Alcoholism in women: main signs and methods of treatment. Features of female alcoholism and ways of recovery Signs of a drinking woman

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Female alcoholism

Female alcoholism represents a pressing problem of modern society. According to various studies, the number of women with this disease in chronic form is Russian Federation makes up 15 percent of the total female population.

The main problem of female alcoholism

The key problem of female drunkenness is that this disease develops in women in a shorter time than in men. Rapid development alcohol addiction contributes to a number of features female body.

The reasons for the rapid development of alcoholism in women are:

increased susceptibility to stress;
decreased ability of the body to process alcohol;
lower percentage of water content in the body;
higher absorption of ethanol in some situations;
features of alcohol consumption by women.

Increased sensitivity to stress
The female psyche is more vulnerable than the male psyche. This feature leads to the fact that representatives of the fairer sex react more sharply to stress. Depression in women is longer lasting and often becomes chronic. One of the methods for dealing with stress for women is alcohol. Due to its effects, alcohol allows you to get rid of a depressive mood for a short time. But subsequently, acetaldehyde (a breakdown product of alcohol) provokes a number of negative changes in mental health. As a result, depression worsens after drinking alcohol. A vicious circle is formed.

Reduced ability of the body to process alcohol
The female body processes alcohol worse than the male body for the following reasons:

less amount of enzyme that breaks down alcohol;
decreased blood flow in the liver and spleen;
weak excretory function;
reduced blood-brain barrier.

The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase is responsible for the breakdown of alcohol after it enters the body. The male body contains twice as much of this substance as the female body. As a result, intoxication occurs faster in women, and the toxic effects of ethanol are more pronounced.
Another feature of the female body that worsens the process of neutralizing alcohol is slower blood flow in the liver and spleen. Because of this, the consequences of drinking alcohol appear faster and more vividly, and damage to these organs develops in a shorter period of time compared to men.
The excretory function of the skin and kidneys in women is significantly lower than in men. This slows down the process of removing alcohol breakdown products from the body, as a result of which women become dependent on alcohol much faster.
Blood-brain barrier (protection nervous system from chemicals and other harmful agents) are weaker in women than in men. For this reason, alcohol penetrates neurons faster and destroys them. Therefore, negative changes in the nervous system are diagnosed in women at an older age. early stages alcoholism.

Lower percentage of body water
On average, the proportion of water in a man's body is 60 percent of his total body weight. For women, this figure is 10 percent less. This leads to the fact that with the same amount of alcohol consumed, intoxication occurs faster in females.

Higher ethanol absorption in some situations
Hormonal changes in the body before the onset of menstruation provoke deterioration in mood, depression, and nervousness in many women. Often representatives of the fairer sex try to cope with this condition with the help of alcohol. The situation is complicated by the fact that drinking alcohol in the premenstrual period causes faster and more pronounced intoxication. This happens because before the onset of menstruation, the absorption function of the stomach increases.

Features of alcohol consumption by women
One of the distinguishing characteristics of female alcoholism is its secrecy. A man who abuses alcohol is not as condemned by modern society as a woman who drinks. Therefore, most often female representatives drink alone. For a long time, those around her are unaware of a woman’s addiction to alcohol. As a result, medical assistance is provided late, which significantly complicates treatment.

Signs of alcoholism in women

Signs of addiction to alcohol in women are changes in their appearance, behavior patterns, and relationships with others. Dependence also indicates that the disease is progressing emotional state from drinking alcohol. A change in the body's reaction to alcohol consumed is also a symptom of alcoholism.

Signs of alcoholism in a woman include:

increased craving for alcohol;
loss of control over the amount of alcohol consumed;
decreased defensive reaction to alcohol;
change in appearance;
change in behavioral pattern.

Increased craving for alcohol
One of the first and main symptoms of developing alcoholism is an increased craving for alcoholic beverages. To justify the desire to drink, a woman finds various excuses, which are often insignificant. The reason for drinking alcohol can be a minor incident at work or at home, the purchase of some item, or simply a bad mood. Without the opportunity to drink, a woman becomes irritable, nervous, and tearful. Drinking alcohol allows you to improve your mood for a while, take your mind off your worries and become more optimistic.

Loss of control over the amount of alcohol consumed
The initial stages of female alcoholism are characterized by the use of low-alcohol drinks (wine, liqueur, fruit liqueurs). To improve her mood, a woman needs a few glasses of the drink. As you get used to it, the body stops reacting to such volumes of alcohol. Therefore, to achieve the required state (euphoria, joy), the woman begins to increase the amount of alcohol. Taste preferences also change; a woman switches from wine or other light drinks to vodka, cognac, and whiskey. The quality of alcohol also changes with the progression of the disease. If at first a woman prefers more expensive drinks, then later the aging, taste and others quality characteristics cease to play a big role. The main criteria for drinking alcohol are its strength and availability.

Decreased defensive response to alcohol
Large doses of alcohol can cause severe intoxication and death. Therefore, healthy people have a protective reaction, which manifests itself in the form of vomiting when drinking alcohol excessively. As alcoholism develops, a person begins to get used to ethanol and its loading doses are no longer recognized by the body as poison. Therefore, one of the symptoms of this disease is the loss of the gag reflex when the standard alcohol limit is exceeded.

Change in appearance
Manifestations of alcoholism in women in terms of appearance are:

voice change;
pathological growth of hair;
premature skin aging;
unsatisfactory condition of hair on the head;
the presence of traces of burst blood vessels on the face;
absence of fat layer.

With the development of alcoholism, hormonal changes occur in a woman’s body. As a result, her voice becomes rougher. Hair may also begin to grow in areas that are not typical for the female body (back, chest, face).
Systematic consumption of alcohol interferes with the absorption of vitamins. This leads to the fact that the skin loses its elasticity and becomes flabby, the muscles lose their tone. These changes are especially pronounced on the face of a drinking woman. Vitamin deficiency provokes deterioration of the scalp. Hair begins to fall out, becomes dull and lifeless.

One of the symptoms of female alcoholism is dark red dots on the nose and other areas of the face. This occurs due to constant oxygen deprivation blood vessels and mass death of red blood cells when drinking alcohol.
The destruction of adipose tissue is another sign of female alcoholism. The figure of an alcoholic loses the contours characteristic of a woman and becomes masculine.

Changing Behavioral Pattern
Alcohol has a negative impact not only on the physiological, but also on the psycho-emotional aspects of the individual. In a sober state, a woman suffering from alcoholism is characterized by increased nervousness, aggressiveness, and irritability. When drinking alcohol, she becomes too active, talks loudly, laughs at inappropriate and “flat” jokes.
Under the influence of alcohol, a person’s priorities and values change. A woman who drinks stops spending time on her family, work, and hobbies. At the same time, she easily finds mutual language with strangers who share her addiction to alcohol. A common sign of female alcohol addiction is promiscuity.

Consequences of alcoholism in women

The consequences of systematic alcohol consumption for women are manifested various diseases. Alcohol has a negative impact on both physical and mental health. Alcoholism also harms a woman’s social status and leads to severe degradation.

The consequences of female alcoholism are:

liver and kidney damage;
disorders of the nervous system and psyche;
various diseases internal organs;
sexual problems and reproductive dysfunction;
loss of social status.

Liver and kidney damage
The size of the female liver is much smaller than the male one, and this organ produces much less of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol in women than in men. This leads to the fact that liver damage in female alcoholism occurs in a shorter period and is more pronounced. The most common pathologies are fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Alcohol has a negative effect on the functionality of the kidneys and adrenal glands. The consequences of alcoholism include pathological processes such as the formation of kidney stones, inflammation, and the development of malignant tumors. Often, alcohol abuse provokes a disease such as alcoholic nephropathy. This disease manifests itself as increased blood pressure (slightly), the presence of protein and blood in the urine, and swelling on the face. If left untreated, alcoholic nephropathy becomes chronic, which can lead to kidney failure.

Nervous system and mental disorders

Nerve cells are most susceptible to the harmful effects of alcohol. According to the testimony of pathologists (doctors who perform autopsies), the brains of women suffering from alcoholism are covered with scars, the gyri are smoothed out, and the frontal lobes atrophy. Particularly vulnerable are those areas of the brain that control thought processes, memory, speech, and logic. Intellectual abilities decrease, it becomes difficult for a woman to build complex sentences, and speech becomes primitive. Previously acquired skills are lost, and there is no motivation to gain new knowledge. All this leads to personality degradation.
Alcohol psychosis is a common consequence of female alcoholism. Auditory and visual hallucinations, delusions and other disorders of consciousness lead to the fact that a woman becomes dangerous to society. Often such people cause various injuries to themselves (in some cases to their loved ones) and attempt suicide.

Various diseases of internal organs
Alcohol causes complex damage to all organs and systems of the female body.

The consequences of alcoholism for women are:

Cardiovascular diseases. One of the common diseases among alcoholics is alcoholic cardiomyopathy (damage to the heart muscle, as a result of which its ability to contract is lost).
Diseases of the pancreas. Alcohol increases the outflow of bile and causes spasm of the ducts of this organ, which leads to the development of inflammatory processes.
Stomach pathologies. Ethanol destroys the gastric mucosa, as a result of which women who drink often suffer from gastritis.
Blood diseases. With systematic alcohol consumption, the quality of the blood is disrupted. Often, alcoholics develop hemolytic anemia due to the death of red blood cells.

Sexual problems and reproductive dysfunction
Under the influence of alcohol, a woman’s morality decreases, which leads to promiscuous intimate relationships without maintaining sexual hygiene. Often representatives of the fairer sex who are addicted to alcohol become infected with various sexually transmitted diseases. As alcoholism progresses, it reduces libido, and a woman loses interest in men due to frigidity.
Pathological changes also occur in the structure of the genital organs. The function of the ovaries weakens, and mutations occur in the eggs produced. All this leads to the fact that reproductive function weakens, and over time fades away completely. If a woman becomes pregnant, alcoholism often causes miscarriages, stillbirths, or the birth of premature babies. Children of alcoholic mothers are often born with various physiological and mental abnormalities.

Loss of social status
The social consequences of female alcoholism are more pronounced in comparison with male addiction. Systematic consumption of alcohol leads to the fact that a woman quickly loses her professional skills. The level of responsibility for one's own actions also decreases. Lateness, absenteeism, violations of discipline, making serious mistakes in the workplace - all this leads to job loss. Left without a livelihood, many drunken women commit crimes against the law. The loss of moral standards, combined with a lack of material resources, often leads to begging, theft, and prostitution.

Features of treatment of female alcoholism

Features of the treatment of alcohol dependence in women are based on the difference between male and female drunkenness. The female psyche is more vulnerable, so alcoholism in women most often develops against the background of psycho-emotional factors. Divorce or problems in your personal life, lack of professional self-realization and other similar circumstances provoke a desire to relax and escape from problems with the help of alcohol. Taking these points into account, the fight against female alcoholism should combine drug treatment and psychotherapy. Since women are more dependent on the opinions of others, therapy should also include work with family members.

Childhood and teenage alcoholism

Childhood and adolescent alcoholism is a disease that is characterized by the emergence of addiction to alcoholic beverages and dependence on them at the mental and physical levels.
Not every child or teenager who drinks alcohol is diagnosed with alcoholism. In pediatric narcology, alcohol use is divided into three main types.

Types of alcohol consumption by children and adolescents are:

experimental use;
occasional use;
systematic use.

Experimental use is said to occur when a child or teenager only tries alcohol once or twice.
Occasional drinking is considered if alcohol is consumed up to twice a month. Systematic consumption of alcohol - more than twice a month - by children's narcologists is recognized as the initial stage of alcoholism.

Causes of alcoholism in children and adolescents

One of the common causes of alcoholism in children and adolescents is currently genetic predisposition. In a family where at least one parent suffers from alcohol addiction, the risk of developing the disease in a child is four times higher than in a healthy family.

The causes of alcoholism in children and adolescents vary greatly depending on age.

The most critical age periods when addiction to alcohol appears are:

the period of intrauterine development and the period of the infant;
preschool age (5 – 7 years);
adolescence (starting from 13 – 14 years).

The period of intrauterine development and the infant period
During the period of intrauterine development and during the infant period, the development of alcoholism occurs unconsciously. When a pregnant woman regularly drinks alcohol, alcohol easily overcomes the placental barrier and circulates in the blood of the fetus. This causes various physical and mental abnormalities in the development of the fetus, including the development of intrauterine dependence (congenital alcoholism). Alcohol also has the ability to pass into the breast milk of a nursing mother. The risk of developing alcohol dependence in infants increases several times with alcoholic mothers.

Preschool age
IN preschool age Alcohol addiction in children develops as a result of parental irresponsibility.

The main reasons for the development of alcoholism in preschool age are:

parental addiction to alcoholic beverages – an alcoholic environment shapes children’s interest in alcohol;
frivolous attitude of parents towards alcohol – many parents let their children try sweet alcoholic drinks, thereby showing that it is not prohibited and even tasty;
parents' opinion about positive impact alcohol for sleep and appetite – parents often add alcohol to their child’s food or drink to increase appetite or improve digestion, to help them fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly.

Teenage years
Alcoholism in adolescence develops more consciously.

The most common causes of teenage alcoholism are:

problems within the family;
domestic violence;
death or loss of a loved one or animal;
the desire to imitate adults;
school problems;
peer violence;
failed loves;
desire to assert oneself in the company;
presence of uncontrollable amounts of money.

The availability and low cost of alcoholic beverages, as well as its popularization on television and in stores, further contributes to the development of the disease.

Stages of alcoholism in adolescents and children

The development of childhood and adolescent alcoholism can be divided into three distinct stages.

The stages of childhood alcoholism are:

Stage I – addiction;
Stage II – systematization and increasing doses;
Stage III – dependencies.

The first stage of development of teenage alcoholism lasts up to 5–6 months. During this period, the young body quickly gets used to alcohol.

At the second stage of the disease, an increase in the doses of alcohol consumed is observed. Children and teenagers begin to drink quite regularly and in large quantities. This stage can last about a year. Its main characteristic is a change in the behavior of the child/adolescent with the development of sociopathy.

The third stage of development of childhood alcoholism is the establishment of mental and physiological dependence on ethyl alcohol.

In the chronic course of the disease, withdrawal syndrome appears (withdrawal after stopping drinking alcohol). In children, withdrawal symptoms are more severe than in adults, but resolve over a shorter period of time.

The effect of alcohol on children's and adolescents' bodies

A young body, unlike an adult, is very vulnerable to the effects of ethyl alcohol (alcohol). For the normal breakdown of ethyl alcohol in the human body, there is a special enzyme (active substance) - alcohol dehydrogenase. In a young body, its activity is not sufficiently expressed, which contributes to the long-term toxic effects of alcohol on all tissues and organs.
Systemic consumption of alcoholic beverages leads to disruption of the development and functioning of vital systems and organs that have not yet been fully formed.

The systems and organs that are particularly affected by childhood and adolescent alcoholism are:

brain;
the cardiovascular system;
liver;
pancreas;
digestive system;
the immune system;
reproductive system.

Brain
Ethyl alcohol quickly penetrates the blood-brain barrier (the boundary between the blood and the brain matter), reaching high concentrations in the brain compared to the concentration of alcohol in the blood. Basic thought processes are disrupted with a decrease in intellectual capabilities. In children, concentration decreases and memory deteriorates. The processes of forming abstract thinking and logic are especially affected. Psychopathy gradually develops with increased excitability, temper and aggression.

The cardiovascular system
Alcohol negatively affects a child's heart tissue. The myocardium (muscle tissue of the heart) becomes “decrepit” and loses its elasticity. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (inflammation of the myocardium) develops quite quickly with severe disturbances in the rhythm and conduction of the heart. The child/adolescent has tachycardia (rapid heartbeat of more than 120 beats per minute) with constant shortness of breath. Blood pressure rises above 160/90 millimeters of mercury.
Chronic alcoholism leads to the development of heart failure with an increased risk of cardiac arrest.

Liver
The liver is the second organ that is most affected by alcohol addiction. Liver enzyme deficiency causes the liver to continually overwork. This leads to hyperplasia (degeneration) of the liver tissue and the development of toxic hepatitis (liver inflammation). Acute alcoholic hepatitis is accompanied by fever (temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius), jaundice, and liver pain.
In children, toxic hepatitis can quite quickly lead to the destruction of liver tissue and the development of cirrhosis. Liver failure appears with severe encephalopathy (brain damage).

Pancreas
Alcoholism in children and adolescents often develops acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Its main symptom is acute abdominal pain that appears after drinking alcohol. Repeated vomiting is possible.
Young children suffering from alcoholism may develop diabetes mellitus, which occurs in a particularly severe form.

Digestive system
Of the organs of the digestive system in children, the stomach is primarily affected with the development of acute gastritis. There are constant aching pains in the abdomen, nausea, infertility, and in boys - erectile dysfunction.

Secondly, due to alcoholism, there is often a premature onset of sexual activity with numerous unprotected sexual contacts. As a result, the risk of sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted diseases (viral hepatitis, HIV infection) increases.

Treatment of child and adolescent alcoholism

Treatment of childhood and adolescent alcoholism has a number of difficulties compared to adults.

The main difficulties in treating childhood alcoholism are:

difficulties in early diagnosis of the disease;
many medications used to treat alcoholism are contraindicated in children;
the need for strict hospital treatment;
individual psychological approach.

The first difficulty in treating childhood alcoholism is the late diagnosis of the disease. Most often, children who are in the second and third stages of the disease are admitted to the hospital. Such children experience irreversible disorders in brain function, which complicates their subsequent integration into normal life.
Another obstacle in the treatment of childhood alcoholism is the inability to use conventional medications due to age-related contraindications. Majority medicines have pronounced hepatotoxicity (affecting the liver) and nephrotoxicity (affecting the kidneys) side effect. For this reason, treatment of alcoholism in children involves the use of herbs and herbs with a general strengthening effect.

– 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 differs in a certain way from a similar addiction in men. Female alcoholism develops in a short time, accompanied by rapid mental degradation and rapid destruction of internal organs. It often occurs latently until stage II or III. The diagnosis of “female alcoholism” is made on the basis of anamnesis, interviews and tests for alcohol content in bodily fluids. Treatment - different kinds coding in combination with psychotherapy.

General information

Women's alcoholism is viewed more negatively in society than men's. Men who drink are encouraged to seek treatment, they try to educate them, and they take them to doctors. Women who drink are turned away. When the first signs of female alcoholism appear or even when information about regular drinking appears, in the absence of obvious physical and psychological changes, a woman has less chance of getting help and support from relatives and friends. In advanced cases, after the severance of ties with the previous environment and a drop in social level, the support of others in case of 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 who allow excessive intake of alcoholic beverages, 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 burden, combine promotion career ladder, performing household duties and caring for children. This leads to emotional breakdowns, which patients try to relieve with alcohol.

Female alcoholism can also arise due to other problems. In particular, women housewives sometimes begin to drink alcohol in order to dispel boredom caused by the monotony of everyday chores 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: infidelity of the husband, dissatisfaction with family relationships, violence, loss loved one, divorce, etc.

Sometimes alcohol consumption is provoked by loneliness, lack of close relationships and lack of time to start a family. Female alcoholism also often develops in the wives and cohabitants of alcoholics. At first, a woman begins to drink alcohol “for company” so as not to ruin the relationship and to 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, physical and moral degradation in such women occurs faster than in their husbands, who started drinking alcohol earlier. As a result, the husbands of the patients initiate divorces and find other partners, and the women left alone quickly sink to the very bottom.

On average, alcohol dependence in men occurs after 7-10 years of regular drinking; it takes only 5 years for women to develop alcoholism. The faster development of alcoholism is due to psychological and physical features the 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) is slower in women compared to 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 breakdown products penetrate into the brain in large quantities, quickly damage brain cells and destroy neural connections. This causes rapid mental degradation, deterioration of thinking, decreased 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 cheerfulness and enthusiasm when offered to arrange a feast, and independent initiation of alcohol consumption. A woman begins to drink alcohol at every opportunity, citing the need to relax after work, to celebrate some minor event, etc. Patients with female alcoholism drink on an equal basis with men. The dose required to achieve a state of intoxication gradually increases.

Some women drink alcohol secretly, trying not to be seen by their family and friends. In such cases, female alcoholism can be suspected on the basis of indirect signs: missing money, hidden full or empty bottles, some disheveled and “tired” appearance, the smell of alcohol, which patients try to cover up using chewing gum, candy, coffee beans, etc. d. Over time, a deepening of the voice occurs. With female alcoholism, the character changes, the woman becomes less balanced and less likely to show empathy. Scandals and inexplicable emotional breakdowns are becoming more frequent.

Female alcoholism, like male alcoholism, has three stages. At the first stage, the sense of proportion disappears, the individual “norm” necessary to achieve intoxication increases. Drinking alcohol becomes regular; a patient suffering from female alcoholism actively looks for reasons to drink. Nausea and vomiting disappear even after large doses of alcohol. Memory lapses appear. The next day after drinking alcohol, you experience a hangover. During extended periods of sobriety, increasing irritation occurs.

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

The woman begins to neglect the rules of hygiene. She tries to hide changes in appearance by using a large amount of makeup, and because of this she acquires a characteristic vulgar appearance. Female alcoholism leads to slower thinking and assimilation of new information. Without alcohol, there is constant aggression and irritability. Life priorities change, all interests center around drinking alcohol. There is a decline in moral standards. The condition of the internal organs is gradually deteriorating.

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

Diagnosis of female alcoholism

The diagnosis of alcohol dependence in women is based on clinical symptoms. Any laboratory research methods 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 loss of control over the dose of alcohol (the patient almost always drinks more than she planned). The third is continued drinking despite obstacles (personal, social and professional interests of the woman). The fourth is the development of withdrawal syndrome.

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

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

The conversation and survey are complemented by an external examination to identify specific markers of female alcoholism. Chronic alcohol abuse may be indicated by facial redness, dilation of subcutaneous capillaries on the facial skin, enlarged parotid glands, coated tongue, enlarged liver, tremors of the limbs, polyneuropathy, muscle atrophy, symmetrical redness of the palms, increased sweating, telangiectasias, a transient increase in blood pressure and characteristic of women alcoholism, change in figure (disappearance of the waist, thinning arms and legs with a belly).

Treatment of female alcoholism

Treatment tactics are determined individually, depending on the duration of regular alcohol consumption, the stage of female alcoholism, health status, level of motivation, volitional qualities, personality traits and some other factors. A prerequisite for successful treatment of female alcoholism is complete abstinence from alcohol. Reducing the dose and trying to “drink in moderation” will obviously be ineffective, since the alcoholic is not able to control the amount of drinking and breaks down even after taking a small dose.

, hypnosuggestive therapy, double coding and other techniques. Before coding, detoxification measures must be carried out.

Subsequently, the patient is referred to psychotherapy to identify the causes of the development of female alcoholism and develop new ways of thinking and behavior. Psychologists and psychotherapists help the patient go through a 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 .

Women's alcoholism is talked about much less often than men's. Often the idea that a representative of the fair sex can be subject to such a destructive addiction simply does not fit into the head. Wife, mother, keeper of the family hearth - how can she drown her problems in a bottle of alcohol? Alas, life examples often prove to us that this misfortune can overtake any person, regardless of gender.

The first signs of female alcoholism

It is not difficult to recognize an experienced alcoholic - by appearance, behavior, habits. But the success of treatment is higher if medical care contact at the first signs of alcoholism, and they are much more difficult to notice. The problem is that women develop alcohol addiction faster than the stronger sex. This is due to the fact that the female body is more sensitive to alcoholic beverages, since it contains fewer enzymes that contribute to the breakdown of alcohol.

This explains the fact that a woman does not need much alcohol to become intoxicated. And if in men a persistent addiction forms on average 7-10 years after systematically drinking alcohol, then for weak women 3-5 years are enough for this. And over the course of these years, neither their relatives nor close friends may have any idea about the addiction.

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

There's no reason not to drink

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

The result is obvious

Addiction to alcohol often manifests itself literally on a woman’s face. Alcohol addiction contributes to the appearance of premature signs of aging: the skin becomes dry, wrinkles form on it, bags appear under the eyes, the face swells, and becomes puffy. Noteworthy are dull hair, brittle nails, yellowish skin tone, and a pronounced capillary network on the face. A woman either persistently tries to hide the traces of yesterday's libations by putting kilograms of cosmetics on her face, or, on the contrary, begins to take less and less care of herself.

Nerves to the limit

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

How to help?

The main problem is that it is possible to help a woman suffering from alcohol addiction only if she herself wants it. But many simply do not want to admit that addiction to alcohol has become a disease that needs to be treated. A woman is afraid of being judged by others and believes that she can quit at any moment - if she just wants to. But this minute usually doesn’t come...

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