Teenage alcoholism. Why develops and what causes child alcoholism

Chronic alcoholism affects thousands of people, but this disease is especially dangerous in childhood. The child has not yet formed all the systems, so alcohol can cause irreparable damage to his body. In addition, the intake of strong drinks in childhood causes serious violations psyche and quickly leads to personal degradation.

Children's alcoholism

Childhood alcoholism is one of the most dangerous diseases of our time. In Russia and other CIS countries, it began to develop after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Alcohol is now available, and its use does not cause public censure and accompanies all parties. This leads to the fact that children begin to drink alcoholic beverages - out of interest, a desire to feel like an adult or under the influence of older children. However, their psyche is not yet formed, so habituation quickly develops and addiction sets in.

The average age at which modern children taste alcohol is 10 years. Usually adults pour alcohol to a child at a family feast, without thinking about what consequences this can lead to. An earlier acquaintance of children with alcohol usually occurs by accident or, again, at the suggestion of parents who treat with alcohol tinctures.

Children's alcoholism is most often diagnosed at the age of 10-14 years, but cases of an earlier onset of dependence are occasionally recorded. So, doctors report about babies under 3 years old with severe symptoms of the disease. If we turn a blind eye to the problem, it can become a threat to the health of the entire nation.

Alcoholism in children proceeds differently than in adults, and has a number of characteristic features:

quick addiction to alcohol;
malignant course of the disease;
drinking large amounts of alcohol in one gulp;
rapid onset of drinking bouts;
low efficiency of treatment.

In adults, it is formed in 5-10 years, and in children - up to 4 times faster, which is determined by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the body. A child has less protein in the brain tissue and more water, in which ethanol dissolves well, which improves its digestibility.

7% of alcohol is excreted from the child's body by the kidneys and lungs, and the rest acts as a toxin and poisons all organs. As a result, the body quickly adapts to the poison, addiction occurs.

The malignant course of alcoholism in a child is explained by the fact that his body has not yet been formed. The central nervous system cannot withstand the destructive effects of alcohol for a long time, therefore, irreversible consequences quickly develop.

Since the child is afraid of criticism from adults, he drinks alcohol secretly from them. In such cases, the entire dose is drunk in one gulp, usually without snacks.

Children quickly get used to drinking alcohol for any reason. With a slight intoxication, they begin to feel insecure, and the sober state becomes strange for them. In an effort to maintain complete intoxication, the child goes into a binge.

Children's drunkenness is difficult to treat, because the psyche at a young age is not yet fully formed, and severe addiction quickly develops. The child likes the state of intoxication, in which he feels comfortable. It is very difficult to persuade him for treatment, but without the awareness of the problem and the desire to cope with it, the fight against alcoholism becomes useless.

Causes

Most young alcoholics become alcoholics through the fault of their parents. During family celebrations and feasts, children are at the common table and see that their parents are drinking alcohol, after which they become merry.

In addition, many adults pour a little alcohol for the child to drink along with everyone else. In childhood, this may be enough to develop addiction. The child begins to think that there is nothing wrong with alcohol, it only gives a good mood and relaxation.

The full list of causes of child alcoholism is somewhat wider, but they are all associated with insufficient attention of adults to their children:

imitation of older comrades;
alcoholism of parents;
desire to get rid of problems (at school or at home);
the child has free money.

Children usually drink only with their peers, and on family celebrations they often refuse a glass. The number of schoolchildren who regularly drink low-alcohol cocktails is steadily growing. Children think that this way they look older and earn respect from classmates.

Since the child lacks self-control, he often overdoes it with a dose of alcohol and brings himself to a severe stage of intoxication. In this state, children commit hooligan actions, steal, and as a result they are registered in the children's rooms of the police.

The most severe form of the disease is. It is diagnosed in children whose parents continued to drink alcohol during conception and pregnancy.

If the baby received ethanol in the womb, he often cries because he needs the usual dose. It is enough for such a baby to moisten his lips with vodka - and he will immediately calm down.

Often alcoholism develops in children who have had diseases that lead to personality changes:

Brain injury.
Organic lesions of the central nervous system.
Neuroinfections.

In these cases, there is a more intense and malignant course of alcoholism. The child quickly loses control over the amount drunk and begins to experience an irresistible craving for alcohol. Develops soon.

Also, psychological trauma often leads to alcoholism in childhood:

early loss of mother;
family conflicts;
lack of adult supervision;
social neglect.

On the video, the causes of child alcoholism:

Formation of dependence

Alcohol dependence in a child develops gradually. However, this process in childhood is much faster than in adults.

There are 5 main stages in the formation of this disease:

Addiction to alcohol.
Regular use.
Psychic addiction.
withdrawal syndrome.
Dementia.

Initially, the child drinks from time to time, resulting in adaptation to alcohol. Since the child's body is not formed, it cannot resist the harmful effects of ethanol.

Parents and teachers should be attentive to the child and watch for changes in his behavior and new friends. The process of addiction to alcohol lasts an average of 3-6 months.

If you miss First stage formation of alcohol addiction, the child will begin to drink regularly. Gradually, he will increase the doses and switch to stronger drinks.

At the second stage, the behavior of children changes, so the task of adults is to respond in time and explain to the child what alcohol abuse can lead to. During this period, you can still overcome the disease by stopping drinking alcohol.

1 year after the start of alcohol consumption, the child develops a mental dependence. He is ready to drink at any time, and it does not matter to him what kind of alcohol it will be.

Tolerance to ethanol increases 3-4 times, while the child completely loses control over the amount of alcohol consumed and his behavior. Children begin to drink for many days in a row or constantly. This indicates that the development of chronic alcoholism has begun.

When it comes withdrawal syndrome, the transition of the disease to the chronic stage is diagnosed. Withdrawal syndrome in children is accompanied by vegetative-somatic disorders. In time, it lasts less than in adults, and it occurs after drinking significant doses of alcohol.

Symptoms and signs

There are many signs by which attentive parents may suspect alcoholism in their children.

So, the toxic effect of alcohol on the brain and central nervous system causes behavioral deviations:

a sharp deterioration in grades;
absenteeism;
change in the circle of communication;
refusal to introduce parents to new friends;
loss of interest in past hobbies;
neglect of personal hygiene;
passivity;
aggressiveness;
nervousness;
secrecy;
theft;
hooliganism.

At the same time, children show physical signs alcoholism, which should alert any adult. They may be associated with detrimental effect alcohol on an unformed organism, and directly with a hangover.

The following signs betray a minor alcoholic:

the smell of alcohol from clothes;
fume;
pain in the head;
frequent nausea;
red cheeks and face;
slurred speech;
sudden weight loss or weight gain;
deterioration in coordination;
slow reflexes.

In parallel, cognitive symptoms appear. At the child concentration of attention, short-term memory worsens. He becomes forgetful, cannot remember school material, which significantly reduces his academic performance.

Treatment

Childhood alcoholism is difficult to treat. This is primarily due to the strongest psychological dependence, which requires long-term work of specialists.

Some physicians claim that child alcoholism incurable. They put forward the opinion that it is possible to protect a child from alcohol only with the use of extreme measures. At the same time, it is impossible to cure the personal and somatic changes that alcohol provoked.

In practice, cases of recovery and the return of the child to normal life are not uncommon. However, it is important to visit a doctor as soon as possible, because alcohol at a certain stage does cause irreversible damage.

On early stage when the child does not drink regularly yet, preventive conversations are enough. Withdrawal from alcohol will not be accompanied by unpleasant physical symptoms and will be relatively painless.

If alcoholism is already formed, the child needs inpatient treatment. It is possible only with the permission of parents or guardians.

To get rid of physical symptoms, the child is detoxified and vital functions are restored.

Many drugs that are used to treat adults should not be given to children. Therefore, doctors prescribe:

immunomodulatory phytocollections;
vitamins;
fortifying agents.

However, the main treatment is to overcome the psychological dependence on alcohol. For this, a psychotherapist should work with the child. It is equally important that parents participate in the treatment.

The specialist will help adults to improve relations with their child, eliminate disagreements and restore the lost harmony in the relationship. Most cases of child alcoholism are provoked by an unhealthy environment in the family. Feeling unnecessary, abandoned, experiencing constant stress, the child finds solace in alcohol.

It is important to understand that children cannot come to the clinic on their own and ask for help. Adults who are nearby are fully responsible for him and his health.

Parents, grandparents should treat the younger generation with great attention, find out with whom the child communicates, how he spends his time, what he is interested in. This will make sure you don't miss anxiety symptoms and start treatment on time.

Consequences

In childhood, even episodic drinking of small doses of alcohol is the strongest stress for the body. World Organization health authorities recognized alcohol as a poison for a child, because it has a destructive effect on all organs and systems, preventing their normal development.
Regular intake of alcohol leads to disorders of the endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems.

The consequences are:

improper development of the heart and blood vessels;
violation of the synthesis of hormones;
violation of nerve conduction;
mental disorders.

The main blow falls on the nervous system, because in children it is at the stage of formation. Very quickly, the child develops psychoses, neuroses, hyperactivity.

As a result of the destructive effect on the central nervous system, the child becomes apathetic and lazy, or, conversely, too quick-tempered, angry and aggressive, he often begins to skip school. This is followed by deterioration of memory, logical and abstract thinking, difficulty concentrating. At some point, all this can lead to complete personal degradation.

Children's bodies produce less alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme that breaks down alcohol. As the action of ethanol intensifies and becomes longer in time, poisoning of the liver, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, brain and other organs occurs.

Under the influence of alcohol, a child can develop a life-threatening disease:

kidney or liver failure;
encephalopathy;
oncological diseases.

In the video, the consequences of childhood alcoholism:

Prevention

Since childhood alcoholism leads to irreversible health problems and is very difficult to treat, prevention of the disease is especially important. It is conducted simultaneously in several directions: family, school, state regulation.

Measures to prevent child alcoholism at the family level include:

Healing parents from addiction.
Anti-alcohol education.
Healthy food.
Regulation of the daily routine.
Complete sleep.

A number of actions should also be taken at the school to prevent alcoholism among students, including:

Sanitary and educational work.
Establishing contact between teacher and students.
Introducing children to physical education.
Pedagogical tact.
Preventive work of the school doctor.

The formation of a person's personality begins in childhood, so the prevention of alcoholism should start as early as possible.

A large role in this area is assigned to the state, which has currently taken a number of important measures:

Prohibition of the sale of alcohol to minors.
Prohibition of advertising beer on TV until 21:00.
Criminal liability for involving children in drunkenness.
The prohibition to employ children in work related to alcohol.

In order for a child to stop thinking about alcohol, he needs to be distracted by something, to occupy him free time. It is worth picking up some kind of hobby - for example, going to sports section. In addition, adults themselves should completely give up alcohol so that children can follow their example.

Documentary film about child alcoholism:

Children's alcoholism today is no less an urgent problem than excessive alcohol consumption by adults. Appearance drinking child family is always an unpleasant surprise confusing to parents. Often, adults do not notice the current state of affairs until the problem becomes critical. However, it is much easier to prevent than to deal with its consequences.

The main causes of childhood alcoholism

Teenage alcoholism doesn't just happen. Its appearance is facilitated by a whole range of reasons that lead to the emergence of interest in alcoholic beverages. The main causes of childhood alcoholism are as follows:

There may be other reasons as well. The situation in the family, misunderstanding on the part of others can also lead to the emergence of child alcoholism. Parents should carefully monitor the behavior of the offspring and his moral and physical condition. If the process of attachment formation is not stopped in time, the consequences can be sad.

It is necessary to carry out the prevention of alcoholism. Specialists have developed a whole range of measures to combat the disease. The child should have the concept that alcohol can harm his personality and body.

What can teen alcoholism lead to?

Alcohol has a more destructive effect on a fragile child's body than on an adult's body. The fact is that ethyl alcohol interferes with the process of development and formation of a growing organism. This leads to their significant violation. Usually teenagers don't care about snacks. To save money, they buy:

chips;
crackers;
fast food.

Eating such food leads to stomach problems. The cobalt content in beer only exacerbates the problem. It can cause inflammation of the esophagus and stomach. The greatest effect is on the heart muscle. Due to the influence of the substance, the heart becomes flabby and loses the ability to pump blood normally. Over time, changes begin to occur in its composition. This worsens the situation even more.

alcohol intake in adolescence leads to a number of other problems, which include:

appearance functional disorders liver;
the occurrence of problems with the pancreas;
problems with the cardiovascular system;
a general decrease in the body's ability to resist diseases and viruses;
varicose veins.

The most dangerous is the disruption of the functioning of the brain and central nervous system. Alcohol affects the personality of the child. Drinking alcohol in childhood slows down general development intelligence, deterioration of logical and abstract thinking, as well as memory. All of them develop during adolescence. The social sphere is also affected. The child can become very withdrawn, he often has deviations in behavior. Often there are communication problems. Over time, a small person degrades as a person.

Teenagers usually start their way to alcoholism by drinking beer. There is a myth that it is not alcohol and is completely harmless. However, the statement is fundamentally wrong. Beer deprives teenagers of control over themselves and makes them aggressive. Then events begin to develop according to the principle of a snowball.

Parents may notice that the child not only began to abuse the drink, but also began to return bruised. Usually these are the consequences of another fight committed while intoxicated. Gradually, the body develops tolerance to alcohol. This leads to the fact that a person increases the amount of beer consumed. It no longer allows him to reach the desired degree of intoxication.

The volume of the human stomach is limited. Accept in time right amount alcoholic drink fails. Therefore, a small person begins to drink strong alcohol. Often, children during this period switch to vodka. Constant drinking with friends can cause not only street hooliganism and fights. Companies that constantly consume alcohol often become involved in major crimes.

If parents notice that their child has begun to drink, do not let the situation take its course. Action must be taken immediately. If parents understand that they cannot cope on their own, it is worth contacting specialists. They will help in the fight against the problem and prevent the further development of teenage alcoholism,

Many diseases are now rapidly getting younger, in particular, children's alcoholism is becoming rampant. A few decades ago, alcohol dependence was characteristic mainly for adults, and in young people it began to form no earlier than 18 years. Today, it is not uncommon for a teenager of 13-14 years old or even a child to be among the patients who are diagnosed with this diagnosis. preschool age. If they appear in a person under the age of 18, experts classify them as children's. In the age range of 3-15 years, children's alcoholism is most often of a malignant nature, rapidly progressing, causing irreparable damage to the developing organism and the emerging personality.

Early childhood alcoholism is often congenital. If future mom abused alcohol during pregnancy, the child is usually born with congenital alcohol dependence. His body requires alcohol, and often receives it with mother's milk if a woman is breastfeeding a baby, continuing to drink. suspect alcohol syndrome in a newborn, characteristic external signs allow:

elongated face with a low forehead, underdeveloped chin and cheekbones, irregular shape lower jaw, disproportionately small nose;

congenital anomalies - cleft lip and wolf's mouth;
strabismus, narrowing of the palpebral fissures due to omission upper eyelids(ptosis);
deformation chest, underdevelopment of joints, short feet, improperly growing fingers;
small head with a compacted occiput;
underweight, lag or abnormally rapid increase in height;
anomalies in the development of the genital organs.

In the development of alcoholism in children, both heredity and the environment play a role: a child of alcoholics, adopted (adopted) by non-drinking people, can repeat the path of their adoptive or biological parents. The fact is that there is, due to the level of certain enzymes in the body. The biological factors that provoke children's alcoholism also include lesions of the brain and the central nervous system as a whole of an infectious, organic or traumatic nature. Children with hysteroid, epileptoid, dissocial personality disorders are more prone to alcoholism.

Environmental influence

In some cases, children's alcoholism develops in the absence of a biological predisposition, under the influence of exclusively social factors, the influence of the family, the company.

Not all parents understand that alcohol and children are incompatible concepts. They can introduce kids to feasts, set an example for them, and even treat them to low-alcohol drinks or use alcohol for medicinal purposes.

Alcohol use in childhood can also be due to such reasons:

attention deficit or excessive control, parental overprotection;
problems in the family, school, relationships with peers (a child, like many adults, perceives alcohol as a means of avoiding problems);
lack of hobbies, excess free time, boredom;
curiosity, thirst for new experiences;
the desire to assert oneself, to impress an adult, "cool" person;
the influence of the company, a false sense of camaraderie, fear of ridicule of friends, weak will, lack of own convictions;
Availability pocket money without control over their use.

Most often, children are attracted to low-alcohol drinks with a fruity taste and aroma, beer with syrup. They seem harmless, they are perceived not as alcohol, but as refreshing, soft drinks, sweet soda. Low-alcohol cocktails, beer are quite affordable, and many adults turn a blind eye to the fact that a child buys and drinks them. Passion for such drinks can lead to the development of alcoholism, because for a child it is enough to consume small doses of alcohol weekly to form an addiction.

Symptoms of child alcoholism and its consequences

Parents should be aware of the causes and consequences of childhood alcoholism, as well as be well aware of the signs of this disease in order to recognize it in time and take action. Alcohol is harmful even for adults, and its destructive effect on the children's body is much more pronounced. Under its influence, they begin to break down internal organs, first of all, the liver and brain, the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive, endocrine system changes in the composition of the blood.

Children's alcoholism is manifested by a number of changes in the emotional-volitional and intellectual spheres:

the child learns worse educational material, his memory is weakening, thought processes are deteriorating;
concrete-effective thinking prevails, and the ability to think abstractly, logically is not formed or decreases (depending on age);
mood swings often occur, excitement is replaced by lethargy, the child becomes withdrawn, apathetic or irritable;

Introduction to alcohol at the age of 5 years leads to the development of oligophrenia, in school age- to lag in intellectual development, emotional instability, communication problems.

There are also - slowdown in growth and puberty, deterioration of the skin, hair due to beriberi. In drinking children, almost all organs and systems suffer:

often develops gastritis, pancreatitis, liver disease;
pressure rises, pulse quickens, arrhythmia is noted;
possible varicose veins;
against the background of reduced immunity, infectious, colds become more frequent;
vision deteriorates;
often elevated temperature.

Alcohol and children are an extremely dangerous combination, because in children's body there are not enough hormones necessary for the decomposition of alcohol into safe components. Therefore, the risk of severe alcohol intoxication is high. Even a small dose can cause severe vomiting, stupor, sleep turning into a coma, mental disorder, accompanied by delirium. The level of glucose and leukocytes in the blood drops sharply. Many children suffer from a hangover due to the systematic use of alcohol.

Treatment and prevention

Childhood alcoholism is difficult to treat because many of the drugs used to treat alcohol addiction in adults, have age restrictions. Therefore, instead of chemicals more often resort to herbal preparations, means traditional medicine, vitamin therapy. The psychotherapeutic component of treatment acquires a special role, and not only because the possibilities medical intervention limited. A psychologist should work with the child to eliminate the cause of the disease and prevent relapses.

Children often start drinking alcohol because of psychological problems whose roots lie in the family. Therefore, their successful treatment is impossible without the active participation of parents. They should devote more time to their child, be interested in his problems (sometimes drinking alcohol, smoking is a teenager's cry for help, an attempt to attract the attention of parents). It is important to come up with an activity for him so that there is no time even to think about drinking, sports are useful, leisure together with parents. Sometimes you have to change your place of residence and study in order to tear a teenager away from an undesirable company.

Like any other addiction, childhood alcoholism is easier to prevent than to cure. the best preventive measure is an example of parents. Introducing children to alcohol in the family is unacceptable, and adults themselves should refrain from drinking alcohol in the presence of a child. Classes with a psychologist, timely correction of character traits, elimination of problems in interpersonal communication may also deter students from drinking alcohol. Important role plays deliberate propaganda healthy lifestyle life, prohibition of advertising of alcohol.

The further health of the child is laid even during the formation of the germ cells of his parents. Health is also affected intrauterine development and childbirth. What habits his parents adhere to, how they behave during pregnancy and childbirth, leaves an imprint on the whole future life of a person.

It's no secret to anyone what Negative influence Tobacco and alcohol have an effect on the health of the child. Wine spirits affect the reproductive cells of the parents, the condition of the fetus and is the cause of sick and weak offspring. And yet there is a chance that the baby will be born healthy. However, in this case, the environment will leave its mark on its further development. A child who is brought up in an unhealthy and traumatic environment is doomed to many psychological problems in the future that will interfere with his life. full life. The drunkenness of parents never passes without a trace, it injures either health, or the psyche, or both. Thus, the health of the child is affected by two main factors: socio-psychological and biological.

Alcohol can destroy the health and psyche of a person at any stage of development. This toxic substance causes many irreversible disorders in the body, cripples a person. And if adult alcoholics doom themselves to such an existence, then what is their children to blame for? Consider such actual problems as diseases of the offspring of alcohol-dependent parents and the later life of children of chronic alcoholics.

Even many centuries ago, when medicine did not achieve such results as it does now, the famous scientist Hippocrates wrote that drunkenness is the cause of sickness and weakness in children. And he was absolutely right. In our time, when studied in detail, many negative consequences alcoholism that manifest themselves in their children. The harmful effects of alcohol on the body and its toxic effects are difficult to underestimate. In fact, alcohol can ruin a child's entire life.

Many studies show that family alcoholism is the most detrimental effect on a child. Most scientists even consider alcoholism a family disease. The famous American researcher Goodwin, who devoted his life to the study of alcoholism, argued that, despite the family nature of alcoholism, it still cannot be considered a hereditary disease. Most often, alcoholism is not caused by heredity, namely wrong upbringing in family.

The negative effect on the child begins with the combination of a drunken sperm and a drunken egg, during the formation of the fetus. And if the father participates only in conception, then the mother bears the child for all 9 months. Therefore, it is bad for the health of the unborn child when his father drinks, but the mother's drunkenness is a hundred times worse. For example, it has already been proven that every sixth child conceived while drunk is stillborn. In Brazil, there is even a special definition - "children of the carnival." This phenomenon is also found in ancient mythology: the only defective and ugly god of Olympus, Hephaestus, was conceived by Zeus in a drunken state.

It is proved that a drinking mother cannot give birth healthy child. In the 20th century, a number of experiments were carried out: more than 3 thousand women who were treated in hospitals for chronic alcoholism were subjected to various health studies. The results were disappointing:

in 795 examined women menopause was detected ahead of time;
545 of them suffered from menstrual disorders;
about 400 patients were found to have various cardiovascular diseases;
319 women had diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
328 women were diagnosed with liver disease and about the same number suffered from diseases of the genitourinary system.

Thus, more than 80 percent of the women studied suffered from various diseases and somatic disorders. Obviously, such women cannot have full-fledged offspring and become good mothers. And this is given that the health of women of childbearing age was studied. Approximately half of them began to drink regularly at the age of 20, while the rest suffered from alcoholism since childhood, and acquired this dependence from their drinking relatives.

Despite the fact that the direct inheritance of alcoholism has not yet been proven, most children in drinking families various deviations and pathologies are observed. These deviations in the development of children are not only dangerous for health, but can also contribute to the emergence of alcohol dependence in the future. This is the result of pathologies of the central nervous system, which are manifested in inconstancy of mood, increased irritability and irascibility, emotional instability. If a child who was born in a drinking family tries alcohol, then it will be difficult for him to refuse it, because it improves his constantly bad mood and well-being, helps to forget about problems.

The situation is no better with mentally handicapped children, who are often born in such families. By nature, they are very susceptible to outside influence, easily obey the opinions of others, and do not have “brakes”. Such children quickly fall under the negative influence of companies in the yard, start drinking and smoking early in order to be like everyone else and not be different, and become real alcoholics.

Mothers who suffer from often give birth to children with more serious disorders of the central nervous system: seizures, epilepsy.

Great research was carried out in the 19th century by the French psychiatrist Morel. He studied 4 generations of hereditary alcoholics and came to the conclusion that alcohol is the cause of the degeneration of the family. Already in the first generation of a drinking family, a significant decline in morals was observed, and already in the fourth generation, children suffered from mental retardation and other pathologies.

The effect of alcohol on infants

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The effect of alcohol on a child is many times greater and more dangerous than on an adult. The same alcoholism early age develops faster and with more severe consequences. And than earlier child addicted to alcoholic beverages, the worse. Alcoholism can appear even in infancy and is passed through the milk of the drinking mother. Moreover, some mothers who do not suffer from alcoholism, due to their ignorance, may give the child alcohol with food, so that he would be calm. For example, before infants they gave a crumb of bread soaked in beer, as it had a calming and lulling effect on the child.

Very young children are so susceptible to alcohol that it can enter their bodies even through their skin. There are cases in medicine when little child they did compresses and rubbing with alcohol, and as a result he suffered from severe.

At school age, children of alcoholics experience increased fatigue, frequent headaches, sleep disturbance, night terrors and nightmares. They are shy, constantly tense, emotionally unstable, often in bad mood. Many children suffer from physical disorders. It is difficult for children from drinking families to concentrate on one thing, they often suffer from dementia of varying severity. Therefore, it can be difficult for them to study, communicate with peers and live normal life.

Children of alcoholics are often conflicting, stubborn, do not make contact, prone to inappropriate actions. Not infrequently, they leave home at an early age, start drinking alcoholic beverages early and lead wrong image life.

The situation in the family also affects the emergence of early alcoholism. They are constantly present and see how their parents drink alcohol. So, consciously and unconsciously, the child joins alcoholism and perceives it not as a bad habit or disease, but as normal phenomenon sometimes even necessary for life. The child, observing the behavior of parents, who are the most dear people, begins to perceive their behavior as a standard, inherits and imitates their way of life. Not surprisingly, in such families, children often experience early alcoholism, and it is the mother or father who gives them the first glass.

Often in such dysfunctional families, the child is malnourished and does not receive enough vitamins that are needed for his full development. As a result, he cannot fully develop, his immunity decreases, and infectious diseases often occur.

Parental alcoholism and its impact on children

Parents are always pleased to notice their own “I” in the behavior of their children: well, the spitting image of dad (or mom, depending on the situation). "tracing paper" in the behavior of children drinking parents It's not always a reason to be happy.

Parental alcoholism often has a direct effect on children, and they suffer from it more than adults.

violated psychological development children needs the intervention of elders, since psychological “distortions” in childhood can leave serious consequences for the rest of their lives.

The disturbed psyche keeps the child in constant voltage, pushes for actions condemned in society, such as constant lies. Over time, the child notices that it has been used as a "stabilizer" capable of curbing the parent's appetite for alcohol. But something did not work and the “contacts” with the glass only intensified, and the attitude towards the child remained at “zero”. Or vice versa, he was pestered by excessive attention.

Thus, alcoholism through the eyes of children represents reality with significant refractions. It is not initially perceived as in adults - a way to relax, “fill in” grief in vodka, etc. Moreover, alcohol directly affects mental development child, which is actively manifested in school years and stays for life.

mental retardation, retarded mental development children and other consequences of family drinking - too expensive retribution for the alcoholism of parents.

Behavior typical of children in drinking families

It is known that children of alcoholics in later life choose one of the following types of behavior:

"Heroic nature". The child takes on the role of parent and takes on all the chores they can't handle. Becoming the master of the house at an early age, the child loses his childhood, which negatively affects his psychological development.
"Soaring in the clouds". Such a child runs away from all problems in an imaginary world, as he is uncomfortable in real life. He does not seek to solve his problems, move, develop. The main thing for him is to hide.
"Extreme". The child suffers from the baseless anger of drunken parents and always remains guilty. This can cause an inferiority complex, guilt, low self-esteem, and negatively affects later life.
"I can do everything." Extremely spoiled children who, in order to make amends for their guilt, are allowed to do whatever they want. It is very difficult for such children to live and communicate with others, as they are not brought up, not familiar with interpersonal etiquette and right behavior in society.

According to statistics, children in drinking families are very prone to celibacy and drug addiction. It is difficult for such children to get married, as they are not prepared for social relations and too romanticize marriage. As a result of a dysfunctional atmosphere in the family, the child develops numerous complexes, low self-esteem, which prevents them from adapting in later life. The child's attempts dysfunctional family hide your problems and live a normal life, like a vicious circle. Only an experienced psychotherapist or psychologist can break it and find a way out. A timely visit to a specialist can correct the situation and help the alcoholic and his children live a full life.

Child alcoholism is one of the most acute problems in our country. Introduction to hard liquor very often begins in early adolescence, in most cases it occurs in the company of peers, but it can also occur in the family. At the same time, alcoholic parents are not necessarily in the family. The causes of child alcoholism are much deeper than simply copying the behavior of elders.

Definition of concepts

Before talking about private issues of alcoholism, it is necessary to give a clear definition of this concept. Alcoholism is a kind of substance abuse, which is manifested by an addiction to ethanol and manifests itself in mental and physical addiction from drinks containing alcohol. Alcoholism is considered a mental, constantly progressing disease, which is characterized by a variety of psychological and somatic disorders, lack of a sense of proportion in the use of alcoholic beverages.

World statistics show that during the previous century the number of people suffering from alcoholism has been constantly growing. Particularly significant is the fact that during the period from the First World War to 1965, the number of regularly drinking people increased almost 50 times. At the moment, the most "drinking" countries include France, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden and the former members of the Soviet Union, as well as Japan. In the same countries, 100% of the teenage population has tried alcohol at least once in their lives.

It is believed that child alcoholism has a clear relationship with alcoholism in the country in general. The higher the amount of alcohol consumed by the adult population per year, the higher the percentage of children who also drink alcohol. The problem of child alcoholism is especially acute in developed countries, where adolescents have much more opportunities to purchase one or another type of alcoholic beverages.

IN early XXI century, the World Health Organization conducted a major statistical study in which 41 countries took part. The essence of the study was to conduct an oral survey about alcohol consumption. It turned out that the first place according to the results of this study was taken by Ukraine.

Very often you can meet schoolchildren on the streets or in the yards, spending time in company with a bottle of beer or other low-alcohol drink. Wherein this situation has become so commonplace that few people seriously pay attention to it. The picture captured in the photo has become much more common than a group of guys working out on horizontal bars or regularly running in the park.

Social origins of the problem

Childhood alcoholism in its occurrence has a large number of related reasons. In the development of childhood alcoholism plays a role as an influence environment, and a number of internal, genetically determined factors. There are 3 main groups of factors for the development of alcoholism in children:

Social.
Psychological.
Biological.

The child alone cannot understand what is attractive about drinking alcohol. Just watching the surroundings (or at the insistence of others), he can try one or another alcoholic drink. In most cases, children describe these drinks as bitter, tasteless, disgusting. In addition, there are many videos on the network in which children different ages asked to portray a drunk person. The child easily imitates the clumsy movements and speech of a person in a state of intoxication. But to the question "Why drink?" Few people give intelligible and clear answers. Therefore, children's drunkenness is a product of the influence of the environment on the child.

First social contacts the child is related to his parents. Children of alcoholics are much more likely to become addicted to alcohol than children from healthy families. Children's alcoholism arises when a child constantly observes that his parents drink, how their behavior changes after drinking, what kind of relationship they have in the family and with friends. Thus, the child perceives the environment as normal. He sees that alcohol plays a key role in his family's life. Often parents not only passively influence the desire of their child to try alcohol, but also actively offer to drink with them.

Many important factors that provoke children's alcoholism are cultural traditions adopted in a given country. All holidays, all celebrations, all meetings and partings are accompanied by libations of strong alcoholic drinks. Thus, a stable idea is formed that any event in life should be supplemented with alcohol.

But not only the family is to blame for the development this disease in children. At school, most of them tasted alcohol for the first time. This is explained by the desire to be one's own in the company, not to stand out, not to be a "black sheep". Otherwise, the rejection of the “alien” occurs and the child may begin psychological problems.

Psychological and biological origins of the problem

The expression "wash down grief" is well known. In a child or adolescent, “grief” may mean events in life that are incomprehensible to adults:

diffidence;
bullying from peers;
unrequited first love;
learning problems.

In such situations, the child especially needs support from relatives and friends, since events important for a given age can cause various, sometimes opposite reactions from the child. Prevention of child alcoholism in such situations is extremely necessary for weak personalities. A weak personality should not be understood as something bad, humiliating. This is just a psychological term that characterizes the characteristics of reactions various people to stressful situations.

In the event that a child or adolescent does not have a pronounced willpower, cannot rationally and correctly prioritize and is not able to switch quickly on his own, then there is a good chance that he will try to look for a “solution” in the use of alcoholic beverages. This decision often leads to appropriate social contacts or individual chronic alcohol use, which in the end is a sad picture (as shown in the photo).

There is another important (but not decisive) factor in the development of child alcoholism. There are various hereditary features in the metabolism, which are considered as predictors of the development of alcoholism. The most studied in this regard is the mutation in the ADH1B gene. When combined certain conditions environment (meaning social contacts that dictate the necessity and acceptability of drinking alcohol), this genetic defect can be realized in the form of an extremely rapid development of alcoholism in a child or adolescent, which is extremely difficult to treat.

The effect of alcohol on the body of a child and a teenager

The study of the effect of alcohol on a young and fragile organism began a long time ago. There are a huge number of hypotheses that try to explain the causes and consequences of chronic alcoholism. However, until now, no solution to this problem has been recognized as the only correct one. Separate mechanisms of influence ethyl alcohol on the body are still known.

Alcohol is a good solvent, this property is especially pronounced in relation to lipids. All cells of our body are surrounded by a membrane, which consists of more than 2/3 of lipids and their derivatives. This is the basis of the toxic effect of alcohol on cell membranes. These cell structures play a crucial role in the generation and propagation of the electrical action potential, the way information is transmitted between cells. The nervous system cannot work normally at all if the transmission of electrical impulses is disturbed.

The target organs that are primarily affected in children by drinking alcohol are:

brain;
heart;
vessels;
stomach;
liver;
kidneys.

The effect on the brain is expressed in changes in its mental and biochemical functions. Mental changes are manifested in the form of acute alcohol intoxication, alcoholic psychosis and alcoholic delirium. Alcohol intoxication manifests itself in a violation of the functioning of the cerebral cortex and structures of the subcortex (subcortical ganglia), the cerebellum and the centers that regulate respiration, cardiac activity and vascular tone.

With mild intoxication, the activity of the nervous system is significantly increased, criticism of one's own state and one's capabilities is reduced. The threshold of social adaptation is lowered (teenagers claim that “alcohol loosens the tongue”). In addition, a sense of proportion is lost, and with further use of doses of alcohol, violations of coordination, speech, and temperature sensitivity appear. Some become aggressive. In this state, conflicts often arise between adolescents, which is often accompanied by defiant behavior. The consequences of this can be very dire.

Alcohol leads to vasodilatation, an increase in heat transfer and a decrease in body heat production. Along with mental disorders, this can lead to hypothermia and frostbite in winter and heat stroke in summer.

Alcoholism in adolescents causes serious problems with the heart muscle and the conduction system of the heart. As a result, the development of heart rhythm disturbances that are absolutely not typical for this age and the occurrence of muscle damage (alcoholic cardiomyopathies).

Prevention and treatment of alcoholism

Prevention of alcoholism among teenagers is a serious task of the medical and educational spheres. The influence of parents is also important. In other words, the solution to this problem is possible only with an integrated approach.

In the event that parents establish the fact that their child has consumed alcoholic beverages, further tactics and behavior are very important. The usual reactions of parents to such behavior are screaming, indignation, threats and punishments. But with such a reaction, the child or teenager is likely to become even more withdrawn. Perhaps the child will stop drinking for a while, but only for a while.

The influence of his environment in the future will only aggravate the situation. Children and teenagers know how to hide everything very carefully. But the influence of alcohol still affects: a decrease in academic performance, a loss of interest in former hobbies, a decrease in appetite, weight loss, frequent illnesses significant changes in character.

Successful prevention of childhood alcoholism is primarily correct reaction parents. Only a careful, confidential conversation, an attempt to find out the root cause of such actions of the child and advice on solving problems can establish contact. More than one conversation may be required. But these actions are necessary.

A child or teenager should feel that relatives are trying to help, that support is waiting for him in the family, and not punishments and prohibitions. However, such reactions are also not always successful. In that great importance is influenced by the environment. In such situations, it is necessary to consult a specialist ( child psychologist). Only a specialist can help the family cope with the problem that has arisen.

Treatment of children's alcoholism has a number of complexities. With a diagnosed disease, hospitalization is mandatory, since it has been proven that the fight against this disease at home is absolutely not effective, even with some success, the effect is very unstable, relapses often occur.

Another problem in treatment is limiting the use of certain drugs that have been used successfully in the treatment of adult alcoholism. Psychotherapy plays an important role in the treatment herbal preparations. Recommended sports and active species rest, change of team and environment, group classes (can be seen in the photo).

Alcohol abuse in children and adolescents serious problem. However, she has a solution. The key is perseverance and the right approach to every child.

Thanks for the feedback

Comments

Megan92 () 2 weeks ago

Has anyone managed to save her husband from alcoholism? Mine drinks without drying up, I don’t know what to do ((I thought of getting a divorce, but I don’t want to leave the child without a father, and I feel sorry for my husband, he’s a great person when he doesn’t drink

Daria () 2 weeks ago

I have already tried so many things and only after reading this article, I managed to wean my husband from alcohol, now he doesn’t drink at all, even on holidays.

Megan92 () 13 days ago

Daria () 12 days ago

Megan92, so I wrote in my first comment) I will duplicate it just in case - link to article.

Sonya 10 days ago

Isn't this a divorce? Why sell online?

Yulek26 (Tver) 10 days ago

Sonya, what country do you live in? They sell on the Internet, because shops and pharmacies set their markup brutal. In addition, payment is only after receipt, that is, they first looked, checked and only then paid. And now everything is sold on the Internet - from clothes to TVs and furniture.

Editorial response 10 days ago

Sonya, hello. This drug for the treatment of alcohol dependence is really not sold through the pharmacy chain and retail stores in order to avoid inflated prices. Currently, you can only order official website. Be healthy!

Sonya 10 days ago

Sorry, I didn't notice at first the information about the cash on delivery. Then everything is in order for sure, if the payment is upon receipt.