How alcoholism develops in women. Signs and stages of alcoholism in women

Greetings, dear readers! I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, but finally I decided to voice this problem - female alcoholism. Alcoholism, especially among women, has now become a national disaster. Statistics say that the average age of female alcoholics is 35 years old, although many have their first acquaintance with alcohol before the age of 18. How many women suffer from this disease these days? And why does this happen? What makes them share the company of a glass of wine? Let's talk about this topic today. Perhaps someone will read and think...

If you or your loved ones are faced with a problem female alcoholism, don’t despair, there is a great solution - http://www.woman-alcoholism.ru/

I recently learned some unpleasant news: one of my friends passed away, not being old at all. I always liked this woman: pretty, well-groomed, smart. And suddenly such a finale. It turns out that recently she became so addicted to alcohol that it ultimately caused her death.

Women are the future of our nation. They are destined by nature to continue the human race. Will such women be able to give birth to a healthy child? It has been proven that in 40% of cases, regular drinkers give birth to children with various mental disabilities or physical developmental defects.

It has been calculated that 26% of women in Russia regularly drink alcohol. Of these, 43% live in periods of heavy drinking, 4% do not drink alcohol regularly, and 27% alternate between daily drinking and periods of abstinence from alcohol. And these data change every year, and for the worse.

A man who drinks alcohol every day becomes dependent after 2-3 years. For a woman, this period is shortened to 6 months, sometimes two months is enough.

A girl’s first acquaintance with alcohol occurs in a family where the child sees his parents drinking alcohol before reaching adulthood.

Alcohol abuse leads to premature aging. A 30-year-old woman who drinks looks 10-15 years older, and a 40-year-old woman turns into an old woman.

The life expectancy of women alcoholics is 15–20 years shorter and the causes of death are acute cardiovascular failure, poisoning with alcohol surrogates and suicide.

Causes of female alcoholism

Where does the craving for alcohol begin? As a rule, drinking begins to drown out one’s mental wounds after severe emotional stress, which are associated with loneliness, lack of work, loss of a loved one, betrayal.

Women who have a low social status, lack of profession, parents' drunkenness. The latter can also be explained by genetic predisposition and everyday customs, when a child in childhood saw only drunken parents. This is the way of life the girl considers to be the norm in her later life.

Often addiction is formed as a result of frequent drinking for appetite, to relieve fatigue, and sometimes to fill one’s leisure time “with nothing to do.”

Realizing that society has a negative attitude towards her lifestyle, many of them begin to drink alcohol at home, alone. The feeling of loneliness further aggravates her situation; the amount of alcohol she drinks increases each time. Women cover up the lack of any passion in life, laziness, and feelings of need for someone by drinking.

Men, as a rule, drink in company, women prefer to drink alone, so that no one knows or blames.

From a physiological point of view, rapid dependence on alcohol occurs for the following reasons:

Typically a woman shorter and weighs more than a man. Her body contains less water. This means that per unit mass of its weight there are b O greater concentration and quantity of alcohol, so the degree of intoxication will be greater than that of a man, even if they drank the same amount.
The hormonal characteristics of the female body contribute to the rapid absorption of alcohol into the blood.
Pathological craving for alcohol increases more against the background of premenstrual syndrome.
A woman remains in control of the situation longer than a man, and therefore she thinks that she can always stop drinking.
The consequences (hangover) are much milder than in men and develop later.

Personality characteristics of a drinking woman

Women of the following type are predisposed to chronic alcoholism:

those prone to depression, with an unstable psyche, dependent on circumstances, suffering from neurotic disorders, hysteria and insomnia;
sexually preoccupied or having problems in the intimate sphere;
infantile women;
the following professions: saleswomen in open markets (to keep warm in winter), women construction workers, catering workers.

Stages of chronic alcoholism

Initial stage characterized by constant consumption of alcohol and an increase in the amount drunk and a craving for a new portion. At this stage, there are already episodes of memory loss. Usually, initial signs the disease may not be noticed - women try to hide the fact of use so as not to be blamed for it.
Expanded stage. The pathological craving for alcohol increases even more, and the dose of alcohol increases due to tolerance to alcohol. A hangover appears - a withdrawal syndrome, which is manifested by the appearance of a headache, trembling throughout the body, a feeling of thirst, fever or chills, and mood swings.

At this stage, personal and emotional changes, irritability, isolation, tearfulness, selfishness towards others appear, and the sense of responsibility disappears. She may no longer fulfill her maternal and family responsibilities, loses interest in work. Over time, this can lead to loss of family, job, and deprivation of motherhood. A woman begins to lead a dependent lifestyle. Her appearance becomes unkempt, her facial skin becomes wrinkled, her hair turns grey, her teeth crumble. An organic personality disorder sets in.

Final stage characterized by a complete loss of control over the situation, amnesia occurs more often and for a longer period of time. Intelligence decreases, the woman is not interested in anything other than alcohol. Are developing various diseases internal organs, most often from the liver, various injuries are possible, psychomotor disorders may appear.

Symptoms of psychomotor disorders can be expressed in difficulty, slowdown in the performance of motor acts (hypokinesia), complete immobility (akinesia), as well as polar opposite manifestations - motor agitation or inadequate movements and actions.

It's very scary when a woman is able alcohol intoxication commits an accident or criminal offense.

Consequences

Excessive and regular consumption of alcoholic beverages in women leads to premature aging, the appearance of various somatic diseases and often disability as a result of injuries. This often causes death.

The most common diseases are:

diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver - cirrhosis and liver cancer, Mallory-Weiss syndrome (superficial ruptures of the mucous membrane of the abdominal esophagus and cardia of the stomach, accompanied by recurrent vomiting and bleeding);
and thrombophlebitis;
alcoholic dementia (dementia);
alcoholic polyneuropathy, in which the function of multiple peripheral nerves is simultaneously impaired;
atrophic processes in the cerebellum;
disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
kidney diseases of alcoholic etiology, chronic bronchitis and prolonged pneumonia, etc.

Can female alcoholism be cured?

They believe that alcoholism is incurable. But one can argue with this. To recover from alcoholism, the main and important condition is necessary: the woman herself must want to free herself from this addiction. But this requires the support of loved ones and strong motivation.

How to treat, where to start? First you need to get out of the binge. Doctors and narcologists will help you on how to do this correctly. You should definitely consult with them. It is not at all necessary to go to a reception with a drunk person. Consultations regarding treatment may be made without his knowledge to the next of kin or other interested parties.

Further therapy is treatment with medications that create an aversion to alcohol. To help medications infusions will help medicinal herbs:, St. John's wort, fireweed (), hellebore water, lovage root, etc. There will be another article about herbal treatment of alcoholism, so as not to miss it, subscribe to blog updates.

The next step is psychotherapy. Her task is to change the attitude towards her condition and the reason that led the woman to alcohol addiction. Tact and support from loved ones is essential here.

Of course, in order to put a psychological barrier against alcohol, sometimes it is necessary to encode with the help of hypnosis and psychotherapy, and to fix it against alcoholism. And in parallel, treatment of pathology of internal organs is required.

Alcoholism is a chronic incurable disease that is in remission. How long it can last depends on the patient himself, his attitude towards his illness. Remission can last a month, a year, several years, or maybe the rest of your life. Everything depends directly on the woman herself.

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Be healthy! Taisiya Filippova was with you.

Female alcoholism has recently become widespread and has become much younger: in Russia, girls already start drinking at the age of 13. According to statistics, 70% of women start drinking alcohol before the age of 18. The consumption of alcoholic beverages increases by the age of 30-45, when a person already leads a conscious life. Most often, female alcohol addiction begins in this period, due to emotional distress and suffering. The difference between alcoholism in women and men is that women start drinking alone so that others do not see.

During a hangover, a woman experiences more pronounced anxiety and sadness than a man. Alcohol addiction in women grows faster than in men, making it very difficult to treat. In this state, a woman becomes unbalanced, vulnerable, and very difficult to reach. She withdraws into herself and her problems, forgets about her children, and can later become a real threat to them.

Female alcoholism affects future offspring. If the mother drank during pregnancy, the child is twice as likely to be born with chronic diseases, childbirth and pregnancy are difficult, and miscarriages occur. Often such children are born with mental disabilities and disorders. This is the so-called “” - a set of congenital physical and neurological pathologies.

Most often, alcohol addiction in women occurs due to psychological and emotional factors. A woman is more vulnerable, more easily susceptible to emotions, and more impressionable than a man, which is why she is more susceptible to depression. The most common reasons for the development of alcoholism in women are:

Depression and neurotic conditions. They can arise against the background of feelings of loneliness, loss of loved ones, betrayal of a husband, problems in the family. Various grievances, lack of attention from the spouse and children lead to deep depression.
A slower process of removing breakdown products of alcoholic beverages from the body.
Small doses for intoxication and rapid absorption of alcohol in the intestine.
Boredom and lack of work or favorite activity.
Lack of family and children due to being so busy with work. In the modern world, women have become more likely to occupy leadership positions, which prevent them from getting married and paying the necessary attention to their husband and children.
Heredity, cases of alcoholism in the family, character traits.
The period of menopause, in which a woman is most vulnerable psychologically and physically.

All these reasons can cause the onset of female alcohol addiction. It all starts with an innocent glass of wine and ends with long drinking bouts. It is very important to notice the first signs in time and help your loved one.

Symptoms and signs of female alcoholism

The woman herself will not understand how her alcohol addiction began. She will not attach any importance to it, and then she may be afraid to confess to her family because she will be ashamed. There are a number of features of female alcoholism in which the patient should be taken to a doctor and the problem should be solved immediately. All responsibility falls on the woman’s relatives, husband and children. At the first signs of female alcoholism, treatment should be started immediately and psychological support should be provided. It is very rare for a woman to admit to herself that she is an alcohol addict. Among the symptoms of female alcoholism are the following:

The desire to drink without any particular reason and no matter what kind of alcohol. Patients look for any reason to drink alcohol.
Denial and non-acceptance of the fact of alcohol abuse by a woman, a sharp reaction to comments.
The doses of alcoholic beverages increase over time; a woman becomes drunk more slowly from small doses of alcohol.
Loss of appetite and refusal of snacks when drinking an alcoholic beverage.
Minor trembling of the hands, the face becomes more swollen, bags under the eyes, an increase in the abdomen due to...
Apathy, loss of interest in everything around you and loved ones. Closedness and communication with active drinking people.
Coarseness, harsh behavior, cruelty towards loved ones and relatives.
Slow reaction, decreased intellectual abilities.
The patient appears at work less often and may take things out of the house to buy alcohol.
Drinking alcoholic beverages alone.

To diagnose female alcoholism, you need to pay attention to these symptoms. They may appear depending on the stage of the disease and then appear all together. Very important feature is a decrease in the excitability of the vomiting center in the brain. In the case of a more severe stage, the gag reflex is significantly reduced.

Stages of female alcoholism

Alcohol addiction in women occurs in three stages. The stages of female alcoholism vary in degree of complexity, in the behavior of the patient, and in the specifics of treatment.

The first stage is the moment when female alcohol addiction appears. At this stage, addiction to alcohol occurs. It begins with the fact that a woman constantly wants to drink when some problems arise in the family or at work. It is at this stage that the addiction to drinking develops into the second stage of female alcoholism. The brain is no longer able to fight desire, and the woman begins to drink regularly.

In the second stage, opioid receptors are irritated if the person has not drunk a dose of alcohol. Women develop psychological dependence on alcoholic beverages. The structure of the neurons of the brain and internal organs is not yet damaged. The second stage of female alcohol addiction is characterized by binge drinking and constant drinking. The second stage of alcoholism occurs quite often in women. This leads to premature aging, destruction of the body and the transition to the most advanced stage.

The most recent stage of female alcoholism is the third stage. During this period, irreversible changes occur in opioid receptors in the brain and other organs of the patient. The third stage is characterized by a high dependence on alcohol; the woman drinks constantly and this becomes her way of life. There are disturbances in the psyche and functions of many organs. Treatment at this stage is quite difficult, failures and deaths often occur.

Consequences of alcoholism in women

What does female alcoholism lead to? Alcohol addiction in women is serious phenomenon, which can lead to irreversible consequences. A woman raises children and takes care of her husband, but in this state it is impossible to do this. Female alcoholism destroys families, leads to divorce, violence, and mental disorders in children. In families where the mother drank, most often the children will also suffer from addiction to alcohol. If this disease is not treated in time, the consequences may become irreversible.

Female alcohol addiction develops at a high speed, therefore it affects the entire body and condition of the woman. Alcohol destroys not only the psyche, but also internal organs, often becoming a cause of death. The consequences of alcoholism in women include toxic alcoholic encephalopathy with brain damage. Patients may suffer from polyneuropathy, in which the structure and functioning of all peripheral nerves are disrupted. A significant decrease in intelligence and reaction may also occur, mental illness.

Among the pronounced consequences of female alcoholism one can single out delirium tremens. During a fever, a woman does not control her actions and hallucinations are observed. Alcohol damages the liver and causes toxic hepatitis, and then . It also develops against this background renal failure, damage to the pancreas and stomach. Alcohol addiction in women affects the heart and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. Severe intoxication can cause poor circulation in the limbs, causing gangrene with the possibility of further amputation of the limbs. The consequences of alcoholism in women are very severe and terrible, so it is better to start treating the disease in the first stages.

Treatment of female alcoholism

To overcome alcohol addiction, a woman must first realize that she is sick and needs treatment. Until she understands this, it will be useless to treat her. At the first stage, a woman needs to be surrounded with attention and care. She must feel that her loved ones need her, that she is loved and appreciated. Try to talk to the patient and reach him when he is in a more sober state. The phenomenon of female alcoholism can only be defeated together.

Under no circumstances should you put pressure on a person who suffers from alcoholism. To cope with female alcoholism, you need to simply and clearly explain your experiences to the patient, show your concern about her condition and health. You cannot leave a drinking woman alone and blame her for alcoholism. You need to treat it with understanding and patience. The husband and children must provide full support and care to their wife and mother.

When a woman agrees to treatment for her addiction, she must immediately go to a special drug treatment hospital, where she will be provided with the necessary therapy and assistance. Treatment should only be done by a doctor, no conspiracies or traditional methods will not help with this. Only complex therapy methods can overcome female alcohol addiction.

Alexey Magalif, psychiatrist-narcologist
The problem of alcoholism should not be solved in the family. Close people should not make a diagnosis themselves and call the patient an alcoholic. This is why there is a psychiatrist. He must understand the reasons why the woman started drinking, what worries her, why she started drinking in such quantities. Only after identifying the causes of alcoholism can treatment for the disease begin. Treating alcoholism in women with a drip and coding will not completely solve the problem. You need to fight alcoholism in a comprehensive manner.

How to cure female alcoholism? Treatment depends on the stage of the disease and its consequences. It should include specialized psychological and psychotherapeutic assistance, detoxification therapy, and medications that create a woman’s aversion to alcohol. Another method of treating female alcoholism is treatment for alcoholism, when the patient is injected under the skin with drugs that block opioid receptors in the brain. The higher the dose, the longer the duration of the medicine. Hypnosis and psychotherapy can effectively help in the fight against female alcoholism. In more severe stages of the disease, the patient may require treatment of many internal organs.

You should not think that after treating alcoholism in a clinic, the patient’s recovery process is over. Female alcoholism can be treated, but the process is not easy. You need to provide strong support to your to a loved one. A woman should do her favorite thing and avoid alcohol consumption to avoid breakdowns. Relatives and friends should show care and attention as often as possible in order to restore the patient’s psyche. Most often, patients continue to be observed by a psychotherapist and undergo necessary therapy. In order for a woman to finally recover and forget about alcohol, her close people must constantly be nearby and show their love.

Sources:

The influence of alcoholism and tobacco smoking on the course of pregnancy and perinatal outcome of childbirth / A. A. Orazmuradov, V. E. Radzinsky, P. P. Ogurtsov, etc. // Narcology. 2007.
Guzikov B.M., Meiroyan A.A. Alcoholism in women. L.: Medicine, 1988. 224 p.
Agrawal, A., Dick, D. M., Bucholz, K. K., Madden, P. A., Cooper, M. L., Sher, K. J., & Heath, A. C. (2008). Drinking expectations and motives: a genetic study of young adult women. Addiction, 103(2), 194-204.
Lushev N.E. Social and psychological aspects of alcoholism in women // Actual problems narcology. - Mat. All-Union scientific conf. Young scientists and specialists. Kyiv. - 1986.
Trim, R. S., Allen, R., Fukukura, T., Knight, E., … Kreikenaum, S. (2011a). A prospective evaluation of how a low level of response to alcohol predicts later heavy drinking and alcohol problems. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 37, 479–486.
Altshuler V.B. Some results of a clinical study of alcoholism in women. //Addiction issues. 1995. -No. 2.

Female alcoholism is the result of a number of different causes, which, in turn, are closely intertwined with the causes of male alcoholism, which gives grounds, in general, to equate the provoking factors. Meanwhile, female alcoholism has one extremely important distinctive feature in this comparison. Our article today is about what this difference is, about the stages of alcoholism and the features of its treatment in women.

Causes of female alcoholism

Returning to what we started, we note that the difference between female and male alcoholism stated above is that its basis in women is emotional and psychological, which determines its characteristics. When even a small amount of alcohol gets into our body (and more specifically, into our brain), it has a corresponding effect, which in particular affects the neurotransmitter system. Against the background of this effect, drinking alcohol is accompanied by euphoria, relaxation and general calm. It is precisely the listed features of the impact that in the overwhelming majority of cases determine the desire to use this particular remedy to distract from problems and for relaxation. Considering that women are more flexible psychologically, their ability to skillfully balance between states of brain activation due to alcohol and depression is determined, which in particular relates to the doses consumed.

Delving into the reasons against which female alcoholism develops, we can make a comprehensive generalization into two main categories for all factors that serve as their basis, in particular these are psychological and physical reasons. Let's take a closer look at these options.

Psychological reasons:

The predisposition of women on an emotional level to solve problems associated with the state against a background of stress without the involvement of strangers. Here, in particular, we can consider the almost usual way of relieving stress through “get-togethers” with friends, which, in turn, are almost traditionally accompanied by drinking alcohol (seeing a doctor, as is clear, is excluded; a problem of one kind or another is solved at the specified social and everyday level ).
An increased level of stress load, which in general, in certain conditions, falls on the female body.
High level importance social factors and society in general. In this case, it means the acceptance of certain forced positions to which certain life circumstances predispose, as well as the role that a woman adheres to against their background. Because of this, in turn, an excess load arises, which a woman is often unable to adequately bear. As an example, we can cite a situation in which, based on the prevailing model of behavior in society, a woman cannot show her weakness because of the “wrongness” of such behavior. As a result, the load becomes excessive, and an easy path to relaxation helps to get rid of it, which, as is clear, goes through alcohol.
The existing model of a woman’s perception of other female representatives who drink alcohol is hostility towards them. Because of this internal contradiction, reinforced by other accompanying factors, everyday drunkenness among women has a hidden form. Because of this situation, additional stress arises, which, this time, is associated with the need to hide one’s own addiction. Such vicious circle leads not only to an increase in overall stress state women, but also to the fact that alcohol begins to be consumed in even larger quantities.

Physical reasons:

less water in a woman’s body, due to which the concentration of alcohol in it is higher;
less muscle mass, due to which severe intoxication occurs;
achieving the required antidepressant result by drinking less alcohol, resulting in the formation of an illusory perception regarding the safety of this method of dealing with stress;
increased degree of absorption of ethanol, caused by hormonal characteristics inherent in the female body.

In general, continuing to consider the causes of female alcoholism, we cannot help but dwell on some of its other, no less important features. So, for example, the first of them is that the loss of loved ones is perceived by a woman much more deeply (this applies to such examples as, for example, divorce, loss of a child, etc.). Against the backdrop of this kind of stress, women seek to escape reality using improvised means, which, as is clear, is considered alcohol. Next is the awareness of some “underrealization”, missed opportunities, family troubles and the general way of life (suspicions about the husband’s mistress, the passage of time and the passing of youth, sacrificing a career for the current role of a housewife, etc.).

An equally common reason for female alcoholism is career. Having completely devoted herself to the role of a successful businesswoman, a woman, meanwhile, loses an equally important role - the role of a happy woman and mother, in other words, against the background of success within her professional activity, she suffers personal life, which can also cause the subsequent formation of an addiction to drinking alcoholic beverages, due to which this kind of inferiority is drowned out. Inferiority is considered both in the context of the general way of life and in the context of considering oneself as an individual, which in both cases aggravates the essence of the problem.

An equally significant role is given to problems of other social scales. In particular, this is a certain specificity of professional activity and the difficulties that accompany it, these are the financial difficulties that, for one reason or another, a woman has to face, these are, in the end, the features of the initially laid and reinforced foundations in terms of education and upbringing. A common problem with the listed options is the presence of a woman in any of the social circles drinking men. At particular risk, oddly enough, are also women in leadership positions (which we have already discussed in the context of the definition of businesswomen), as well as women in similar positions in companies directly involved in the production of alcoholic beverages or in their sale. The presence of certain nervous diseases, as well as mental illnesses, attitudes towards criminal activity or prostitution - all this also causes the formation of an addiction to alcohol in women.

Regardless of the examples that readers themselves can add to the listed options, the relevance of the problem of female alcoholism, unfortunately, will not decrease, and any of the factors considered can play a leading role in the formation of such addiction. Based on approximate statistical data, it is known that female alcoholism, especially within recent years, is considered quite serious problem. Again, based on these data, it is known that about 25% of women who drink alcohol do so systematically, and 45% of women even drink alcohol during binge periods. In approximately 4% of cases, women drink alcohol periodically (“on occasion”) and about 28% of the total number of drinkers balance within periods of abstinence, alternating with binge drinking (we can also talk about daily drinking). It seems that there is little point in focusing readers’ attention on the fact that such figures seem at least frightening.

Features of female alcoholism

Despite the presence of general parallels with male alcoholism, female alcoholism, of course, has a number of its own characteristics, and although we discussed some of them a little higher, it would not be amiss to reveal the issue concerning them in more detail.

First of all, the point here is the peculiarities of women’s addiction to alcohol. Thus, in particular, it is known that full-fledged dependence and corresponding addiction to alcohol - all this develops in women much faster than in men. So, if in order to obtain the status of an alcoholic a man needs to drink alcohol regularly for a period of 7 to 10 years, then addiction in women, which causes subsequent dependence, occurs much faster - about 5 years.

What is noteworthy is that the symptoms of alcoholism in women begin to develop so rapidly that treatment due to this feature is associated with a number of difficulties. Based on such a rapid addiction to alcohol in the female body, it is not surprising that the effect on the state of the body also occurs in a more pronounced and rapid form. Among the most common pathologies relevant for female alcoholics are various pathologies of the pancreas and liver.

Due to the influence of alcohol, a woman loses the ability to behave adequately, as a result of which she is assigned the status of a cheeky person, which, in turn, leads to the consolidation of another side that characterizes a woman no less clearly - commitment to promiscuity. Due to lack necessary hygiene of this type of relationship, certain sexually transmitted diseases, as well as diseases of the genitourinary system, become frequent companions of alcoholism. Based on a number of data concerning medical studies regarding female alcoholics, it was revealed that only 10% of them can “boast” normal condition functions of the gonads. As for the rest of the women, here the picture in a certain direction is not only depressing, but also irreversible. In particular, we are talking about motherhood, or more precisely, about the inability to do so. This limitation is due to the fact that, against the background of alcohol abuse, women experience degeneration of ovarian tissue into adipose tissue, resulting in loss of reproductive function.

But that's not all. No less serious consequences are caused by female alcoholism and in part gradual development mental disorders, and these disorders are only intensified under the influence of alcohol consumed by a woman. Changes also affect character traits, which manifest themselves in hysteria and nervousness, selfishness and aggressiveness. Significantly earlier in women (compared to men) with alcoholism, encephalopathy develops, which causes further personality degradation and the development of dementia.

Female alcoholism: stages

Alcoholism develops in accordance with certain stages, in accordance with them there is a transition from a period of minimal dependence, in which doses of alcohol consumption are small, to a period of absolute loss of self-control, within which alcohol consumption is accompanied by personality disintegration in combination with actual somatic pathologies. Let us highlight specific stages of the process of alcoholization, and note that in their consideration we are talking about already formed alcoholism, in which, accordingly, there is already a dependence on alcohol.

First stage consists of loss of control over the dosage of alcohol. In everyday life, this pattern of alcohol consumption is called “ignorance of the limit/norm.” Basically, intoxication has a fairly pronounced form during each episode of alcohol consumption, while concomitant psychoneurological disorders of one type or another are absent at this stage, and, as a rule, a certain self-criticism remains. Meanwhile, regardless of the severity of the situation within this stage, not every woman is ready to admit the fact that she is simply drinking herself to death.

Second phase characterized by the formation of a hangover or withdrawal syndrome. This is due to the fact that a certain kind of changes have already occurred in the body against the background of alcohol abuse, and changes on a very significant scale, such that as a result of which tolerance to ethanol has increased, and therefore in order to achieve the usual state of intoxication with the accompanying consequences, it is necessary to large dose of alcohol. As a result, the higher the dose, the more intense the poisoning caused by acetaldehyde becomes, and this, in turn, causes an even more severe form of intoxication of the body.

Based on the actual processes of this stage, characteristic changes occur in a woman’s appearance, in particular they consist in the development of puffiness of the face and redness of the skin, lips become swollen, and eyes take on the appearance of slits. Also, purple spots or bluish spots appear on the skin, bruises form under the eyes, the eyes may shine, but at the same time there is a general unhealthy appearance. A drinking woman stops taking care of herself, her hair is tangled and greasy. Due to the rapid disappearance of fatty tissue while drinking alcohol, women’s legs, arms and shoulders lose their inherent smoothness in movement, and excessive muscularity develops due to this type of loss.

It should be noted that the appearance of a woman who abuses alcohol changes not only quite quickly, but also irrevocably; she literally becomes decrepit day after day. Again, women suffer from the effects of alcohol on the female body and hair, which begins to fall out and turn gray quite early, as well as teeth - they, in turn, crumble greatly. In addition, shortness of breath becomes a frequent accompaniment of female alcoholism, and, as one can understand, corresponding, negative changes in character appear. It should also be noted here that the listed changes are relevant to the second stage, which is characterized by a greater degree of severity of the course, which, accordingly, complicates the subsequent treatment of female alcoholism at this stage.

Concerning third stage, then here alcohol affects almost everything, from emotional manifestations to physiological manifestations. The main symptom corresponding to this stage of female alcoholism is binge drinking.

Female beer alcoholism

This type of alcoholism in most cases is perceived by our fellow citizens as a matter of course, moreover, as a normal and safe phenomenon that has nothing in common with alcoholism. Meanwhile, this is not at all the case, and in this section we will briefly explain why, also highlighting the main symptoms, stages and features of beer alcoholism in women.

The formation of an addiction to beer usually begins with a standard scenario in which low-alcohol drinks are used as a means of relaxation. We can only talk about one bottle a day, however, due to the apparent harmlessness of this method of relaxation, beer is consumed daily.

Thus, drinking one or two bottles of this type of alcohol per day, a woman does not feel any special changes in her own body, nor does she feel the danger associated with drinking beer. All that accompanies drinking alcohol is euphoria and a certain feeling of intoxication. As in any similar scheme (take, for example, drug addiction), the sensations experienced during intoxication are fixed in the brain, and this is also accompanied by the emergence of a desire to repeat these sensations again and again. At this stage, it is advisable to consider the transition to the next stage of alcoholism. According to the same scheme and for the same reason, the doses of alcohol taken are gradually increased, reaching about several liters per day. In the future, there is a risk of subsequently increasing the dosage or switching to more “serious” drinks, because beer does not provide the opportunity to achieve the desired effect in the same volume. Meanwhile, as you can see, it is beer that acts as a kind of springboard for alcoholism as such.

The addiction to beer in women (as well as in men) develops imperceptibly, and the addiction manifests itself much faster than in cases of drinking other types of alcohol. For the most part, the basis for this is the attractive taste characteristics, as well as the already noted imaginary harmlessness attributed to beer in comparison with other types of alcohol.

As for the symptoms accompanying beer alcoholism, they are for the most part similar to the symptoms that appear when drinking another type of alcohol. Let us highlight a number of signs on the basis of which a preliminary diagnosis of “beer alcoholism” is made:

beer is consumed by a woman in quantities exceeding 1 liter per day;
within the framework of the so-called “sober” periods, a woman becomes angry and aggressive;
disruption of events and meetings during which it was planned to drink beer leads to severe anger and irritability;
headaches become common;
beer acts as a kind of stimulant that ensures a woman’s normal mood;
during the daytime, drowsiness is noted, while at night, on the contrary, insomnia is relevant;
Without the need to drink beer, a woman cannot rest and relax normally.

As for the external manifestations that accompany beer alcoholism, they are similar to the symptoms already discussed earlier and are as follows:

constant weakness and lethargy;
puffiness;
untidiness;
cyanosis of the lips, swelling of the lips (explained by the increased load placed on the kidneys);
disproportionate thinness of the lower extremities;
early aging of the skin and the appearance of wrinkles on it, as well as early aging skin.

In addition, due to significant volumes of beer consumption, women become masculine, which is accompanied by characteristic symptoms. In particular, this is a change in figure in accordance with specified sign, “beer mustache”, deepening of the voice. Hair may also begin to grow in the face or chest area.

The accelerated pattern of the process of destruction of the female body by alcohol is determined by the characteristics of natural female enzymes, which differ from male enzymes in their own activity in terms of the breakdown of alcohol and its deactivation.

Among the physiological manifestations of the symptoms of beer alcoholism, the following points can be distinguished:

reduced reproductive function;
depression;
development chronic diseases, relevant for internal organs (kidneys, heart, liver, etc.);
development of diseases of the nervous system.

Due to disruption of tissue nutrition in the body, as well as damage to small nerves by alcohol, a woman’s intelligence gradually decreases, memory loss occurs and, ultimately, dementia develops. Interest in everything that happens around is lost, and the main goal of existence (not life, but existence) becomes getting, in one way or another, the next and next portion of beer.

As for the psychological symptoms relevant to beer alcoholism, here women face problems in the form of internal psychological soul-searching and depression, they also become moody and tearful. Among other things, the maternal instinct decreases, any desire to take care of the family also disappears, which, again, is dictated by new goals in a woman’s life. Against the background of beer alcoholism, absolute degradation of personality develops, within which understanding of one’s own situation is lost.

To say that female alcoholism is incurable is, of course, incorrect. Meanwhile, it can be quite difficult to change a person’s perception regarding his or her established belief that alcohol is an effective means of dealing with severe forms of anxiety, as well as with various adversities in one or another area of life. It is also difficult to change the attitude of patients towards their own condition and to convince them of the need for treatment of alcoholism due to its established relevance, which is not always recognized by patients.

In a situation where a person (in our case, a woman, although this certainly applies to men) feels that drinking alcohol leads to relief, it can be argued that there is already real problem with alcohol. If alcohol consumption develops into a habit, this, accordingly, also determines the relevance of the problem. And, finally, when there is a feeling that there is not enough alcohol (in one form or another) to ensure normal and adequate well-being, then we are no longer talking about just a problem, but about alcoholism as such. It is the awareness of the problem, regardless of the scale of its relevance, that is the main step in the treatment of alcoholism.

Returning to treatment, we repeat that the disease, namely alcoholism, can be treated, but you need to start treatment as early as possible. The point, as the reader was able to understand, is the rapid progression of degradation against the background of alcoholism in women, not to mention other related problems. Separately, the emotional degree of involvement of a woman is also taken into account, this also includes dependence on the current opinion of the environment, self-hypnosis. Again, the lack of particular discrimination in sexual relations, which is eliminated by alcohol, also does not add attractiveness to the overall picture of alcoholism. By the way, during the period of so-called “enlightenment” (time without drinking alcohol, a pause in the form of a state of sobriety), a woman, delving into the features own behavior during the period of alcoholic euphoria and oblivion, he is usually faced with a pronounced feeling of guilt, bordering on self-destruction, which, in turn, provokes a subsequent return to alcoholic libations for relief. Thus, without assistance in the form of appropriate treatment, a woman is simply forced to be in such a vicious and vicious circle.

In general, methods of treating female alcoholism can be called traditional. In particular, this is treatment in a drug treatment center, coding, aversive therapy, and psychocorrection. The use of traditional methods of treatment, homeopathic medicines, and dietary supplements is also allowed. Moreover, in some cases, a combination of methods is possible, based on which there is a high probability of achieving successful results. Let's look at some methods of treating alcohol addiction in women.

Coding and common methods of combating female alcoholism

Coding determines either the provision of a certain psychological impact, or the formation of a ban on alcohol consumption through conditioned reflex, arising as a response to the actual disulfiram-ethanol reaction. It is also possible to combine a psychotherapeutic method with a certain medicinal effect on the woman’s body.

Regardless of we're talking about about a suggestion session or about drug procedure, coding for alcoholism is initially based on communication with the patient, as well as on compiling an anamnesis of the disease we are considering. In some cases, you may also need data obtained by interviewing relatives in certain areas.

Regardless of the coding method, the patient’s consent to it is a prerequisite for its implementation. Before the procedure, the doctor explains all those points that are relevant in it, the emphasis is placed not only on a possible positive result, but also on what consequences and complications may occur during coding. Also, before coding, the patient must avoid drinking alcohol for a certain period of time; the duration of such a period can range from 2-5 days to 2 weeks.

The duration of the coding period is determined individually, taking into account the medical history and characteristics of the patient’s condition; in general, coding is possible for a period from one month to five years.

Torpedo. This coding method involves intravenous administration of a prolonged form of disulfiram. If a woman begins to drink alcohol after this, then the gradual release of disulfiram will provoke a sharp and immediate formation of a corresponding reaction, in which it is necessary to provide medical care. Treatment of female alcoholism, reviews of which relate to this method, the nature of its effectiveness is very contradictory; there are many negative opinions about it. Thus, in the West it has not been used for a long time due to the fragility of the result, as well as due to the serious harm it causes to patients on a psychological level. However, there is also no need to talk about the lack of effectiveness, because the method is quite suitable for its implementation.

Dovzhenko's method. This method is the very first in coding; it involves influencing the patient through his consciousness. Initially, the psychotherapeutic effect occurs within the framework of group therapy, then it is provided on an individual basis, for which both psychological and physical measures are used.

Esperal. In this case, either Esperal gel is administered (parenterally - injections that prevent their entry into the gastrointestinal tract), or a special type of tablet is sewn in. Disulfiram, which acts as an active substance, is slowly released when drinking alcohol, provokes a corresponding reaction from the body, against the background of which a negative attitude towards alcohol is formed in patients. The method is easy to implement and is quite in demand; in addition, it the positive side is also long-term effectiveness (up to 5 years). The method is good for those patients who have successfully undergone previous prescribed by a doctor a period of sobriety as a measure of preparation for the procedure. Esperal can also be taken in the form of tablets, but although this method is the simplest, in this case it is very easy to fail in the systematic use of them, as well as in drinking alcohol.

Hypnosis. This method in the treatment of alcoholism is the most various options author's hypnosis techniques. Their goal is based on introducing the patient into a controlled state of hypnosis, in which bringing him to a borderline state is accompanied by instilling in him thoughts of negative content regarding alcoholism while simultaneously forming a negative attitude towards any type of alcoholic beverages.

Aversive therapy, namely, it implies the listed coding options, is often accompanied by a number of additional problematic issues. For example, patients often develop various phobias, they also develop fears regarding fermentation products, and they also develop fears regarding skin contact with any liquids that contain alcohol.

Another disadvantage of these measures is the treatment of the manifestations of the disease, but not the impact on the causes that provoked it. Considering this feature, in the treatment of alcoholism, it is preferable to use any of these methods as the initial stage of treatment, due to which certain time It will be possible to ensure the restoration of the normal functioning of the body as a whole, and also to enable the patient to take a sober (literally and figuratively) approach to understanding her own life.

Joseph Addison

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The female body, by its nature, is more resistant to alcohol addiction than the male one, but at the same time it is susceptible to one hundred percent and extremely stable addiction. It has long been considered incurable. Alcoholism is not just a bad habit, it is a serious disease fraught with serious consequences for the female body and mental state.

45% of women in Russia drink daily, and 22% drink heavily. This is a scary statistic. But the most difficult thing is that about 80% do not want to admit it and start treatment. Help often comes late, since female alcoholism occurs in hidden forms. Let us consider in detail the four stages of chronic alcoholism in women.

It is with the consumption of beer that the process of the female body becoming accustomed to alcohol begins. The fermentation products contained in beer are converted into alcohols, which we know as “fusel oils”. The main component of beer is hops, a relative of cannabis, a drug banned in all developed countries.

Drinking beer stimulates an increase in estrogen in the female body, leading to a strong sexual desire. The consequences are breast and genitourinary cancer.

Beer alcoholism in women is very difficult to treat.

Symptoms of female alcoholism

Stages of the disease

At first everything looks innocent. A mug of beer or a glass of vodka, an intimate conversation with friends, inducing a state of joy and freedom. This is prodromal; just one month is enough to enter the first stage.

The first stage of alcoholism is characterized by daily consumption of alcohol-containing drinks. So far, little by little, but with enviable regularity. As a result of drinking alcohol, depression increases and irritability increases. A woman is constantly looking for a reason to drink. The reflex associated with the rapid achievement of positive sensations is consolidated. There is a complete lack of awareness of one's own illness.

Treatment of the disease

There is no need to believe the prevailing opinion that alcoholism in women is incurable. You just need to, without delay, contact specialized medical institutions.

Coding is widely used as a treatment method. There are both psychotherapeutic methods (Dovzhenko, Shichko) and medications (“Torpedo”, “Esperal”). Some resort to hypnotic coding. The main thing is to come voluntarily, otherwise the therapy will not achieve the desired effect.

Women suffering from alcoholism should know that there is a way out of this vicious circle. You need to realize your illness, and help will definitely come.

Thank you for your feedback

Comments

Megan92 () 2 weeks ago

Has anyone succeeded in ridding their husband of alcoholism? My drink never stops, I don’t know what to do anymore ((I was thinking about 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 was able to wean my husband off alcohol; now he doesn’t drink at all, even on holidays.

Megan92 () 13 days ago

Daria () 12 days ago

Megan92, that’s what I wrote in my first comment) I’ll duplicate it just in case - link to article.

Sonya 10 days ago

Isn't this a scam? Why do they sell on the Internet?

Yulek26 (Tver) 10 days ago

Sonya, what country do you live in? They sell it on the Internet because stores and pharmacies charge outrageous markups. In addition, payment is only after receipt, that is, they first looked, checked and only then paid. And now they sell everything on the Internet - from clothes to TVs and furniture.

Editor's response 10 days ago

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

Sonya 10 days ago

I apologize, I didn’t notice the information about cash on delivery at first. Then everything is fine if payment is made upon receipt.

Margo (Ulyanovsk) 8 days ago

Has anyone tried traditional methods to get rid of alcoholism? My father drinks, I can’t influence him in any way ((

Andrey () A week ago

I haven’t tried any folk remedies, my father-in-law still drinks and drinks

Ekaterina A week ago

I tried to give my husband a decoction of bay leaves (she said it was good for the heart), but within an hour he left with the men to drink. I no longer believe in these folk methods...

The very serious problem of female alcoholism, which destroys families, destroys the health and psyche of a woman, can only be treated when the patient herself has realized that alcohol is deadly for her, and if you continue in the same vein, continue to drink alcohol uncontrollably, then the fatal outcome will not occur. just around the corner. A drinking woman represents a terrible picture of the degradation of the human personality, and it is very important to prevent a person from reaching such a state.

What is female alcoholism

Experts disagree on precise definitions concepts, however, any alcoholism, including female alcoholism, is a serious chronic illness, akin to drug or substance abuse, which destroys a person both physically and morally. In women, the process of addiction to alcohol and intoxication with the same doses of alcohol occurs faster than in men, since they less weight body and the total amount of fluid in the body.

Female alcohol addiction in Russia has acquired alarming proportions, akin to an epidemic outbreak - during the first decade of the 21st century, the number of patients susceptible to alcohol addiction at various stages, according to statistical surveys, increased fivefold. If we consider that many women are ashamed of their addiction and do not go to see drug addiction specialists, then the picture will be much sadder.

Features

A common stereotype says that women are tougher than men, they tend to endure better stressful situations, and their pain threshold is, on average, higher. The same opinion carries over to drinking alcohol - society tends to believe that women’s self-control is higher than men’s in terms of resistance to alcohol. However, the peculiarities of female alcoholism include the fact that the weaker sex is much more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than the stronger sex; women develop dependence on alcohol more quickly, and drinking has a stronger effect on them.

If society treats men who drink much more leniently - they say, the man has problems, so he is filled with grief, then an alcoholic woman causes universal contempt and condemnation, everyone believes that she is to blame for everything, since she does not know how to control herself. This attitude forces women to hide their painful craving for alcohol for a long time, even from loved ones, so the problem is often discovered when the disease is already difficult to treat.

Can female alcoholism be cured?

Back in Soviet times, there was a saying that alcohol addiction in women was incurable. Is this really so and can this disease really not be cured? If you look at the problem more broadly, you can see that women’s craving for alcohol is similar to the need of a drug addict to get another dose. There are special clinics for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts; many people leave them in a state of stable remission, which means that treatment for female alcoholism is also possible. In this situation, the most important thing is the patient’s persistent desire to overcome her destructive passion.

Signs of alcoholism in women

Unfavorable heredity plays a big role: if close older relatives on the mother’s or father’s side abused alcohol, then there is a high probability that their heiress will also suffer from a craving for alcoholic beverages. In addition, the patient will deny for a very long time that she has developed an unhealthy constant need to regularly take “on the breast.” Notice for yourself that she has alarming symptoms, she won’t be able to, so family and friends should start sounding the alarm if they notice the following signs of alcoholism in women:

constant search for a reason to “use”, which can be absolutely anything;
constant smell of alcohol from the breath, while a woman may try to disguise it;
open bottles of alcohol hidden here and there throughout the house;
beer alcoholism in women can manifest itself as a desire to drink more and more beer or wine, because the initial dose no longer brings the necessary satisfaction;
hand tremors, convulsive desire to drink, even without a snack.

Signs of female alcoholism on the face

Alcohol, like any drug, has a detrimental effect on the body, so it is no wonder that the following signs of female alcoholism on the face become noticeable:

the complexion becomes gray, the eyes become bloodshot and cloudy;
a woman’s face swells, becomes puffy, and her cheeks become puffy;
a venous network appears around the nose;
the alcoholic no longer takes care of her appearance, hair may be dirty, disheveled, unkempt;
in the final stages, the face may turn yellow - this is a sign that the liver has stopped coping with shock doses of toxins poisoning it and has begun to fail;
the patient looks much older than her age, features female face lose their clarity, teeth begin to fall out.

The first signs of alcoholism in women

Despite the desire of female alcoholics to hide their craving for alcohol, it is not at all difficult to notice the first signs of alcoholism in women. They dashingly knock back glass after glass, considering this an achievement, their behavior becomes more and more cheeky, their face becomes flushed with blood, they stop taking care of themselves, and quickly lose control of the situation. Friends, instead of neutralizing the situation, encourage excessive libations. The circle of the patient begins to be limited to those people who are also intemperate to alcohol.

The female psyche is very vulnerable to alcohol-containing drinks. The disease is manifested by changes in the patient’s behavior - she becomes hysterical, psychopathic tendencies appear in her character, and a tendency to rudely cut off those who try to make comments to her about her addiction to alcohol. She can withdraw into herself, or, conversely, become unrestrained, swear, rush into fights, and become promiscuous in sexual relations.

Causes of female alcoholism

The change in the role of a woman as a housewife to that of a breadwinner and source of material well-being in the family, coupled with the persistent tendency in society to put as many responsibilities as possible on women’s shoulders, is not something that everyone can withstand. Permanent economic crises in our country aggravate the matter, forcing women to try to somehow make ends meet and look for new sources of income for themselves and their children. Not everyone survives this obstacle race, so among the causes of female alcoholism, doctors identify the following:

depressive psychological condition, a tendency to neuroses caused by external reasons;
various discord in the family or at work, problems with children, husband or relatives;
material disadvantage, causing a desire to “forget yourself” with the help of a bottle;
physiological factors - slow female metabolism contributes to the retention of alcohol in the body, causing the desire to drink frequently;
emptiness in life, when there is nothing else to do, the absence of a favorite thing.

Stages of alcoholism

Narcologists distinguish three stages of alcoholism in women, which can smoothly and imperceptibly pass from one to another:

First stage. At this stage, the degradation changes are still invisible - you can only see that the patient drinks more and more, trying to somehow hide it from others.
Second stage. It is characterized by the development of a hangover syndrome, the absence of vomiting due to alcohol abuse, memory loss, progressive changes in the psyche, brain function, and mood swings. A woman becomes asocial, her thinking and quality of life change, she loses her job, problems arise with relatives, she may start stealing, lead a riotous lifestyle, and ceases to be interested in children.
Last stage. The patient practically loses her human appearance, intellectual abilities, already remembers almost nothing. At this stage, the disease is difficult to treat, since it is accompanied by irreversible pathologies in the internal organs.

Diagnosis of female alcoholism

Since any tests may indicate concomitant diseases, but not alcohol dependence, narcologists are guided by the following signs when diagnosing female alcoholism:

Alcohol is the most valuable item for the patient; she is ready to endlessly discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this or that drink.
The patient always drinks more than she originally intended, unable to control herself.
Drinks regardless common sense, pressure from family, society, your immediate needs.
The patient has withdrawal symptoms.

How to deal with female alcoholism

Since narcologists deal with a variety of stages of the disease, the mental and physiological state of patients, it is necessary to combat female alcoholism on an individual basis. The patient must understand that she has a serious problem, trouble, and sincerely want to get well, making every effort to do so. The help of loved ones in this case plays a big role. Alcohol addiction can be relieved with medication in special dispensaries, where doctors use effective measures and brain coding tools to relieve psychological cravings.

Consequences of alcoholism in women

An excessive craving for alcohol destroys a person from all sides, so the consequences of alcoholism in women are terrible - complete degradation of a person occurs, loss of both physical and moral appearance. Apart from the craving for alcohol, the patient has no priorities, all social and family ties are gradually lost, no principles or values remain. The body is destroyed, unable to withstand constant shock toxic doses; the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain fail. Incontinence in sexual intercourse leads to sexually transmitted diseases.