Why is female alcoholism incurable? Treatment of female alcoholism

Women's alcoholism is usually called a mental and narcological disease caused by women's excessive craving for alcohol and causing damage to both internal organs and the brain.

It is known that women, although traditionally called the weaker sex, are much more resilient than men. They tolerate diseases more easily, adapt faster to various changes in life. However, female alcoholism is much worse than male alcoholism.

There are several reasons that can lead a woman to develop alcohol addiction:

• The complexity of the social plan. These are problems at work, and material difficulties, and insufficient upbringing or education, and an unsatisfactory social position.
• Emotional problems. The changes that have taken place in life can cause deep feelings (for example, parting or the death of a loved one).
• Drinking environment.
• Boredom.
• Inability to start a family or have a child.
• A high position in production related to the production or sale of alcoholic beverages.
• Climax and related problems.
• The presence of mental or nervous diseases. Dependence on someone else's opinion.
• Prostitution and crime.

When any of these problems arise, a woman is looking for a tool that makes it possible to quickly get distracted, and finds it in alcohol.

Women's alcoholism is much worse than men's, this is due to a number of factors:

Symptoms of female alcoholism

As already mentioned, female alcoholism is very dangerous, so you need to know the signs of this disease in order to suppress it even in initial stage.

Female alcoholism is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Constant desire to drink for any reason.
• Negative attitude to remarks about the use of alcohol.
• Increasing the dose of alcohol.
• Loss of interest in previous hobbies.
• Closure and the emergence of relationships with drinking people.
• Change in behavior: hysteria, obscene speech, rudeness.
• Decreased intelligence, lack of self-criticism.
• Change of attitude to work, waste of all available funds to purchase alcohol.
• Drinking alcohol alone.
• The appearance of puffiness and cyanosis of the face.
• An increase in the size of the abdomen, which is explained by the development of cirrhosis.
• Tremor of the limbs.

The severity of these symptoms depends on the stage of the disease. At the same time, they gradually overlap each other.

An important sign of alcoholism in women is the gradual disappearance of the gag reflex, which is explained by a decrease in the excitability of the vomiting center of the brain.

The treatment of alcoholism in women is associated with the stage of the disease, there are three of them:

Treatment of female alcoholism

Coping with alcohol addiction in women is much harder than in men. This is due to both physiological and psychological factors. On the one hand, addiction in women develops much faster, and on the other hand, the attitude of society towards an alcoholic woman is much worse than towards a man. The treatment in this case will be the same - the rejection of alcohol and the replacement of old values ​​with new ones.

The earlier treatment is started, the more effective it will be. It should be noted that any methods will be successful only if the patient herself wants to get rid of harmful addiction. In this case, the support of loved ones is very important.

Treatment for alcoholism can go in two directions: and psychotherapy.

Medical treatment is of the following types:

• The use of funds necessary for detoxification and restoration of liver function.
• The use of chemical protection means (aversive therapy). The goal of this treatment is to cause the patient to develop intolerance to alcohol. The patient is introduced into the body a substance that, when taking alcohol, causes extremely discomfort. The disadvantage of this technique is that the cause that caused alcoholism does not disappear.

Psychotherapeutic treatment is aimed at understanding the patient's causes of alcoholism, overcoming addiction, the emergence of new attitudes towards sober and happy life. To implement such therapy, autogenic training(self-hypnosis) and hypnotic suggestive psychotherapy.

Each of the methods should be used sequentially and in stages, while it must be selected individually.

Consequences for the woman's body

As already mentioned, female alcoholism develops very quickly and Negative influence, exerted by him on the patient's body, manifests itself much earlier than in men in a similar situation.

Alcohol addiction causes multiple and almost irreversible changes in a woman's body:

• Venereal diseases. Under the influence of alcohol, the patient's behavior changes, it becomes cheeky. For such women, promiscuity becomes the norm.
• Diseases of the genitourinary system. Data from medical studies shows that the function of the gonads is preserved only in 10% of alcoholics. In the rest, the degeneration of ovarian tissue into fatty tissue occurs, which leads to an irreversible loss of reproductive function.
• Change in appearance. Almost complete disappearance of adipose tissue is observed. Arms, legs, shoulders lose their smoothness inherent in the fair sex and become too muscular.
• Irreversible aging of the body. Appearance early gray hair, loss or damage to teeth.
• Mental disorders. In women suffering from alcohol dependence, the character changes. They become hysterical, selfish and aggressive. The result of alcoholism is dementia and personality degradation, which occur much earlier than in men.

Alcoholism and pregnancy

Alcoholism has an extremely negative effect on pregnancy. Conception while intoxicated can provoke both minor and severe organic lesions of the fetus.

The adoption of alcoholic beverages while waiting for a child leads to the formation of a whole complex of defects in an unborn baby. Doctors distinguish a special syndrome - ASP (fetal alcohol syndrome), which is characterized by congenital abnormalities in the development of the heart, genital organs, disorders of the central nervous system, lagging behind the child in development, height and weight.

Alcohol penetrates into breast milk. Children of alcoholics may develop "alcohol dependence syndrome of infancy."

Women's alcoholism is much more dangerous than men's, which is why you need not to fence yourself off from the problems of your loved ones, but to support them in difficult situation. And at the slightest suspicion of the occurrence of alcohol dependence, appropriate measures should be taken immediately, since delay can lead to irreversible results.

Greetings, Dear friends, like-minded people and guests of my blog. IN Lately when I read sad statistics, I am simply horrified by the number of women who have suffered such a terrible disease as alcoholism.

Despite the fact that there is an opinion among the people about the incurability female alcoholism, unlike men's, experts have a different opinion. They argue that this disease does not have any sexual characteristics and proceeds the same way in women and men.

But today I would like to talk about the signs of alcoholism in women. How to recognize these alarm signals and understand that a loved one really needs help?

Alarms

If your colleague, girlfriend or close relative just likes to have a good time and cannot imagine a party without alcohol, you should not write her down in the ranks of the terminally ill with alcoholism.

In fact, female alcoholism has very clear symptoms and manifestations. In order for the signs of alcoholism to begin to appear, some time must pass, because ethanol does not immediately begin its destructive effect.

But if you nevertheless began to notice a change in the physical and emotional state If you suspect symptoms of alcoholism, look for the following signs:

• A woman experiences cravings for alcohol every time the situation gets out of hand. Any quarrel in the family, a problem at work, Bad mood results in a desire to drink a glass of alcohol.
• In public, the girl holds on, restrains her emotions, but when she comes home, she breaks down at home for any reason.
• Sudden mood swings and they pass after a dose of alcohol.
• The amount of alcohol that is needed as a "sedative" gradually increases. A month ago it was enough to drink half a glass of wine, but today a woman needs 2-3 glasses of wine to relax and relieve stress.
• A woman may often complain of headaches and chills.

• The gait may change and the condition of the skin and teeth may worsen.
• After another drunkenness, a woman has an irresistible desire to “hang over”. After a portion of alcohol comes visible relief.

Of course, not a single woman at the very beginning of the disease, when the "situation is under control" will not write herself into the ranks of the sick. Our society condemns and despises alcoholism. What can we say about what awaits a woman, find out someone from her environment that she visited a narcologist.

It is for this reason that at the 1st stage of the development of alcoholism and at the first symptoms, no one turns to specialists. In rare cases, in favorable families and with great support from loved ones, a woman may seek help.

How is it manifested?

Despite the fact that alcoholism equally destroys male and female female body, it can manifest itself in completely different ways. IN normal family where spouses take care of each other and closely monitor their health, it will not be difficult for a husband to recognize the symptoms of alcoholism in his wife. But more often this disease overtakes single women or wives who cannot boast of a happy family life.

The initial stage can sometimes last for years. It depends on the physiological characteristics person, his social circle, constraints. Much more depends on the drink itself, with which addiction begins. Of course, ethanol is found in any alcoholic beverage, but in different quantities. This means that a woman who drinks beer or wine has a greater margin of time before a dangerous poison takes control of the body.

How is the disease progressing?

In total, experts distinguish 3 stages of the course of female alcoholism.

Stage 1 It is characterized by the desire to drink for any reason and for any problem that arises. The woman herself does not notice that even the slightest stressful situation, trouble at work or family makes her want to drink wine.

This is followed by a temporary relaxation. If such a desire arises 2-3 times a week, then this is already alarm bells, which, of course, are not yet talking about the disease itself, but already indicate that the situation is starting to get out of control.

Stage 2 May last 2-3 years. There is a slow change in the internal organs. The body gets used to a constant dose of ethanol in the blood. The woman begins to feel constant pain, irritability, headache, loss of appetite. To drown out the unpleasant state, she needs another dose of alcohol, after which there is a temporary relief.

Experts call this the hangover withdrawal syndrome. If a normal healthy person after a stormy booze, alcohol is disgusting, then an alcoholic woman has the opposite. We all know the phrase "get drunk". Here she is in this state.

At this stage, not only the psycho-emotional state of a person changes, but also his physical appearance. Alcohol does not paint anyone, let alone women. Teeth gradually turn yellow and fall out, hair thins, the skin acquires a yellowish-green tint and quickly becomes wrinkled.

Stage 3 We can say the final, and at this stage, female alcoholism is certainly incurable. At this stage it is already possible partial loss memory, mental disorder, hallucinations.

Even if you offer a woman an urgent and effective treatment, there is no guarantee that, firstly, the body will recover, and secondly, that the patient will not return to addiction. At this stage, doctors already, as a rule, ascertain cirrhosis of the liver, kidney damage, heart failure and brain atrophy.

What usually interferes with treatment?

1. Distrust of specialists and full confidence that female alcoholism is incurable.
2. Concealment of the problem, secrecy, unwillingness to recognize a destructive passion.

If a woman herself is aware of the problem she has encountered and cannot cope with on her own, then there are chances to cure her addiction. If you want to heal loved one: mother or wife from alcoholism, then you, of course, cannot do without the help of a specialist.

AND we are talking not only about the narcologist, but also about the psychologist. Indeed, in order to prevent a return to a terrible addiction in the future, you must understand what exactly caused the development of the disease.

If in this way a woman leaves stressful situations, conflict, experiences, then the specialist must learn to deal with her emotions in a different way. In any case, at the stage of rehabilitation, you should not leave a woman alone. The support of loved ones, their support and faith in her own strength is what will help her recover from alcoholism.

Unfortunately, our society does not accept such a form of psychological support as Alcoholics Anonymous. And often, after rehabilitation and cure for the disease, relapses occur. That's why the most important moment is the psychological support of loved ones.

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Anna Mironova

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We all have seen. Women alcoholics are rarer. In any case, they do not come across so often in our field of vision. Because they hide their addiction to the last, in order to protect themselves from censure and not become an outcast in society. What are the causes and consequences of female alcoholism? Why is he scary? Are there any ways to treat it?

Causes of female alcoholism

Increasingly in last years in the fairer sex, diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis and hypertension . For the most part, this is due to the excessive consumption of well-known drinks, which eventually develops into chronic alcoholism. According to statistics, the development of female alcoholism is taking place at a rapid pace, and the country will face a demographic catastrophe if this situation Will not change. What pushes a woman to a bottle?

• Beer, gin and tonics, alcoholic cocktails and other strong drinks have become very popular in our time.. They are considered absolutely harmless, very pleasant, excellent remedy for relaxation and ease of communication. Of course, few people think about the dangers of such drinks. Because everything is ahead, and life is beautiful. However, the systematic use of these drinks in the company or while watching TV after work (alone) creates that attachment, which over time flows into alcoholism.
• Loneliness, feeling of absolute uselessness, mental trauma, depression, hopelessness . Reasons that become a springboard to where there may be no way back. Status in society does not matter. About half of women who suffer from alcoholism are single or have serious psychological problems.
• Husband is an alcoholic. Unfortunately, this situation often becomes the cause of female alcoholism. Either a man is treated, or a divorce occurs, or a spouse falls into an alcoholic abyss following her husband.
• Climax. The physical and psychological discomfort that comes with menopause is something that not all women can bear. Some relieve stress with alcohol. That gradually turns into a habit, which is no longer possible to control.

According to doctors, even drinking one hundred grams of strong drink twice a month is alcohol addiction. But the "culture of drinking" in Russia has always been unique. If in Europe one glass can be stretched into several toasts, then in our country they drink “To the bottom!” and "Between the first and second one more." Again, in the West it is customary to dilute strong drinks, and if during our feast someone offers to dilute vodka ... there is no need to even say. Worse yet, many people simply don’t know about other ways to relax.

Why is female alcoholism worse than male alcoholism?

What is terrible female alcoholism. Consequences

The "Green Serpent" and its consequences change a woman beyond recognition. Both psychologically and externally. What exactly happens to an alcoholic woman? What is fraught with alcoholism?

• Appearance is changing. Appears unhealthy shine eyes, redness of the face and bluish spots. Hair is dull, tangled, greasy. Such a woman speaks in a raised tone, gesticulates nervously, and perceives ignoring as a personal insult.
• Subcutaneous fatty tissue disappears. Arms, legs and shoulders lose their smooth lines, acquire an overly pronounced muscle relief.
• The body of a woman with alcoholism begins to age early. The teeth crumble and darken, the hair turns gray and falls out, the skin wrinkles and becomes decrepit.
• All systems and internal organs are affected - cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, endocrine, etc.
• Thyroid malfunctions begin , which leads to arrhythmias, to excessive fullness or thinness.
• Destruction of adrenal tissue , the production of hormones is reduced under the influence of toxic substances of alcohol.
• Toxic alcoholic nephropathy - one of possible consequences alcoholism. The main symptoms are high pressure, swelling on the face, protein and blood in the urine. With this disease, the kidney tissue begins to die. As a result, acute kidney failure and death.
• Diseases of the reproductive and genitourinary systems. Cystitis, pyelonephritis and other female ailments haunt women alcoholics all the time. And given that alcohol leads to swagger in behavior, for such a woman, promiscuity and sexual intercourse become the norm. complete absence hygiene. Which, in turn, leads to sexually transmitted diseases, frigidity, and AIDS.
• Mutations occur in the eggs of an alcoholic woman. The result is miscarriage, the birth of handicapped children and stillbirth.
• Ovarian function weakens , which changes the overall hormonal background. Decreased production female hormones, rises - male. As a result - the growth of mustaches and beards, hair growth on the chest, back, legs, thinness, etc. Further - uterine bleeding, early menopause.
• - it often ends criminal and medical abortions, provoking miscarriage, death from complications ectopic pregnancy or (this is the best case) abandonment of a born child .
• Personality change , lesions nervous system. Hysteria, isolation, instability of mood, depression, hopelessness. Often it ends in suicide.
• Dulling the instinct of self-preservation , reduction of habitual reactions.
• Loss of trust in loved ones divorce, job loss, social rejection, etc.

Can female alcoholism be cured?

They say female alcoholism is not treatable. But this is not true. It can be cured , albeit with a reservation for certain female characteristics. Moreover, more than eighty percent of success depends on the willpower of a woman and her desire to "tie up". Alcoholism is mostly a psychological addiction. And at the initial stage, you can still cope with psychotherapeutic methods. With the formed, stable need for alcohol without integrated approach, as well as specialists, can not do without.

Treatment methods for female alcoholism

The fight against alcoholism is, first of all, a set of measures, united by one big desire of the patient to stop drinking. But the hardest thing is woman's adaptation to life that no longer contains alcohol. What methods are used today to combat the "green serpent"?

• Psychotherapy.
• Pharmacotherapy.
• The use of funds disgusting to alcohol.
• The use of drugs that block the breakdown of alcohol and, thereby, causing his rejection.
• coding techniques.
• Taking drugs to normalize work internal systems and organs.
• Phytotherapy.
• Acupuncture.
• Laser exposure as part of complex therapy.
• Hypnosis.

Folk methods of treatment of alcoholism

Usually, self-treatment of alcoholism at home does not bring success. Given the severity of the disease and its consequences, of course, all methods can be tried, if only to achieve a result. But according to statistics, the most effective are Dovzhenko method, hypnosis and coding. The main thing is to remember that without the awareness and sincere desire of the woman, the treatment will not be successful.

Hello! The topic today is female alcoholism, its symptoms and signs. The other day I realized with horror that in the narcological department where I work, half of the patients are women! This trend struck me as scary. After all, earlier out of thirty patients, only 2 - 3 were women. More recently, it was believed that women with alcoholism are less common than men, but the disease itself is much more severe for them.

Anti-alcohol videos most often appeal to men - "Be a man - do not drink", "First Friday spree, and then you are Sunday dad." In addition, the results of studies confirming that beer increases the production of estrogens create an erroneous idea among the population that beer alcoholism is an exclusively male problem, and for women this drink is not harmful and even in some cases useful. Nevertheless, the problem of female alcoholism exists, and its solution is often more difficult than salvation from the “green snake” of men. About famous women who faced the problem of alcoholism, I wrote.

Features of female alcoholism

1. Ethyl alcohol in the human body is processed by a special enzyme - alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), which in two stages turns alcohol into acetaldehyde, and then into acetic acid, which is excreted from the body. In women, the content of ADH is less than in the stronger sex, so they get drunk earlier and from smaller doses.
2. With a relatively low content of this enzyme, the features of female intoxication and alcoholism are associated. The average time for the development of the disease in the fair sex is about five years (in men, it can take ten or more). Therefore, if the observation is true for men that he started drinking at school, and retired - he drank himself, then for women this process takes much less time. Unfortunately, women who suffer from alcoholism also die faster and more often than men who are alcoholics.
   
   
3. Manifestations of female alcoholism in the initial stages do not seem dangerous either for the future alcoholic or for her environment. On the contrary, a wife who encourages her husband's gatherings and joins them, with pleasure organizing feasts with plentiful drinks, is perceived as "not a wife, but gold." A young woman who can drink on a par with men seems to be liberated, self-confident. People around, especially men, encourage such behavior, not realizing that it is the first sign of a serious illness.
4. If men, as a rule, do not care how they look, then most women are not happy with the appearance on their face. obvious signs alcoholism and try to hide them with the help of bright cosmetics, a bright but ridiculous style of clothing.
   
   
   They deny the fact that they have a disease, they try to find new excuses for themselves to explain the need to drink. All the important events in the life of the patient and her family are recalled, Religious holidays, traditions associated with drinking.
5. The attitude in society towards female alcoholism is extremely contradictory. On the one hand, many people are convinced that only a man can be a drunkard, and women are spared from such a problem. On the other hand, drunk and heavily drinking women who have lost their former beautiful appearance are treated extremely negatively. This is connected with the fact that ladies often deny that they have problems with drinking - they are afraid of the shameful stigma of an alcoholic, and at the same time they are convinced that this concept is not applicable to the fair sex. This leads to the fact that female alcoholism is diagnosed very late, when it is almost impossible to cure it.
   
6. Drinking women rarely lose their jobs because of their illness, but often begin to do it carelessly, shirk their duties, shift work to other colleagues. However, in the team they are often considered the soul of the company for the fact that they know how to organize corporate holidays. Even having significant problems with drinking, women do not stop taking care of themselves, but this often takes on ridiculous, grotesque forms - too bright and unnatural makeup, defiantly relaxed behavior, vulgar appearance.

Female alcoholism: its stages and symptoms

The initial stage of alcoholism

Alcoholism in women, like in men, goes through several stages of development. The initial of them is characterized by relatively harmless changes in character, which rarely cause concern, especially when it comes to women.

A drinking person claims that he drinks like everyone else, on holidays, and in no case does he abuse it. Upon closer examination, it turns out that very many days of the year are considered holidays - generally accepted holidays like New Year and March 8, family and personal memorable dates- birthdays, weddings, commemorations of not only close ones, but also distant relatives, colleagues, purchases of important and expensive items that need to be “washed”. In addition, according to the established tradition, weekends and Friday evenings, or even just the evening after a working day, are considered a reason to drink.

Such a long list important events allows you to find a reason to drink alcohol several times a week, and in some especially stressful times - every day. The trouble is that such explanations of one's drunkenness look very plausible and it is often difficult to distinguish whether there were really several events at a close time that tradition requires to celebrate with feasts with alcohol, or is this another excuse. In many families and especially work groups, those who skip corporate parties or refuse to drink are extremely negative, so it is easy for alcoholics at the initial stage to find a company where they will feel more than comfortable.

During the feast, the future alcoholic behaves noisily, talks a lot and drinks a lot, tries to convince others to follow her example. From her you can often hear offers to drink, mockery of those who drink little or no drinks at all, persistent, but not always original toasts.

This behavior is called the "circle advance syndrome" - the patient seeks to drink as much as possible, but in order not to feel like a drunkard, he provokes others to do the same.
A woman gets excited when she is going to a feast with a drink, for the sake of alcohol she tends to leave work early, many things that distract her from drinking are postponed until later (and this can drag on indefinitely).

The environment in which the drinking lady rotates also changes - relations with friends and acquaintances who do not drink or know the measure deteriorate, become cooler, and those who share her interest in drinking become the closest. Those whom a woman cannot exclude from her environment (close relatives, colleagues), she tries to draw into endless feasts.

But the main hallmark The first stage of alcoholism, which distinguishes it from everyday drunkenness, is the lack of a sense of proportion.

The patient is not aware of how much alcohol she drank, each event with a drink consistently ends for her in a state of "non-standing". Moreover, the fact that the drink is over is not at all a reason for her to stop drinking, because you can go to the store, and if the money is over, borrow from friends.

As can be seen from the description, the manifestations early stage alcoholism does not look catastrophic.

In men, this stage of the disease can last for years, while in women it quickly moves to the next stage.

The second stage of alcoholism

In women, this stage passes very quickly, giving way to a late stage. It is characterized by the appearance of withdrawal (“hangover”) syndrome. To recover from the abuse of alcohol the day before, you must definitely drink.

In this stage, a woman suffering from alcoholism often has pseudo-binge drinking. The difference between true binges (more typical for the later stages of the disease) and pseudo-binges is what causes them to stop. Pseudo-drinking can be interrupted at any time by various reasons- the money has run out, the vacation or the weekend has ended, some other event has happened that requires you to stop drinking. The cessation of true binge is associated with a decrease in tolerance to alcohol (“I can’t drink anymore”).

In addition to pseudo-binge drinking, which occurs about two to three times a year, the second stage of alcoholism is characterized by a gradual decrease in tolerance to alcohol. If at the first stage the amount of drinking required to achieve intoxication gradually increases, then at the second stage the reverse process takes place - having reached its maximum, the dose of alcohol does not change (“plateau”).
Drinking alcohol becomes daily. And if at the first stage of alcoholism a woman could still drink various drinks - wine, liqueurs, then by the second stage she switches exclusively to strong drinks - vodka and cognac, mostly of low quality.

The patient loses the ability to distinguish the taste of alcohol, its strength and availability are much more important to her, so she begins to drink cheap drinks, despite the risk of being poisoned by low-quality products.
At the same time, the process of drinking alcohol can have a slight touch of grace - beautiful glasses, pronouncing toasts even when drinking in the company of herself. Drinking in itself becomes more important than the company, so a woman does not hesitate to drink in an unfamiliar company or even alone. A common joke about what it is Right way to alcoholism, is only partly true - an alcoholic drinks alone because the company simply ceases to be important to him.

The result of constant immoderate libations is a hangover that causes a woman in the second stage of alcoholism desire take an extra dose. It's a common hangover cure, but healthy woman Having decided to resort to it, he will limit himself to a relatively small amount of alcohol, just enough to make you feel better, but not get drunk. In a woman suffering from alcoholism, the wrong “hangover” leads to a long binge - she is not able to stop the “treatment” in time.

Nevertheless, a woman remains a woman, she continues (and sometimes begins) to take care of herself. To hide an unpleasant earthy skin tone, an unhealthy blush on the face, deepening of the nasolabial folds, the manifestation early wrinkles, she uses bright makeup and extravagant clothes. Her appearance can become very vulgar, not hiding, but emphasizing negative changes. At the same time, the patient will continue to deny the presence of problems with alcohol.

The third stage of alcoholism

This is the most severe stage of the disease.

At this stage, a woman completely loses her attractiveness, ceases to take care of her appearance, looks extremely untidy - she ceases to care how long she washed and washed her clothes. The voice becomes rough or, on the contrary, shrill, unpleasant, signs of damage to internal organs often join.

Characteristic features last stage alcoholism - true binges and the development of acute alcoholic psychosis.

True binges are a consequence of fluctuating tolerance to alcohol. At the beginning of the binge, it gradually rises, then also gradually decreases until a temporary aversion to alcohol. Unlike the pseudo-binge, the true one cannot be interrupted. external causes- lack of money, time or company does not affect the amount of alcohol consumed.

Often, with a sharp cessation of binge, the binge itself, contrary to well-known opinion, does not lead to a "squirrel", this condition occurs when the body does not receive its usual dose.

Signs of delirium tremens are hallucinations, almost always repulsive, frightening. Reacting to them, the patient becomes inadequate, often dangerous to others. In this state, a sick woman can break things, show aggression towards people who are nearby. Men who have experienced several episodes of delirium tremens can recognize the next one and maintain partial adequacy (there are cases when a male alcoholic calls an ambulance himself, realizing that he is hallucinating).

A woman is often deprived of such an opportunity due to the fact that episodes of alcohol withdrawal occur much less frequently in her life.

Alcoholism in women is often accompanied by depressive states, apathy, which leads to high mortality due to suicide. This cause of death is much more common in women than in men.

These are the symptoms and signs of such a formidable disease as female alcoholism.

By the way, detailed information you can find about the stages of chronic alcoholism.

Be sure to watch this video on the topic of female alcoholism. I was impressed!

I look forward to your questions! I will answer immediately.

- pathological dependence on alcohol in women. Due to the physical, mental and endocrine characteristics of the body, the development and course of alcoholism in women in a certain way differs from a similar dependence in men. Female alcoholism develops in short time, accompanied by rapid mental degradation and rapid destruction of internal organs. Often proceeds latently up to stage II or III. The diagnosis of “female alcoholism” is made on the basis of anamnesis, a survey, and tests for alcohol content in bodily fluids. Treatment - different kinds coding in combination with psychotherapy.

General information

Women's alcoholism in society is treated more negatively than men's. drinking men stimulate to treatment, try to educate, take to doctors. Women who drink are turned away. When the first signs of female alcoholism appear, or even just the publication of information about the regular use of alcohol, in the absence of obvious physical and psychological changes, the woman has less chance help and support from family and friends. In neglected cases, after breaking ties with the former environment and falling social level the support of others with female alcoholism becomes extremely unlikely.

Causes of female alcoholism

Alcoholism in women occurs under the influence of various factors and their combinations. Sometimes the cause is unfavorable heredity and family traditions that allow excessive drinking, drinking alcohol not only on holidays, but also on weekends, after work, etc. Often, female alcoholism develops due to psychological exhaustion. Modern representatives of the fair sex have to bear a heavy load, combine career advancement, household chores and caring for children. This leads to emotional breakdowns, which patients try to relieve with alcohol.

Women's alcoholism can also occur due to other problems. In particular, women who are housewives sometimes begin to drink alcohol to dispel the boredom provoked by the monotony of domestic worries and to eliminate the feeling of lack of demand due to the lack of professional fulfillment. Quite often, the impetus for the development of female alcoholism is family problems: cheating husband, dissatisfaction family relationships, violence, loss of a loved one, divorce, etc.

Sometimes alcohol intake is provoked by loneliness, lack of full-fledged close relationships and lack of time to create a family. Female alcoholism also often develops in the wives and cohabitants of alcoholics. At first, the woman begins to take alcohol "for company" so as not to destroy the relationship and be able to control her husband's behavior. Subsequently, due to the rapid development of female alcoholism, she herself becomes the initiator of drinking. Often, the physical and moral degradation of such women occurs faster than that of their husbands, who began to drink alcohol earlier. As a result, the husbands of the patients initiate divorces and find other partners for themselves, and the women who are left alone quickly sink to the very bottom.

Dependence on alcohol in men, on average, occurs after 7-10 years of regular drinking, for the development of female alcoholism it takes only 5 years. The faster development of alcoholism is due to psychological and physical features body of the fair sex. Liver enzymes in women break down ethanol worse than in men. At the same time, blood flow in the depot organs (liver and spleen) in women is slower than in men. These factors provoke accelerated liver damage in female alcoholism.

The protective function of the blood-brain barrier in women is lower than in men, so alcohol and its decay products in large quantities penetrate the brain, quickly damage brain cells and destroy neural connections. This causes rapid mental degradation, deterioration of thinking, decrease in intelligence, loss of moral and ethical guidelines. Female alcoholism has an extremely negative effect on appearance. As a result of all of the above, an image of a typical alcoholic is formed - repulsive, devoid of individuality, interested only in finding and drinking alcohol.

Symptoms and stages of female alcoholism

The development of alcoholism in a woman is evidenced by her positive attitude towards drinking, bursts of vivacity and enthusiasm when offered to arrange a feast, self-initiation of alcohol consumption. A woman begins to take alcohol at every opportunity, motivating this by the need to relax after work, celebrate some minor event, etc. Patients with female alcoholism drink on a par with men. The dose required to achieve the state of intoxication is gradually increased.

Some women drink alcohol secretly, trying not to catch the eye of their family and friends. In such cases, female alcoholism can be suspected on the basis of indirect signs: no one knows where the missing money, hidden full or open bottles, some disheveled and "tired" appearance, the smell of alcohol, which the patients try to kill using chewing gum, lollipops, coffee beans, etc. Over time, coarsening of the voice occurs. With female alcoholism, the character changes, the woman becomes less balanced, less likely to show empathy. Scandals and inexplicable emotional breakdowns are becoming more frequent.

Women's alcoholism, like men's, has three stages. At the first stage, the sense of proportion disappears, the individual “norm” necessary to achieve intoxication increases. The use of alcohol becomes regular, the patient, suffering from female alcoholism, is actively looking for reasons to drink. Nausea and vomiting disappear even after large doses of alcohol. There are gaps in memory. The next day after drinking alcohol, a hangover is observed. During long periods of sobriety there is a growing irritation.

The second stage of female alcoholism is characterized by the development of withdrawal syndrome. Tolerance to alcohol continues to increase and reaches a "plateau". Control over behavior after drinking alcohol is further reduced, aggression and immoral acts are possible. There are short-term, and then long-term binges. With a sharp interruption of hard drinking, the development of meth-alcohol psychoses is possible. The appearance is gradually deteriorating. The face of a patient with female alcoholism becomes moon-shaped, bags appear under the eyes, the skin acquires a yellowish or grayish tint.

The woman begins to neglect the rules of hygiene. She tries to hide her appearance changes using a large number of cosmetics, and because of this acquires a characteristic vulgar appearance. Female alcoholism leads to slower thinking and assimilation new information. Without alcohol, there is constant aggression and irritability. Life priorities are changing, all interests are centered around drinking alcohol. There is a decline in moral standards. The condition of the internal organs gradually worsens.

In the third stage of female alcoholism, the amount of alcohol required to achieve a state of intoxication decreases. Pronounced intoxication occurs after one glass, after a further increase in the dose of alcohol, the state practically does not change. There is no control over the amount drunk. Gross changes in appearance are observed. At this stage of female alcoholism, severe pathological changes liver and gastrointestinal tract. Marked intellectual and moral degradation is noted. Emotions are flattened and impoverished.

Diagnosis of female alcoholism

The diagnosis of alcohol dependence in women is based on clinical symptoms. Any methods laboratory research are of an auxiliary nature and cannot be evidence of alcoholism. Four signs are considered as the main diagnostic criteria for female alcoholism. The first is a change in the value system, an inappropriately high place for alcohol in the list of personal priorities. The second is the loss of control over the dose of alcohol (the patient almost always consumes more than planned). The third is the continuation of drinking despite obstacles (personal, social and professional interests women). The fourth is the development of an abstinence syndrome.

The first three signs confirm female alcoholism with the presence of mental dependence, the fourth indicates the development physical addiction. The conversation with the patient is supplemented by testing using various questionnaires. The simplest survey for the preliminary diagnosis of female alcoholism includes only four questions:

• Has the woman thought that it is time for her to stop drinking?
• Does other people bother her with complaints about drinking?
• Does she feel guilty about drinking alcohol?
• did she ever want to get drunk?

The interview and the survey are supplemented by an external examination to identify specific markers of female alcoholism. Chronic alcohol abuse may be indicated by redness of the face, expansion of subcutaneous capillaries on the skin of the face, enlargement of the parotid glands, coated tongue, enlarged liver, trembling of the extremities, polyneuropathy, muscle atrophy, symmetrical reddening of the palms, increased sweating, telangiectasias, a transient increase in blood pressure and characteristic of the female alcoholism, a change in the figure (disappearance of the waist, thinning of the arms and legs in the presence of a stomach).

Treatment of female alcoholism

Treatment tactics are determined individually, depending on the duration of regular alcohol consumption, the stage of female alcoholism, health status, motivation level, strong-willed qualities, personality traits and some other factors. A prerequisite for successful treatment of female alcoholism is the complete rejection of alcohol. Reducing the dose and trying to "use in moderation" will obviously be unsuccessful, since the alcoholic is not able to control the amount of alcohol he drinks and breaks down even after taking a small dose.

Subsequently, the patient is referred to psychotherapy to identify the causes of the development of female alcoholism, to develop new ways of thinking and behavior. Psychologists and psychotherapists help the patient survive the difficult period of giving up alcohol, often accompanied by emotional breakdowns caused by changes in the usual way of life, the need to find new priorities, changes in relationships with loved ones, etc. In the process of treating female alcoholism, both individual and group psychotherapy are used. .