Binge drinking is a serious disease that requires immediate treatment. Delay is fraught with negative consequences for internal organs, the normal functioning of which is disrupted due to alcohol intoxication. In order to identify binge drinking, it is necessary to know its signs and consequences that people who abuse alcoholic beverages for many days face.
Binge drinking does not appear spontaneously; it is preceded by a time during which the formation of an attraction to alcohol occurs - the body gets used to large doses, the gag reflex disappears and a psychological attachment to drinks is observed. Such alcoholics do not consider themselves sick, so relatives face the difficult task of motivating them for treatment. In addition, a short-term abstinence from alcohol is not capable of producing the same results as possible after undergoing a full-fledged treatment program in a clinic.
If you are experiencing alcohol addiction for the first time, or your relative has begun to abuse alcohol, do not despair - find out more about the disease and, first, consult a doctor. An experienced psychotherapist working in a drug treatment clinic will definitely give you advice on how to behave correctly with a patient in order to motivate him for treatment. Under no circumstances behave aggressively towards the patient - this will not help cope with the disease, but, on the contrary, will cause rejection.
Binge drinking occurs at the second stage of the disease, when it becomes impossible to cure alcoholism in the shortest possible time. The path to this state is individual for each person, so binge drinking is considered to be drinking alcohol for more than one day. It does not matter where the patient drinks alcohol - after work in a bar or at home in front of the TV. The home environment does not diminish the seriousness of the case, but only emphasizes the fact that alcohol has already become something commonplace in the patient’s life.
Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish everyday (false) alcoholism from a serious illness caused by intoxication. The first arises against the background of a lack of control and, above all, self-control in relation to alcoholic beverages. Household alcoholism can develop into a disease, but when access to alcohol is limited, a healthy person loses the desire to drink drinks. In this case, psychotherapeutic work will be sufficient to help restore priorities and a healthy outlook on life.
A real binge becomes a problem not only for the drinker, but also for loved ones. They are the ones who begin to sound the alarm first, directly observing the horrors of life with an alcoholic. Alcoholics take it out on people close to them, suffer withdrawal symptoms, and make others suffer. Living with such people becomes a real torture.
A binge alcoholic is “attached” to the bottle both physically and psychologically. If he is sober for several hours during a binge, he begins to experience severe headaches, vomiting and interruptions in blood pressure. Another shot of vodka or another alcoholic drink, which a person finds at any cost, helps to get rid of this condition. Stopping binge drinking on your own is almost impossible. If this happens, it is only due to the protective reaction of the body, which at a certain moment stops accepting alcohol.
When the problem of binge drinking confronts a family in full force, household members do not care about the medical classification of alcoholism. The main question for them is how to cure a person from alcoholism and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Narcologists say: it is impossible to begin treatment for alcohol addiction during a binge, so first the patient must be sobered up.
If a patient is diagnosed with binge alcoholism, then he needs to see a narcologist. If he tries If he gets out of a drunken state on his own, he may develop dangerous disorders. It is very possible that by abruptly giving up alcohol consumption or interrupting withdrawal symptoms, he risks developing a severe mental complication in the form of delirium tremens and other types of alcoholic psychosis.
Alcoholic delirium does not appear during “heavy libations”, nor after them, as some mistakenly believe. Its first signs begin a few days later, usually two or three, after the patient stops drinking alcohol. Therefore, you should not try to get out of a drunken state yourself, but you should do this only under the supervision of specialists in a drug treatment clinic. They will help the patient, make him feel better, put his nervous system in order, and cleanse his body of harmful substances. If a patient has an acute case of binge alcoholism, then he needs to be urgently hospitalized in a drug treatment clinic.
The treatment regimen for binge drinking is approximately the following: first of all, the patient is helped to cope with the complicated condition and the symptoms of alcohol poisoning are relieved. For this purpose, the patient receives infusion-detoxification treatment. He is given a drip, the composition of which is selected by the doctor, taking into account the individual characteristics of each patient and all possible contraindications. The dropper usually contains saline medicinal solutions or a glucose solution. Various vitamins, minerals, hepatoprotectors, and sleeping pills are also added there, depending on the patient’s condition.
If the patient has already received the necessary infusions, then, in most cases, he is given diuretics, which promote the rapid elimination of toxins. To prevent delirium tremens, vitamin preparations are used, and sometimes even psychotropic medications are used. All these actions to some extent eliminate or at least slightly alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal symptoms. After them, the patient no longer needs any means for a hangover.
To combat possible repeated manifestations of alcoholism, the patient is prescribed medications after which he can no longer consume alcohol-containing products. This procedure, when such drugs are administered to a patient, is called coding. Disulfiram-based products are very popular.
The effect of such drugs is caused by the formation of a persistent aversion to alcohol. Disulfiram itself is not dangerous to the human body. As you know, alcohol entering the human body is broken down into carbon dioxide and acetic acid, and then removed from the body without problems. Special enzymes produced in the liver are responsible for this breakdown. Disulfiram blocks the production of these enzymes, and as a result, ethanol and its metabolites accumulate in the body, causing severe intoxication. Coding is done using different methods (filing, injection, etc.) and for different periods of time, depending on the dosage of the drug administered.
Cleansing the body and then restoring it with nutrients does not mean that you can forget about binge drinking. Binge alcoholism is a serious illness that will remain present for a long time after completion of the main course of treatment. The reason is that toxins accumulate in the body's tissues and are not completely eliminated during detoxification. Every day they gradually dissolve in the body, causing a person to experience mild but unpleasant hangover symptoms. Therefore, for rehabilitation after binge drinking, the same means are used as for treating its typical symptoms.
Nurofen, analgin and some other painkillers are good for headaches. Droperidol helps normalize high blood pressure, and cerucal helps get rid of attacks of nausea. Various vitamin complexes and a strict diet contribute to the speedy restoration of the nervous system, and verapamil and atenolol will help cope with tachycardia. In any case, remember: the decision to prescribe certain medications can only be made by a doctor. Do not self-medicate, or even better, do not drink alcohol at all.
Unlike rare diseases, the features of which are known only to doctors, but everyone knows about binge drinking. Thousands of families are faced with the problem when the husband is in an alcoholic stupor all day long. At the same time, the life of the wife and children turns into a complete nightmare, since the head of the family ceases to take into account the members of the household and pays all his attention to the bottle. It becomes especially scary when he needs another shot of vodka, but there is no money for it, or his relatives prevent him. At these moments, the alcoholic becomes aggressive, scandals arise, and crimes are often committed on this basis.
The situation is complicated by the fact that a drinker perceives binges as a natural course of life and is in no hurry to see a doctor. On the contrary, over time, the volumes of drinks become larger, and the drinking binges themselves become longer. But the alcoholic stubbornly does not see the problem and believes that one day he will stop drinking, if only he wants to. But this “want”, as a rule, does not happen without the help of doctors. Like any disease, binge drinking is best treated at an early stage.
Binge drinking is an indicator that alcoholism is reaching its most severe stage. Of course, it is better to cure it before the first binge, but at the stage of a couple of cans of beer a week, few people suspect incipient alcoholism. When a person becomes physically dependent on alcohol, he begins to drink continuously for several days. And if at the early stage of alcoholism the patient drinks for pleasure and relaxation, then when binge drinking he pursues only one goal - to get rid of excruciating pain and simply survive. This is explained by the fact that with constant consumption of alcoholic beverages, serious changes occur in the body: metabolism is disrupted, and alcohol becomes an integral part of it. Without receiving the next dose of ethanol, the alcoholic falls into a state similar to drug withdrawal. The only way to get rid of a bad hangover is to drink more. Another shot of vodka or glass of wine brings a person back to life, but not for long. Within a few hours it begins to “break” again, and everything starts all over again. The binge progresses, the intervals between drinks are reduced, and the dose volumes are increased. If this process is not stopped in time, the body may not be able to withstand it, which in especially severe cases leads to death. Few people manage to break out of binge drinking on their own; this usually requires the help of relatives or doctors.
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In this article we will try to understand what the binge type of alcoholism is, what its danger is and whether there is a path to salvation.
In addition to the fact of long-term (more than 4 days) and daily consumption of alcoholic beverages, binge drinking has other signs and is one of the main symptoms of the second stage of drunkenness. But let's take things in order. Speaking about addiction, narcologists point to various reasons and socio-psychological factors that prompted its development. She makes her way into our lives gradually. In adolescence it lures you with reckless fun, in adulthood it promises deliverance from all problems, in old age you strive to take the place of a faithful friend. And the person does not notice how soon he finds himself on the edge of the abyss.
In its development, addiction goes through three main stages:
For each person, the transition from everyday drunkenness to the next stages of alcoholism takes different times and depends on the strength of the drinks, the intensity of their use, health and heredity.
Doctor's opinion. From a medical point of view, binge alcoholism is the main symptom of the second stage of addiction, which is called drug addiction. After all, a drinker is very similar in essence to a drug addict - the same endless search for booze, severe withdrawal symptoms and the inability to be satisfied with previous doses of alcohol.
The sooner a person realizes the problem, the greater his chances of returning to normal life. Addiction stopped in the first two stages is more treatable.
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At the final stage of pathology, it will be incredibly difficult for a person to regain his former life and face.
As we have already determined, binge alcoholism appears at the second stage of addiction development, and at the third it becomes a constant companion of the patient. The first bell of pathology is that a person really wants to take another dose of alcohol immediately after waking up from yesterday’s dope. With each subsequent episode, the symptoms of the disease are supplemented with new colors.
After the next libation, the patient comes to his senses and feels severe discomfort - withdrawal syndrome with all the ensuing consequences. The person is not just feeling bad—very bad. The first thought is how to quickly get rid of this discomfort, and the first answer is a glass of vodka and you will immediately feel better. Educational video on the topic under consideration:
Narcologists distinguish the following stages of binge alcoholism:
Often protracted drinking sessions of the first stage are pseudo-binges. They usually begin for some reason - a state or family holiday, an important event or a long-awaited purchase. The fun is planned for one day, but lasts a little longer. It is the reason to drink that distinguishes a pseudo-binge from a true binge.
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There is no danger to the body, the habit of drinking is typical for many people, but in the specified quantities and with the specified parameters of the patient, it does not cause any harm to the body. Many people relieve stress with alcohol on holidays and after work, but are not addicted to it.
The patient sees alcohol as a way out of difficult situations and resorts to hard drinks more and more often. This stage is dangerous because in any difficult situation in life, this stage can smoothly transition to the next one, which is much more dangerous to health.
At this stage, an addicted person can no longer do without alcohol, but is firmly convinced that he is capable of quitting at any time, but not today. Already here complications with the liver and other difficulties with organs and well-being may begin.
Special treatment and a short course of rehabilitation, plus the support of relatives, can bring you out of this stage. This stage can provoke very serious problems with the liver and other organs, which will lead to illness for the rest of life.
This stage is not hopeless, but it requires an extremely serious approach to treatment and a long period of rehabilitation, with regular medical procedures, many medications and, often, expensive treatment.
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The main reason for the latter is a severe “withdrawal”, which forces a person to return to the arms of dope again. The drinker does not realize that in a few hours his condition will worsen and a new portion of alcohol will be needed to restore it. This is the mechanism of drunkenness.
Doctor's opinion. When coming out of a binge, the drunkard’s body takes separation from the bottle very painfully. In the first two stages, special anti-alcoholism medications work well. They significantly soften the symptoms, cleanse the body of toxins and calm the psyche. The last stage is exclusively comprehensive detoxification in a hospital setting.
The duration of a true binge continues as long as the patient can pour alcohol into himself and often ends in hospitalization.
A pseudo-binge lasts several days and most often ends without obvious negative consequences for the human body and psyche.
If there is a drunken alcoholic in the family, the life of each family member is woven from pain, fear and powerlessness. Such a person exists (exists, not lives) only for the sake of the next portion of alcohol. And for her sake he will do anything.
Potential dangers of the condition:
But the most dangerous thing about this phenomenon is that after leaving this state, against the background of prolonged intoxication, a person develops delirium tremens or. A dangerous pathology can deprive him not only of his sanity, but also of his life.
Having naturally good health, a binge alcoholic for many years can pass himself off as a good family man and professional worker. Each new incident inevitably brings him closer to personal degradation, destroys his physical and psychological health, thereby significantly reducing the quality and duration of his life.
The most common physiological consequences of binge drinking are:
The outside world of a drunken alcoholic is also in ruins - no work, family and loved ones have become as distant as possible, unsanitary living conditions and constant problems with the law. All this would terrify an ordinary person, but the drunkard sees nothing but a glass.
Doctor's opinion. Alcoholism, in particular of this type, has a very serious impact on the health of the fair sex. Each subsequent incident deprives them not only of their attractive appearance, but also of the opportunity to give birth to a healthy child.
But not only intoxication can shorten the life of an alcoholic; the inappropriate behavior of members of the drinking community often leads to conflicts, the prevailing part of which ends in causing dangerous bodily harm and domestic injuries.
A drunken alcoholic will very rarely be able to get himself out of this state on his own. Even if he had enough willpower to stop drinking, the severity of the withdrawal syndrome can very soon bring all efforts to naught. In this situation, it is impossible to do without effective external support.
Alcohol binge, from the point of view of a narcologist, is, first of all, chronic intoxication of the body plus a person’s strongest growing psychophysical dependence on alcohol, an irresistible craving for drinking a new dose of any drink containing alcohol. That is a vicious circle.
As soon as one episode of binge drinking begins, a person first suffers for a long time from a hangover of varying severity, “is treated for it,” and then, after some time, another episode of alcoholic binge begins, and so on.
Binge drinking is a manifestation of the second or more severe stages of alcoholism. And, if this condition is not stopped in time and the alcoholic is not treated or influenced in any way, if the person is not forced not to drink, this leads first to his withering as a person, and then to his physical death.
This is the second or drug addiction stage of the disease, which is characterized not only by serious health problems, but also by a decrease in the social factor. Alcohol binge drinking can be the main reason for dismissal from work, domestic scandals and family breakdown.
A drinking person stands on the brink of life and death; in order to get him out of such a critical state, it is necessary to immediately contact a narcologist; voluntary hospitalization is not ruled out.
He cannot cope with withdrawal symptoms on his own.
With prolonged drinking bouts, pronounced personality degradation is observed, and serious internal diseases develop. In addition, the disease is characterized by a host of external signs, including changes in skin color and structure, deep wrinkles and age spots, inadequate gaze and impaired coordination of movements.
The severity of the characteristic features of binge alcoholics depends entirely on the form of alcoholism. So:
Binge drinking is a gradually increasing pathology, which every day becomes more critical in its symptoms. Narcologists identify the following stages of binge alcoholism and insist on immediate treatment. So:
In such a clinical picture, the main goal of the alcoholic is to drink another portion of ethanol to alleviate severe withdrawal symptoms. Drinking alcoholic beverages begins after waking up in order to get a hangover, and continues throughout the day with a systematic increase in daily dosages.
The patient may “catch” delirium tremens, after which he is hospitalized for compulsory treatment.
The binge form of alcoholism is a type of addiction in which withdrawal symptoms or, as it is also called, hangover syndrome develop. It is characterized by a serious deterioration in the patient’s condition, “breaking” of the body in the absence of new doses of alcohol.
Unlike the chronic form of alcoholism, in which a person constantly drinks alcohol, the binge form of the disease involves the appearance of such exacerbation attacks.
This means that a person may not drink alcoholic beverages for a long time, but subsequently, for certain reasons, a breakdown occurs.
As a result, the patient drinks for several days or weeks, completely losing his appearance. Then remission occurs again, but when exposed to another factor, the breakdown occurs again.
Alcoholism itself is not so easy to recognize. When you hear the word “alcoholic,” you most often imagine a degraded, dirty person with unshaven hair and glassy eyes.
However, virtually anyone can be an alcoholic: from an elegant woman to an exemplary teenager. Acute intoxication can happen to anyone if they drink too much alcohol.
Acute alcoholism syndrome occurs more often in non-drinkers, since the body is not tolerant to ethanol. The identity of acute and chronic alcoholism is zero.
Binge drinking develops progressively, and every day the symptoms of the condition become more distinct and critical. Narcologists distinguish three stages of binge alcoholism:
Binge develops gradually. The amount of alcohol that the human body can withstand increases each time and reaches 2 liters.
The condition after taking another dose of alcohol resembles withdrawal, like that of drug addicts. This leads to tremors, pain in the body, loss of strength, and repeated vomiting.
The condition improves only after drinking alcohol. Symptoms of binge drinking include lack of appetite, aggressive behavior, typical signs of withdrawal symptoms that last for months.
A vicious circle is formed, from which not everyone, especially a teenager or a woman, can escape.
Often the consequences of binge drinking for the body are clouding of the mind, a possible complication such as delirium tremens, from which a person can die. In this state, there is a complete lack of self-control, the patient does not understand what he is doing, and is capable of an act after which he will die.
It is impossible to fully explain mental behavior. In this case, they try to help themselves by taking strong drugs or using large doses of alcohol.
The result will be the opposite - drunkenness will cause a person to slowly die. When trying to get out of a drunken state on your own, hallucinations and severe nervousness are often observed.
To get rid of binge drinking, you should seek the help of a narcologist, who will organize a code for drinking or prescribe appropriate treatment.
Alcoholism is especially dangerous for women. In them, the process of addiction to alcohol occurs much faster than in men.
Since the development of addiction symptoms is very rapid, treatment of alcoholism is complicated. The most common pathology for women who drink alcohol is damage to the pancreas and liver.
The effects of alcohol often lead women to promiscuity. Lack of hygiene during intimacy leads to sexually transmitted diseases.
With prolonged alcohol abuse, women develop mental disorders, character changes, nervousness and aggressive behavior appear. Causes of female alcoholism:
Since women rarely admit their addiction to alcohol, the treatment process is much more difficult for them. Childhood alcoholism is the name of alcoholism, the signs of which appear in a child under 18 years of age.
Alcohol consumption by children not only harms health, but also causes deviant behavior. Children become aggressive and parents lose control over them.
This type of alcoholism causes great harm to society. Violent crimes are often committed under the influence of alcohol.
Childhood alcoholism is characterized by the following features:
According to studies, it takes about 7-10 years of regular drinking for a man to become alcohol dependent, and 5 years for a woman. From this we can draw the first conclusion that female alcoholism develops much faster than male alcoholism and, as a result, the treatment process is complicated.
The number of women addicted to alcohol has increased significantly these days, and the phenomenon itself has become common in our time. If earlier the number of women treated for addiction was 10% of the total number of patients, now they already make up a third of the total number of patients.
But the worst thing is that 70% of women start drinking alcohol before the age of 18.
The average age of a female alcoholic ranges from 35-50 years, and alcoholism itself is initially episodic in nature, when a woman takes alcohol to lift her mood or relieve tension.
As a result of such an innocent hobby, a constant craving for alcohol develops, because a woman thinks that with it her life is much more carefree and easier.
Swedish scientists have found that, unlike men, in the female body, the brain is primarily affected by alcohol, namely, the areas responsible for mood, motivation and sleep are destroyed.
This destruction occurs three times faster than in the male body. That is why, in an alcoholic woman, the character changes for the worse, which manifests itself in nervousness, rudeness and aggressiveness.
Damage to the liver and pancreas is typical for female alcoholics.
Statistics also say that 25% of women drink alcohol systematically, and 44% drink alcohol during periods of heavy drinking. Along with this, about 4% drink alcohol occasionally, 28% of women alternate quiet periods with times of heavy drinking or daily drunkenness.
The numbers make you think.
There is an opinion in society and even among narcologists that female alcoholism is incurable. Is this so and why is this disease so harmful to the female body?
If we compare the male and female bodies, we can identify a number of prerequisites that contribute to the rapid development of alcoholism in the fairer sex:
The situation is complicated by the consumption of already large doses of alcohol.
There can be many reasons why women seek solace in a bottle, and each case must be considered individually, but the main ones include the following:
Another characteristic of women dependent on alcohol is their uninhibited behavior. Being in a state of some euphoria, the alcoholic herself becomes the initiator of sexual intimacy, often with unfamiliar men.
Of course, in such situations we are not talking about sexual hygiene. As a result, associated complications appear in the form of sexually transmitted infections and diseases of the genitourinary system.
Against this background, a woman’s reproductive function suffers, and her chances of not only giving birth, but also conceiving a child are reduced to zero.
As noted earlier, a woman’s mental state also suffers from addiction to alcohol, manifested in a significant deterioration of character (rudeness, hysteria, nervousness, selfishness), early development of dementia and personality degradation.
In addition, the alcoholic begins to take her new lifestyle for granted and does not see the difference between decent and indecent behavior.
The process of becoming an alcohol addict is the same for everyone, regardless of gender. From here it becomes clear that the methods and methods of curing alcoholism in women are the same as in men.
Although, regarding the weaker sex, it is worth making an important note: the attention and patience of doctors and loved ones will be needed much more than in the case of a man.
It will not be difficult for anyone to identify among a certain number of healthy women the one who is addicted to alcohol, but in this case we are talking about a serious and long-term addiction.
The main problem faced by doctors and relatives of an alcoholic woman is non-acceptance and complete denial of the existing problem - alcohol addiction. The reasons for this behavior are explained not only by the fact that it is psychologically more difficult for a woman to admit her degradation and subjection to the “green snake,” but also by the physiological characteristics of the body described above.
The symptoms of the disease are as follows:
Binge drinking is a person's addiction to alcohol. An alcoholic becomes powerless in front of alcohol-containing liquids, unable to fight the desire to drink. The disease continues for many days and even months.
The main difference between binge alcoholism and chronic alcoholism is the constant and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, after which remission occurs. A person may not drink, but as soon as trouble happens, a protracted binge ensues.
Most often, the cause of binge drinking is psychological or social trauma. With each glass you drink, the problems become fewer, and complete indifference to what is happening sets in.
The drunk experiences a feeling of euphoria.
Symptoms of this disease increase as the disease progresses. At the first stage, tolerance to alcoholic beverages gradually develops. As a result, the body does not react so strongly to alcohol.
To achieve the desired euphoria, an increasingly larger volume of drink is required. The frequency of alcohol consumption is also increasing.
The development of alcoholism occurs in three stages. Their detailed description is the topic of a separate article. When studying the development and consequences of alcoholism, you can often come across two similar terms - pseudo-binge (often called false binge) and true binge. For most of us, such a gradation is incomprehensible. It is advisable to understand it.
At the second stage of alcoholism, a person reaches his maximum capacity for alcohol tolerance. This means that it takes much more alcohol to get drunk than before.
Alcohol addiction is both mental and physical. Being sober, a person thinks only about alcohol, all his actions come down to the desire to drink.
Hence mental limitation, irritability and almost complete disability.
If possible, a person drinks constantly. The lack of money for drinks or some other external circumstances may keep him from doing this. Doctors characterize this condition as pseudo-binge. Its characteristic features:
If we talk about female binge alcoholism, intensive therapy lasting more than one month is required. In this case, relapses occur much more often, and curing a woman from such a destructive addiction is problematic.
The main goal is to reduce relapses and remove a large dose of ethanol from the blood. To treat a chronic disease, doctors prescribe the following medicinal solutions for intravenous drips:
If a person suffers from binge alcoholism, then the distinctive features of the true and false forms of the disease do not play a special role. The main issue in this case is methods of treating the disease and ways to prevent another binge. Practice shows that during a period of heavy drinking, trying to treat an alcoholic is useless.
There are several methods for removing a person from this state. In the first case, the patient is placed in a hospital and, with the help of medications, is taken out of the binge.
In the second case, you can call a narcologist to your home. However, it is important to consider that not all doctors provide therapy for alcoholics at home. Moreover, this method will be quite expensive, which is simply not affordable for people who have an alcoholic in their family.
The third method is to self-treat binge drinking. This can be done through medications.
Some people also use folk remedies. However, trying to eliminate binge drinking on your own is very dangerous, as it can provoke more serious consequences.
Removing a patient from binge drinking on his own is fraught with complications and unpredictable consequences - the effect of most drugs is greatly enhanced or neutralized by alcohol. For this reason, calculating the dosage becomes extremely difficult.
If a loved one has become an alcoholic, the desire of relatives to help is natural. However, this must be done competently, otherwise instead of help you will only get harm. Doctors know of many cases where a person had to be saved not so much from alcoholism, but from the consequences of “folk”, unqualified and irresponsible treatment.
It is quite difficult to cure a binge alcoholic; in many cases, long-term and intensive therapy is required, which takes many months. It is especially problematic to cure a woman who drinks. With male alcoholics, things are simpler. But the general recommendations of narcologists for patients of both sexes are almost identical. They are as follows:
The main goal of doctors in the treatment of binge alcoholism is based on cleansing the patient’s body of large doses of alcohol accumulated there. In the treatment of this syndrome, droppers are carried out using medicinal agents:
The therapeutic regimen of drug treatment directly depends on the degree of the person’s condition, the form of binge alcoholism and the severity of abstinence. Withdrawal syndrome usually occurs 12-15 hours after the last intake of alcohol.
Is it possible to conduct and organize treatment for binge drinking at home? In this case, you should be aware that it is extremely difficult to confront a person suffering from alcohol addiction, especially during relapses. But there are some alternative medicine methods that have successfully proven their effectiveness over time.
Treatment of binge alcoholism using folk methods becomes effective only in the initial forms of this pathology.
If you persistently ignore the symptoms of this form of alcoholism, among potential health problems, doctors identify progressive cirrhosis of the liver, incurable hepatitis, and increased frequency of epilepsy attacks.
A heavy drinker is at risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and acute heart failure. His life may unexpectedly end in sudden death.
A person in a binge state does not even think about the consequences of alcohol on the body. As a result, destructive processes occur in the body, which often lead to death. The following organs are most at risk:
Often a person does not think about whether it is possible to die from heavy drinking. The causes of death among alcoholics are: heart attack, cirrhosis of the liver, micro-stroke, brain dead.
These processes are irreversible and threaten any alcoholic. This is a scientific fact.
The brain often suffers, and complete personality degradation occurs. There are a number of problems that plague the patient while drinking alcohol:
Dry drinking is an abstinence process without drinking alcohol. Most often it lasts 15-30 days.
With medical help during this period, without drinking alcohol, you can return to a normal life. The patient is brought out of the binge thanks to the use of medications: sedatives, sleeping pills.
With high-quality treatment, the cardiovascular system is strengthened and the liver is cleansed of toxic substances.
Long-term heavy drinking can cause immunodeficiency. Constant consumption of alcohol leads to a severe decrease in immunity, in which the body does not have the strength to fight viruses and infections. This becomes obvious when the drinking stops.
To combat this condition, it is necessary to begin therapy aimed at restoring vitamins, micro- and macroelements, and nutrients that were destroyed by alcohol.
Binge drinking is dangerous for a person, because it not only negatively affects his physical condition, but also deals a blow to his psyche, having a negative impact on his social qualities and leading to personality degradation.
Binge drinking causes moral decay and social decline of the individual. During a binge, when the “pipes” are on fire, the alcoholic forgets about responsibility, family ties, social norms and laws.
Most alcoholics are forced to come to their senses by precisely this destruction of the familiar world - the departure of a spouse, urgent hospitalization, dismissal from work due to the inability to perform work duties.
With cyclical drunkenness, a person is constantly in a state of nervous tension - and at the same time experiences a loss of strength. This soon leads to phenomena of a neuro-asthenic nature, mental disorders and diseases.
The most common of them is delirium tremens or so-called
"delirium tremens". This is a psychosis that is dangerous to human life and health, the clearest manifestation of which is frightening hallucinations that are accompanied by high temperature (up to 40 degrees).
The patient sees spiders, fetters, dangerous creatures, objects that hurt him, strangers threatening his life, and so on. There are frequent cases of suicide caused by the desire to end one’s own torment.
If a person continuously drinks large quantities of alcoholic beverages for several days or weeks, then doctors talk about binge alcoholism. However, the patient is not always able to stop drinking on his own. When an addict gives up alcohol, their health often worsens, which forces them to continue drinking alcohol-containing drinks in large doses. In many cases, only the intervention of a narcologist helps. How to help a patient? What methods can you use to get a person out of binge drinking? We will answer these questions in the article.
Alcohol addiction develops in a person over a fairly long period of time. Narcologists distinguish the following stages of this pathology:
Let us consider these stages of the formation of an attraction to alcohol in more detail.
At the initial stage, the patient does not yet experience a painful craving for alcohol. However, as soon as even a small dose of alcohol enters his body, the person can no longer stop. Loss of control over the amount of drinking is the main symptom of this stage. The patient cannot limit himself to a moderate dose of alcohol and reaches severe intoxication. The next morning, he may feel worse due to intoxication, and an aversion to alcohol appears. Such patients do not get drunk because they have not yet developed withdrawal symptoms. Binges at the initial stage, as a rule, are not observed.
The middle stage of addiction is characterized by increased tolerance to alcohol. A person becomes able to consume larger and larger doses of alcohol. Physical dependence is formed. When you stop drinking, the patient’s health sharply worsens. Only new doses of alcohol help relieve the unpleasant condition. The patient is regularly hungover. It is at this stage that binge alcoholism develops. A person may drink continuously for days, weeks, or even months. For some time he can abstain from alcohol on his own, but soon he has a new breakdown.
In severe cases, a person’s tolerance to ethanol decreases. However, the patient experiences an irresistible craving for alcohol. The patient drinks alcohol in small doses, but at the same time constantly maintains himself in a state of intoxication. Withdrawal syndrome almost never stops. Binges are not observed at this stage; drunkenness is constant.
The main cause of binge alcoholism is the formation of withdrawal syndrome at the second stage of the pathology. Physical dependence causes the patient to drink continuously for a certain period of time.
Doctors distinguish a constant and binge drinking type in alcoholics at the second stage. In the first case, a person drinks constantly and continuously. When binge drinking, the patient experiences frequent breakdowns, which alternate with short periods of sobriety.
Narcologists and psychiatrists distinguish the following types of binge drinking:
Drinking alcohol for many days is not always a sign of physical dependence. Only a specialist can determine the stage of alcoholism in a patient. Let's take a closer look at the types of drunkenness.
There are cases when the patient drinks for a long time for various social reasons. This happens on weekends and holidays, after joyful events and stress. Sometimes a person continues to drink alcohol after a celebration. However, if circumstances force him to stop drinking, then he is able to give up alcohol on his own. A person abstains from alcohol, for example, because of the need to go to work or financial difficulties.
In this case, doctors talk about a false binge or pseudo-binge. This condition is observed in patients at the initial stage of alcoholism. This indicates that the patient does not yet have physical dependence, and he can stop drinking on his own when circumstances require it. Pseudo-binges are also characteristic of the very beginning of the middle stage of addiction.
True binge drinking is observed only in patients in the middle stage of alcoholism. This condition occurs suddenly. This is a sign of not only mental, but also physical dependence. It is in this case that narcologists diagnose binge alcoholism in a patient.
Binge drinking is usually preceded by an uncomfortable mental state, which is characterized by:
These signs indicate the body's need for ethanol. A person begins to drink alcohol almost continuously. This can last from several days to several months. During this period, the patient experiences the following symptoms of binge alcoholism:
The binge stops only with complete physical exhaustion. There comes a time when the human body refuses to drink alcohol. Only this makes the patient stop drinking. When leaving the binge, the patient experiences withdrawal symptoms. This unpleasant condition is characterized by the following painful manifestations:
The patient's well-being gradually improves over 7 to 10 days. After this, he returns to normal life and can abstain from alcohol for some time. However, subsequently the physical and mental craving for alcohol arises again, and the person goes on a new binge. It turns out to be a vicious circle, from which it is very difficult to get out without the help of a specialist.
However, with severe physical dependence, the patient very often cannot get out of the binge on his own. What to do in such a situation? You should call a narcologist to your home. The specialist will detoxify the body and relieve withdrawal symptoms.
This pathology in its manifestations is very similar to a drunken state. However, dipsomania has nothing to do with alcohol addiction; it is just one of the symptoms of mental disorders.
Dipsomania is often observed in patients with depression and bipolar disorder. During an exacerbation of the underlying pathology, the patient suddenly begins to drink large amounts of alcohol. The binge may last for several days or weeks and then suddenly stop. At the same time, the patient is not stopped by possible troubles at work or dissatisfaction of relatives.
With dipsomania, a person is absolutely indifferent to alcohol outside of attacks. He is not dependent on alcohol. There is also no withdrawal syndrome. After a binge, the patient may experience only a slight malaise caused by intoxication.
It is impossible to cure dipsomania using various drug treatment methods. Such a patient needs to see a psychiatrist and undergo a course of therapy with sedatives and antidepressants.
Women's binge alcoholism is much more severe than men's. This is due to the characteristics of metabolism. A woman’s body processes alcohol poorly, so her withdrawal symptoms are more pronounced. For this reason, the disease progresses much faster.
In women, the middle stage of alcoholism very often occurs in the form of binges. The onset of a breakdown may coincide in time with hormonal surges or stressful situations. After the end of the binge, patients experience withdrawal syndrome, accompanied by the following symptoms:
The above signs indicate a developed physical dependence. They can be stopped by drinking more alcohol. This becomes the reason for the continuation of the binge, which stops only when the body is completely exhausted.
There is a misconception that female alcoholism cannot be treated. However, this is a deep misconception. If the patient has a desire to get rid of a bad habit, then it is quite possible to overcome the craving for alcohol.
Let's consider the consequences of binge drinking. Long-term and continuous intake of large doses of alcohol does not leave its mark on the body. Due to alcohol consumption, patients may experience the following pathologies:
All this suggests that when drinking, the patient needs the help of a specialist. Otherwise, the risk of complications is very high.
As already mentioned, often an alcoholic cannot get out of a binge without medical help. What to do in this case? Nowadays, many addiction specialists offer services to relieve binge drinking. Such assistance is provided both at home and in outpatient settings.
A specialist puts a drip on a patient. The solution may contain the following substances:
This set of drugs allows you to relieve intoxication and relieve hangover syndrome. Usually, after a drip, the patient falls asleep and wakes up in a normal state. However, you shouldn't stop there. It is necessary to undergo a course of treatment, otherwise a new breakdown is almost inevitable.
How to get rid of a hangover at home? If the patient has severe withdrawal symptoms, it is better to seek the help of a specialist. Refusal of medical care can lead to delirium delirium. Before the doctor arrives, the patient needs to drink plenty of fluids to get rid of dehydration. The following drinks are suitable:
It is also recommended to rinse the patient’s stomach and give a cleansing enema. This will help reduce intoxication somewhat. You can give the patient a decoction of valerian or motherwort, this will reduce anxiety. You should not take alcoholic tinctures of sedative herbs if you are an alcoholic.
How to get rid of a hangover using drugs from your home medicine cabinet? Doctors do not recommend using prescription medications on your own. At home, you can take enterosorbents (Activated Carbon, Enterosgel, Polysorb). This will help remove toxins. Multivitamin complexes are also recommended, because with heavy drinking, the body loses many useful substances. It is recommended to take the drug "Regidron", this will reduce dehydration.
These measures can only help with short-term binge drinking and the absence of severe withdrawal symptoms. If the patient experiences severe vomiting, heart rhythm disturbances, or mental disorders, then it is impossible to do without the help of a narcologist.
Detoxification and relief of withdrawal symptoms are only first aid measures for binge drinking. Treatment of addiction must be carried out comprehensively. After withdrawal from binge drinking, the patient needs a course of therapy. Otherwise, a new breakdown is almost inevitable.
For binge drinking, patients are prescribed the following groups of medications:
Is it possible to give medicine for alcoholism without the knowledge of the patient? If we are talking about drugs for chemical coding (Kolme, Disulfiram and its analogues), then this should not be done under any circumstances. If the patient breaks down, the body’s reaction can be unpredictable. In patients with pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, even death can occur.
This also applies to drugs that cause vomiting when taken together with ethanol. Alcoholics often suffer from stomach ulcers, and combining alcohol with such drugs can cause gastrointestinal bleeding.
What medications for alcoholism can be mixed into food without the patient’s knowledge? Only homeopathic remedies can be used in this way. These include:
Manufacturers claim that these products reduce cravings for alcohol. However, homeopathy does not help all patients. After all, to successfully get rid of alcohol addiction, the desire of the patient himself is necessary. Therefore, treatment without the patient’s knowledge is not always effective.
Taking medication alone is not enough to overcome addiction. It is necessary to create a firm psychological attitude in the patient to stop drinking. For this purpose, hypnosis for alcoholism is widely used, which in everyday life is often called “coding.”
The hypnotic session is carried out in several stages:
To achieve the full effect, a person usually needs to undergo not one, but several sessions of hypnosis.
It is important to remember that psychotherapeutic methods only work if the patient is determined to stop drinking. If a person has not realized the need to give up alcohol, then treatment will be ineffective.