs of an emerging alcohol addiction, what are the reasons why women are addicted to alcohol, and how to cure the beautiful half of humanity from alcoholism.

Is there a cure for female alcoholism?

Many of us believe that female alcoholism is incurable. Such a statement from some point of view can be considered quite justified, but if you look at it from the social side, then the weaker sex tends to hide such dependence, because society has a negative attitude towards this problem.

If a drunk man - no one is surprised, but if a drunk woman - a reason for condemnation and gossip. On the part of family relationships, the weaker sex is also more vulnerable to alcohol than men. If they drink, women try to kick the habit by being caring and often co-dependent (adjusting their lifestyle and empathizing with the alcoholic). In most cases, men do not tend to empathize with the problems of women, so many people consider the simplest solution to simply leave the alcoholic. This is not at all why alcoholism is incurable, but there are very real reasons why in women the course of alcoholism is often irreversible.

What are the causes of female alcoholism?

Today, despite the endurance and stability of the weaker sex in the face of various life problems, the mental and emotional health of a woman is often on the verge. Physical and psychological violence, poor quality of life, lack of personal life and self-realization in a career, material situation - all this can indirectly affect women. Loneliness is another common cause of female alcoholism. Giving themselves completely to their careers, many women often experience a lack of attention from the male side. Devoting herself to the family, a woman counts on the care and support of her husband. And when he grows cold towards her over the years, children grow up and live their own lives, then she feels loneliness and does not know what to do with herself.

The male body is the most resistant to the influence of alcohol. Various alcoholic drinks are always drunk openly as relaxation after a hard day, while the fair sex tends to hide such relaxation, trying to keep a reputation with their spouse, their environment and children. Thus, alcoholism in women is transformed much faster. And if the very first signs of alcoholism can still be hidden, but over time, the symptoms of alcoholism appear on the face.

Video about the problem of "Alcoholism" from Oleg Boldyrev

Treatment of alcoholism. Candidate of Medical Sciences, psychiatrist-narcologist, psychotherapist - Oleg Boldyrev, about whether it is possible to cure forever drug addicts and people suffering from alcoholism or not.

Does your wife have an alcohol addiction? Help cure alcoholism in our clinic!

Symptoms of alcoholism

And yet, which women are most susceptible to alcoholism? Most often, women who are unsure of themselves, timid and focused only on their own problems fall into alcohol addiction. Busy and strong-willed women rarely experience this problem. So, what are the first signs of female alcoholism:

A woman stops caring for herself;
coarsening of character and voice;
Positive attitude towards fairly frequent feasts, great joy from the opportunity to drink with friends;
The ability to drink alcoholic beverages without getting drunk;
Frequent memory impairment with alcohol intoxication.

Alcoholism in women has a gradual, but rather rapid development. Its stages are the same, however, as in male alcoholism. To date, there are three stages of female alcoholism.

1 stage. A woman cannot stop, does not feel the measure, a few hours after drinking alcohol, memory lapses and a hangover are possible. Here, the signs of alcoholism are not yet significant, but the frequent appearance of alcoholic beverages next to her should alert all family members. Treatment of alcoholism in women at this stage can be without the use of narcotic drugs.

2 stage. Sleep is disturbed and appetite is lost. There is a persistent craving for alcoholic beverages, that is, withdrawal syndrome or withdrawal. Such alcoholism modifies the behavior of a woman: she can commit immoral acts. Without alcohol, a woman feels aggressive and irritable. There is a violation in thinking, she "slows down" with the answer, slowly completing the tasks. External signs of alcoholism also appear: the hair becomes dull, dry, the skin condition worsens, in turn, the face takes on a moon-shaped appearance, the nose is flattened, sharp features are lost, and bags under the eyes appear. At this stage of alcoholism, women tend to hide their shortcomings with cosmetics and neglect hygiene. The treatment of alcoholism requires special attention from the psychotherapist and treatment with the help of medications.

3 stage. Symptoms, photos of which can be found on the Internet, show that the woman's face is losing its attractiveness, and the woman's internal organs acquire pathological changes. There are serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract and liver - constant companions of this stage of female alcoholism. Alcohol is taken several times a day, replacing meals. Is there a cure for alcoholism in women in stage 3? As with alcoholism in men, the prognosis is poor. Even if you refuse to use alcoholic beverages, the body is already poisoned, and health is undermined.

Beer alcoholism in women

Keep in mind that beer is just as much an alcoholic beverage as other spirits. From such alcoholism, young people often become an inveterate drunkard, since it is inexpensive and more accessible. The state of beer intoxication is not the most dangerous problem of those pursued by the weaker sex. After all, beer is a source of natural hormones that adversely affect both women and men. But how does beer affect the female body?

The first thing a woman should take care of is her childbearing function. Beer suppresses the production of estrogens - female hormones, which can be the main cause of infertility and hormonal imbalance. Beer alcoholism in women disrupts the nutrition of nerves and soft tissues in the limbs. A striking symptom of such alcoholism is the disproportionate thinness of the lower extremities.

There is much less talk about female alcoholism than about male alcoholism. Often the idea that the fair sex can be prone to such addiction simply does not fit in the head. Wife, mother, keeper of the family hearth - how can she drown her problems in a bottle of alcohol? Alas, life examples often prove to us that this trouble can overtake any person, regardless of gender.

The first signs of female alcoholism

An alcoholic with experience is easy to recognize - by appearance, behavior, habits. But the success of treatment is higher if you seek medical help at the first signs of alcoholism, and it is much more difficult to notice them. The problem is that in women alcohol dependence is formed faster than in the stronger sex. This is due to the fact that the female body is more sensitive to alcohol, as it has fewer enzymes that help break down alcohol.

This explains the fact that for the onset of a state of intoxication, a woman does not need so much alcohol. And if in men a persistent addiction is formed on average 7-10 years after the systematic intake of alcohol, then for weak women 3-5 years are enough for this. And during these years, neither their relatives nor close friends can guess about the addiction.

Unlike men, women at first try to hide their addiction to alcohol from others. They regularly go to work, do household chores, and never appear in public in a state of extreme intoxication. But the "green serpent" is already beginning its destructive work, and an attentive, loving person may well see the first signs of emerging alcoholism.

No reason not to drink

The first step towards the development of alcoholism is regular gatherings with alcohol on a variety of occasions - receiving a bonus, going on vacation, holidays. For a woman who begins to develop a habit of drinking, these reasons become insufficient over time. Gradually, the need for daily alcohol consumption is formed, the woman happily grabs any excuse to drink. At the same time, she justifies such a desire by the need to relieve stress, celebrate the weekend, in general, she finds a lot of reasons.

The result is obvious

Addiction to alcohol is often manifested in the literal sense of the word on the face of a woman. Alcohol dependence contributes to the appearance of premature signs of aging: the skin becomes dry, wrinkles form on it, bags under the eyes appear, the face swells, becomes puffy. Dim hair, brittle nails, a yellowish skin tone, a pronounced capillary network on the face attract attention. A woman either persistently tries to hide the traces of yesterday's libations by applying kilograms of cosmetics to her face, or, on the contrary, begins to take care of herself less and less.

Nerves to the limit

One of the first signs of developing female alcoholism is constant nervousness. A drinking woman is often in a depressed mood, especially if she does not have the opportunity to drink. She gets irritated for no reason, cannot restrain her emotions, breaks down on loved ones. A woman develops such character traits as selfishness, increased aggressiveness, and rudeness. And the stronger the dependence on alcohol, the more pronounced the degradation of the personality becomes.

How to help?

The main problem is that it is possible to help a woman suffering from alcohol addiction only if she herself wants it. But many simply do not want to admit that addiction to alcohol has become a disease that needs to be treated. A woman is afraid of condemnation from others and believes that she can “tie up” at any moment - you just have to want to. But this minute usually does not come ...

In such a situation, much depends on relatives and friends. Do not reproach a woman, attack her with accusations. Your care and attention can do much more - restore faith in yourself and the hope that things can still change for the better.

Alcoholism is dependence on ethanol (the active component of alcoholic beverages), which has an extremely negative effect on the human body. In addition, alcoholism is a disease inherent in the male part of the population, so female alcoholism stands out as a separate problem, which, as you know, is especially difficult to treat.

Despite the propensity for severe alcohol addiction, the female body is inherently much stronger than the male body: women are more tolerant of pain and tolerate illness more easily. The same goes for endurance. In addition, women face more family responsibilities and stresses throughout their lives, which does not prevent them from living longer than the average male.

This is the whole paradox: yielding to a man only in physical strength, it is much more difficult for a woman to cope with alcohol addiction. In addition, women's dependence on alcohol appears much later than men's, and the symptoms are much more pronounced.

women's alcoholism statistics

According to studies, it takes about 7-10 years of regular drinking for a man to become addicted to alcohol, and 5 years for a woman. From this we can draw the first conclusion that female alcoholism develops much faster than male alcoholism and, as a result, the treatment process is complicated.

The number of women addicted to alcohol these days has increased significantly, and the phenomenon itself has become common in our time. If earlier the number of women treated for addiction was 10% of the total number of patients, now they make up one third of the total number of patients. But the worst thing is that 70% of women start drinking alcohol before the age of 18.

The average age of an alcoholic woman ranges from 35-50 years, and alcoholism itself is initially episodic, when a woman takes alcohol to cheer up or relieve tension. As a result of such an innocent hobby, a constant craving for alcohol develops, because it seems to a woman that with him her life is much more carefree and easier.

Swedish scientists have found that, unlike men, in the female body, the brain suffers primarily from alcohol, namely, the zones responsible for mood, motivation and sleep are destroyed. This destruction occurs three times faster than in the male body. That is why, in an alcoholic woman, the character changes for the worse, which manifests itself in nervousness, rudeness and aggressiveness. For female alcoholics, damage to the liver and pancreas is characteristic.

Statistics also say that 25% of women drink alcohol systematically, and 44% drink heavily. Along with this, about 4% drink alcohol from time to time, 28% of women alternate quiet periods with times of hard drinking or daily drinking.

The numbers make you think.

In society, and even among narcologists, there is an opinion that female alcoholism is incurable. Is this true and why is this disease so detrimental to the female body?

If we compare the male and female body, then we can identify a number of prerequisites that contribute to the rapid development of alcoholism in the weaker sex:

in the body of a woman, 10% less fluid than a man, which contributes to a higher concentration of alcohol in the blood;
reduced activity of enzymes that can quickly process alcohol and its decay products;
Withdrawal syndrome or simply attraction to a new dose of alcohol in women is much milder and more painless than in men, which makes it possible to postpone a visit to a narcologist for a long time;
increased absorption of alcohol from a woman's stomach during premenstrual syndrome leads to more rapid and pronounced intoxication.

The situation is complicated by the use of already large doses of alcohol.

There can be a lot of reasons why women seek solace in a bottle and each case must be considered individually, but still the following can be attributed to the main ones:

strong emotional upheavals (death of a loved one, loss of position in society, etc.);
social problems (inappropriate work, material difficulties, lack of upbringing and education);
social circle (especially if it consists of drinking people);
mental problems, unstable nervous system, including susceptibility to other people's influence;
prostitution and crime.

Another feature of women addicted to alcohol is uninhibited behavior. Being in a state of some euphoria, the alcoholic herself becomes the initiator of sexual intimacy, often with unfamiliar men. Of course, in such situations, we are not talking about sexual hygiene. As a result, there are associated complications in the form of sexually transmitted infections and diseases of the genitourinary system. Against this background, the woman's reproductive function suffers, and her chances of not only giving birth, but also conceiving a child are reduced to zero.

As noted earlier, the mental state of a woman also suffers from addiction to alcohol, which manifests itself in a significant deterioration in character (rudeness, hysteria, nervousness, selfishness), early development of dementia and personality degradation. In addition, the alcoholic begins to take her new way of life for granted and does not see the difference between decent and indecent behavior.

The process of becoming addicted to alcohol is the same for everyone, regardless of gender. From this it becomes clear that the ways and methods of curing alcoholism in women are the same as in men. Although it is worth making an important note regarding the weaker sex: the attention and patience of doctors and relatives will be needed much more than in the case of a man.

Signs of alcohol addiction in women

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It will not be difficult for anyone to identify among a certain number of healthy women one who is subject to alcohol, but in this case we are talking about a serious and long-term addiction.

A woman is initially afraid much more of being convicted of drunkenness than a man, since female alcoholism is still perceived in society as something akin to prostitution, and the same "flaw" for a man is not condemned by society so strongly. It is for these reasons that the fair sex will carefully hide her "weakness" until the situation is completely out of control. In addition, it is difficult for a woman to admit that she has become one of those whom she herself once condemned and bypassed. Based on the foregoing, it becomes clear that if there is any suspicion of alcoholism, it is urgent to act, and such signs as:

facial changes: skin color turns red, purple or bluish spots appear, unhealthy eye shine, swelling and bruising under the eyes;
hair looks stale: greasy and tangled; they turn gray early and begin to fall out;
the figure becomes angular as a result of the disappearance of the subcutaneous fat layer;
there are problems with the teeth: they crumble and fall out;
character changes;
extremes in appearance: bright vulgar makeup or an absolute absence of signs of femininity and self-care.

The changes taking place in the body of a drinking woman, unfortunately, are very rapid and irreversible. Therefore, it is extremely important to identify addiction and start treatment at an early stage.

The main problem faced by doctors and relatives of female alcoholics is the rejection and complete denial of the existing problem - dependence on alcohol. The reasons for this behavior are explained not only by the fact that it is psychologically more difficult for a woman to admit her degradation and subordination to the “green snake”, but also by the physiological characteristics of the body described above.

The greatest difficulty in the treatment of alcoholism in women is that, unlike in Europe, in our countries it is considered a great shame if a woman seeks drug treatment - this is not only a stigma for life, but also a shame on the family, accompanied by universal condemnation. The desire to “not fall” in the eyes of others often leads to the fact that the patient’s relatives (husband, parents, children) turn a blind eye to the deteriorating condition of a loved one, believing that in this way they save the family from a bad reputation. In fact, such a disservice and concern for one's own status can be costly for all family members.

For some reason, it so happened that if a man has problems with alcohol in the family, then the women of the same family consider it their duty to help him and, by hook or by crook, are engaged in his treatment. But if a wife, mother, sister, daughter has problems with alcohol, the family is not eager to solve such a delicate problem, and, even worse, turns away from the addict, condemning her lifestyle. This is probably the key mistake that aggravates the situation and accelerates the process of degradation of a woman as a person. But if the problem is identified, and the woman is ready to undergo treatment, you should immediately go to a drug treatment clinic and consolidate the result.

As for the methods of treatment themselves, today a huge number of them are practiced and they are applicable to both men and women. Among them are many well-known techniques, such as:

coding;
torpidation and stitching;
detoxification;
special tablets;
homeopathic remedies, etc.

You can also recall the methods of traditional medicine, but it is undesirable to resort to them, since curing a woman from addiction is not an easy task, so you should use qualified medical help.

When undergoing a course of treatment, it is worth remembering that not only the patient's state of health should change, but also her environment, lifestyle. You should change the circle of communication and habitat, if there is a possibility that the old habits will again involve a woman in alcoholic captivity. It is especially important to change the way of life in general. This means that after rehabilitation, a woman must reassess her values and understand why she should continue to live. And here the family plays the most important role, because it is no secret that for most women it is her family that becomes the meaning of life. Full support of loved ones in a difficult life situation will be the best cure for addiction.

You should not condemn and remind the former alcoholic of the mistakes of her past life, but, on the contrary, help her find a new life, free from the horrors of past years. Then the gratitude of the recovered will not keep you waiting.

It is very important: in no case should you leave an alcoholic woman alone with her problem and fight for her future.

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Rivers of alcohol have swept modern society. Unhealthy addiction destroys people's lives. Women's alcoholism is especially dangerous, because the health of the beautiful half of the population must be protected.

Periodic drinking of alcoholic beverages is not beneficial, but not too dangerous. The real problem is systematic drinking. A constant increase in the dose causes persistent alcoholism in women, which is more difficult to get rid of every day.

What is female alcoholism?

Alcohol dependence in women is a psycho-narcological disease. Excessive alcohol consumption leads to damage to brain tissue and internal organs.

Note. Our body needs a small amount of alcohol to regulate metabolic processes. A safe dose is 50 ml of strong drink. The liver is able to handle this amount of ethanol without consequences. However, the constant use of even such a small amount of alcohol is guaranteed to lead to the formation of an unhealthy habit.

The progression of alcohol dependence is accompanied by an increase in the daily dose drunk. The internal organs do not have time to "neutralize" the incoming alcohol, so there is an accumulation of toxins. The negative effect extends to the cells of the liver, kidneys, heart and brain. The functioning of the nervous system is disrupted.

Features of female alcoholism

Statistics show that over the past 10 years, female alcohol addiction is gaining momentum. Approximately 16% of women in our country suffer from this disease. The average age varies from 20 to 25 years.

Unlike men's, women's alcoholism is less pronounced. The problem is more of a psychological one. Women tend to react emotionally to any situation, which often leads to neurotic states.

Attempts to overcome depression with the help of alcohol do not end in anything good: control over the amount of alcohol consumed is lost, the hangover intensifies, binges happen more and more often. In parallel, social degradation and mental disorders are observed.

Experts say that women quickly get used to alcohol. However, this does not mean that personal degradation also occurs faster. The reason for this is the deterrent factor. So, a man can go to the very bottom, but at some point he can pull himself together, stop drinking and quickly get rid of any signs of hard drinking. For the beautiful half of humanity, such strong-willed efforts are given much harder.

True, some features of female alcoholism are no different from male addiction to alcohol. For example, excuses and excuses. Everyone tends to denial, like the phrase: "I have no problem with alcohol." You can also hear empty promises from drinking women to stop drinking or code - a visit to the doctor is constantly postponed.

Causes of female alcoholism

Wine and low-alcohol cocktails are the main reason that a woman and alcohol become inseparable. Weak drinks do not cause severe intoxication, so others do not immediately notice the problem.

It is necessary to start fighting alcoholism as early as possible, but due to the lack of external criticism, it is very difficult to realize the problem. Few people manage to cope with the disease on their own, and it is scary to turn to a narcologist - the fear of public censure does not allow to see a doctor.

Women get used to alcohol faster

In Western countries, experiencing emotional difficulties in a specialist's office is a fairly common practice. In our country, suffering from alcohol addiction, a woman will hide the problem until the last moment. In the meantime, the ability to quickly overcome alcoholism will move away.

Unique patterns of disease development

Nature so ordered that the female body is more susceptible to certain diseases, and craving for alcohol is one of them.

Psycho-emotional instability. The work of the female brain is dominated by intuitive thinking. This explains the increased emotionality and tendency to depression. Accordingly, stressful situations have a negative impact on the processes occurring in the higher parts of the central nervous system.
Sensitivity of the liver. The toxic effect of alcohol on the tissues of internal organs is exacerbated by the inability of enzyme systems to cope with the processing of ethanol. Such physiological features explain why even small doses of alcohol can have a strong effect on the female body. For the same reason, the destruction of the liver in women quickly transforms into cirrhosis.
Fragile nervous system. Substances with an active effect, including alcohol, can damage the neural connections of the female brain. So, already in the first stages of addiction, there is a slowdown in the transmission of nerve impulses.
Slow metabolism. This feature of the female body explains the slow blood circulation and weak excretory function. The products of alcohol processing do not have time to be excreted and accumulate in the body.
Large volume of venous vessels. For this reason, the effect on the reservoir organs (spleen, liver and skin) is the strongest.
Underdeveloped BBB. The barrier between the circulatory and nervous systems responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis is practically absent. This membrane should prevent the spread of toxins through the nerve tissues through the blood vessels. Since neurons are practically not protected, alcohol penetrates to them without obstacles.

There are other causes of female alcoholism. For example, the incompatibility of the breakdown products of ethanol and sex hormones. All these factors unwittingly form an addiction.

Stages of alcoholism in women

The problem develops quickly and imperceptibly. First, self-criticism decreases, then denial sets in. Any comments from friends and family are simply ignored. Having passed all the stages of female alcoholism, the disease takes on a severe form: dysfunction of most organs and a persistent withdrawal syndrome.

A decrease in the gag reflex is the most important symptom indicating the development of alcoholism. Due to the toxins that accumulate in the body, the excitability of the part in the brain responsible for the vomiting function decreases.

Doctors advise monitoring the symptoms, as they will help diagnose the problem in time. Depending on the stage of alcoholism, the manifestation of the disease may vary.

The first stage - the beginning of addiction

At this stage, an abnormal addiction to alcoholic beverages is formed. Faced with any difficulties, in the family or at work, there is an irresistible desire to console yourself with a drink.

Each time a woman gives in to this desire, the habit of drinking is strengthened. All protective mechanisms built on logic are disabled. Thus, alcoholism flows into a more stable form.

The second stage - the appearance of withdrawal syndrome

At this stage, the symptoms indicate that a persistent addiction has developed. If you do not drink, opioid receptors are irritated. The structure of neurons has not yet been affected, however, the psychological need for alcohol has already appeared.

A characteristic feature is frequent binges. The body is gradually destroyed, premature signs of aging appear.

According to statistics, most women suffering from alcoholism are at this stage of the disease.

The third stage - irreversible consequences

The most neglected and intractable stage of the disease. Degenerative changes occur in the body: the structure of brain tissue is disrupted, internal organs suffer, and the work of receptors is suppressed.

In the third stage of alcoholism, alcohol becomes a way of life. Due to a disturbed psyche and diseases of the organs, a woman is constantly in a stressful situation, so she drinks more and more often.

It is very difficult to get an alcoholic out of this state. Doctors note frequent relapses, and in some cases death.

In the third stage of alcoholism, alcohol becomes a way of life.

Symptoms and signs of alcoholism in women

Due to the progressive dependence, it is very difficult to independently observe how the disease manifests itself. At this point, the responsibility for healing lies with friends and family (especially those who lead a healthy lifestyle).

Incessant drunkenness leads to the fact that people who are not drawn into this most dangerous habit gradually disappear from the environment. It is not necessary to hope for the help of "comrades" in trouble. Therefore, it is important to diagnose alcoholism at the stage of its formation.

The first signs of alcoholism in women

Narcologists advise paying attention to the following symptoms and signs. They can appear both individually and in groups at the same time.

Promiscuity in drinks. There is a craving for alcohol, and everything is used in a row. The aspiring alcoholic comes up with various excuses to drink.
Problem denial. Criticism from the outside is perceived negatively. Any remarks about the possible formation of dependence are ignored.
Dose increase. To reach the desired stage of intoxication, each time you need to drink more and more. It is very important to notice the first signs of alcoholism in women, because as long as the amount of alcohol consumed daily is small, it is easier to get rid of the problem.
Loss of appetite. Alcohol dulls the feeling of hunger. Over time, the woman stops eating even strong drinks.
Changing interests. If earlier there were some hobbies, now alcohol has completely taken their place.
Lack of sociability. Addiction to alcohol can be expressed in isolation. Communication occurs only in a circle of the same people, which leads to the loss of core values.
Irritability. Inappropriate behavior is a common manifestation of alcohol addiction. The woman begins to swear and be rude more.
Intellectual degradation. Due to the fact that alcohol takes up all her free time, a woman stops developing her mind and reduces the level of self-criticism.
Irresponsibility. There is a disregard for work and financial condition in general. Any available funds are spent on buying booze.

The condition worsens as the disease progresses. Symptoms overlap one another, making it difficult to diagnose.

running case

Late signs of female alcoholism, when dependence has reached its peak, are more expressive.

For example, swelling of the face appears, and the skin becomes bluish. Due to the destruction of the liver and the development of cirrhosis, the stomach begins to grow. Dysfunction of the nervous system leads to fine trembling in the hands and feet.

The effect of alcohol on a woman's appearance

Have you ever wondered what female alcoholism leads to? First of all, dependence is reflected on the face - a characteristic "alcoholic appearance" appears.

At first, external changes are insignificant: puffiness and inflamed eyes. If the binge was short-term, these symptoms will disappear on their own.

When the problem becomes chronic, but still moderate, early wrinkles appear on the face of women. Addiction to alcohol also leads to weight gain and hair loss.

Unlike men, external signs of alcoholism in women appear rapidly. Drinkers should be prepared for certain transformations in their appearance:

enlargement of pores, coarsening of the skin in general;
red face like an attack of fever;
the place of edema becomes dry and flabby;
the oval of the face loses its clarity, the face seems to “flow”;
mimic wrinkles and folds become deep;
dark circles form around the eyes;
there is a deformation of the lips and nose;
hair becomes dull, thin and begins to fall out;
posture and coordination of movements in general are disturbed.

Accelerated old age - that's how alcohol affects women's appearance.

Treatment of female alcoholism

Despite the widespread belief that female alcoholism is incurable, it is possible to get rid of addiction. The first step towards health is recognizing the existence of a problem. Until a woman realizes that she has lost control, even the most expensive drugs will be powerless.

As soon as the psychological barrier is overcome, it is necessary to contact the narcological dispensary. Employees of the medical center will help determine the stage of the disease, after which they will draw up an individual program.

In modern medicine, the following methods of treating female alcoholism are used:

psychological consultations, help of a psychotherapist;
body detox procedures;
the formation of aversion to alcohol with the help of medications;
injections to block opioid receptors;
hypnosis, psychotherapy and other coding methods;
struggle with pathological problems of internal organs.

As an addition, you can use folk methods. Homemade recipes help to cope with a hangover and eliminate the external signs of binge. Read more about each of the methods in the article. female alcoholism treatment on our website.

Consequences and complications of alcoholism

Like any form of addiction, addiction to alcohol leads to irreversible consequences. Raising children, caring for a husband, career growth - all this becomes impossible.

Social Consequences

Alcohol abuse can destroy a family. Tender feelings are hidden under a swollen face and dirty clothes. Relatives can no longer tolerate drunkenness, neighbors look with condemnation, and even children in the yard scatter in fear.

Statistics show that children of drinking mothers are more susceptible to the same disease than their peers from healthy families.

Consequences for the woman herself

Alcohol destroys everything: both the psyche and internal organs. In medical practice, it is not uncommon for addiction to cause death.

Alcoholic patients are more likely to suffer from degenerative brain diseases. The level of intelligence is noticeably reduced, the reaction worsens and mental deviations appear.

Conclusion and Conclusion

Expensive procedures and medicines cannot completely eliminate the consequences of alcoholism in women. The final recovery continues after the rehabilitation course in the clinic.

It is important to surround a woman with care and support. Let her do what she loves and not come into contact with alcohol. It is necessary to completely restore the psyche in order for life to return to normal. Therefore, in addition to the attention of relatives, it is recommended to be observed by a psychotherapist.

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Vera Stepanovna, a 50-year-old resident of Khrushchev, knows the whole yard. Every morning she methodically quarrels with her roommate, and then crawls out into the street to “hang over”. In the evenings, she runs around the neighbors - borrow a bottle. But no one has been helping her for a long time.

The children called her Baba Yaga - matted hair, swollen face, dirty clothes, raspy voice. She still has tender feelings for the kids: she stretches her arms towards them, tries to speak, but the kids run away in fear.

Recently, there has been an increase in female alcoholism in Russia. For 10 years, the number of women suffering from female alcoholism has increased from 11% to 16%. But in reality, the situation looks more than depressing. What is it connected with?

Women's alcoholism is not as conspicuous as men's. In addition, society perceives women's addiction to alcohol not as a disease, but as a shameful habit. Therefore, many women hide their addiction, drink alone. Sometimes this addiction becomes a family secret. Relatives endure and do not take action, they are embarrassed to tell the doctors: “What if they condemn?”

The average age of an alcoholic is 20-25 years.

What are the causes of female alcoholism?

Basically, the causes of alcoholism are psychological. After all, it has long been known that women are biologically more emotional than men, they react more sharply to life's difficulties and more often fall into depression . The most common causes of female alcoholism are:

Various kinds of depression, neurotic states.
Feeling lonely (discord with her husband, widowhood), loss of loved ones, sacrifice (for the sake of the family she quit her job, did so much for the family hearth, and her husband began to cheat). Resentment, feeling of "uselessness", "immersion in misfortune", lack of moral support, gratitude and sympathy from relatives.
Boredom (everything is fine, but there is nothing to do with yourself).
The inability to start a full-fledged family. For example, many ever-busy businesswomen are so engrossed in their work that they lack the time and knowledge to build a family, they have no idea how to handle children, etc.
Features of character and temperament, genetic predisposition.
Marriage to a drunkard, bad environment.
Climax and related problems.

In all these cases, a woman is looking for instant relief from problems, resorting to alcohol as an illusion of comfort and temporary relaxation. And soon she needs a new dose of doping.

How to understand that a woman needs help?

Consider three stages of the formation of alcohol dependence:

Loss of dose control. A woman, taking alcohol, can no longer stop. Each “gathering” with girlfriends, a corporate event or a “meeting with a green snake” alone ends in severe intoxication.
The emergence of withdrawal symptoms - the need to get drunk. A healthy person who has accidentally “overdone” or poisoned himself with alcohol, the next day is disgusted even by the smell of alcohol.
Loss of the ability to feel the joy of life without alcohol. He is looking for any reason to drink, he comes up with new reasons himself. At this stage, binges most often occur.

If you notice any of these stages in your loved ones - it's time to act!

Intoxication of women is faster. With the same amount of alcohol consumption, the concentration of alcohol in the blood of women is much higher than that of men. This is due to three reasons:

The female body has less water than the male body.
The body weight of women is usually less.
The enzyme responsible for the breakdown of alcohol is less active in the female body.

Consequences of female alcoholism:

coarsening of the voice, untidiness, premature signs of aging (bags under the eyes, puffiness of the face, a large number of wrinkles).
Alcoholic personality changes - rudeness, aggressiveness, deceit, irritability, nervousness, selfishness. Gradual neglect of family responsibilities, sexual promiscuity. Over time, he begins to see the worst enemies in close people, blames them for all troubles. With strangers behaves coquettishly and ingenuously. He tries to make new acquaintances, "pour out his soul" to strangers. Frequent mood swings and other negative character traits worsen relationships in the family and at work. Loses the respect of others. In response, an alcoholic woman seeks to attract attention by defiant behavior, which further complicates her relationship with society.
Loss of control over the intake of alcoholic beverages, binges, hangover, increased tolerance to alcohol.
If treatment measures are not taken in time, problems arise with the central nervous system (severe mental disorders).
Permanent memory loss, change in the idea of life values. For the sake of drinking, she is ready to take out the most valuable thing from the family, to deprive the child of a piece of bread. I recall the plot of one TV show, where they interviewed an alcoholic with experience: “But we don’t eat at home. The child will be fed in the kindergarten. I don't want to eat, I just drink."
The defeat of the physiological systems of the body. First of all, there are gynecological problems, infertility , depletion of the nervous and endocrine systems, damage to the fetus during pregnancy or at conception.

Treatment of female alcoholism

I would like to note right away that psychological advice, reading literature, horrifying examples of friends and girlfriends, “pouring out” the soul into a vest are ineffective for an alcoholic woman. Why? Because these tips are mostly focused on friends and relatives, on adequately thinking people, whose consciousness is not affected.

As one program said: “It makes no sense to talk to an alcoholic as if he were a healthy person. He won't understand you." Therefore, only professional doctors can help an alcoholic cope with the problem.

Modern medicine also recognizes as ineffective methods: coding, filing esperal, because their action is based only on the fear of drinking alcohol without setting on sobriety.

Female alcoholism: causes and treatment

Modern treatment today is integrated approach.

Initially held comprehensive diagnosis of the patient. The degree of damage to the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, gastroenterological and other systems is determined, the study of personal problems is carried out, the stage of the disease is determined. Based on these data, a further course of treatment is developed.
Held body cleansing activities from toxins and waste.
By using pharmacology treatment of somatic lesions identified in the first stage, for example, lesions of the liver, heart, kidneys, gynecological system, lesions of the brain (encephalopathy) and peripheral nerves (polyneuropathy). The main goal of the stage is to restore the normal functioning of internal organs.
The fight against the core of alcoholism - craving for alcohol- carried out using psychotherapy. Such psychotherapy helps to form a conscious attitude to give up alcohol, to enjoy life without harmful stimulants, to feel comfortable while leading a sober lifestyle, to find rational ways of behavior in situations of stress and pressing life problems.
In the treatment of female alcoholism, methods of behavioral psychotherapy (relieves social phobias), NLP and Ericksonian hypnosis (combats neuroses), family psychotherapy (restores family relationships), Gestalt therapy (resolves internal and interpersonal conflicts), autogenic training (normalizes vegetative disorders) are used. relieves emotional stress).
Working with relatives consists in teaching the correct behavior with the patient during periods of sobriety, the resumption of alcohol intake, during periods of nervous breakdowns, relapses. At this stage, relatives are shown how to convince and constantly motivate the patient at all stages of treatment.

Does the treatment help?

Many tend to think that female alcoholism is incurable. In fact, he, like men, is treatable. Two important factors play a role in this:

Physiological. Alcohol destroys the body and psyche of a woman faster and more seriously, which means that it takes more time to restore them. The sooner treatment begins, the better and faster you can get the result.
Psychological. If a woman takes her illness seriously, shows willpower and wants to be cured on a voluntary basis, then a positive outcome will be ensured. In such a situation, the motivation and support of the closest people, their readiness and perseverance to fight addiction together is very important.

Have you encountered such a problem?

Olga VOSTOCHNAYA,
psychologist