How does female alcoholism differ from male alcoholism? Female and male alcoholism

The causes of alcoholism in men and women are largely similar. And although many narcologists claim that this disease is not divided into “male” and “female”, psychologists have a slightly different view of the problem. If the consequences of alcoholism in women and men lead to a single denominator - complete personality degradation, then the etiology of this problem still has gender differences.

People who are very often depressed are at risk of predisposition. Symptoms of depression include a lack of visible goals in life, anxiety, a feeling of the unreality of what is happening, and loss of interest in life. Depressive states– fertile ground for the emergence of alcohol addiction. While providing relief from tension at first, in subsequent stages alcohol, on the contrary, increases fears and phobias. In view of this, the doses of the “healing” liquid are increasing, and the body’s ability to resist intoxication decreases.

Where does alcoholism begin and what does it lead to?

Causes of alcoholism in men

Very often, the way out of conflicts is not a simple confidential heart-to-heart conversation, but slamming the door and subsequent purposeful drunkenness with friends or alone. Men are more susceptible to this risk, since women tend to figure out problems. Men cannot stand a long and tedious showdown, so they find it much easier to spend an evening alone with alcohol than with a grumpy wife. By the way, this problem is one of the most common causes of hidden alcoholism, not only because of the character traits and predisposition of a man. It also depends on the wife, because she herself aggravates the situation with her careless words, actions, and showdowns.

Possible psychological prerequisites for how alcoholism begins in men:

• low or, conversely, high self-esteem;
• difficulties in communication;
• psychological complexes;
• inability to cope with your feelings;
• high level internal tension, prolonged stress;
• risk appetite.

In men, the effects of alcohol are more noticeable even in acceptable (individually) doses. This manifests itself in weakening of erection, prolongation of sluggish sexual intercourse without expected or difficult ejaculation. And although this effect is temporary and reversible, it can cause a man to fear for his sexual potential. This fear can lead to erectile dysfunction (impotence) in the future.

Causes and consequences of alcoholism in women

Alcohol affects women in a similar way. Sometimes even small doses of alcohol significantly reduce the process of arousal and make it difficult to achieve orgasm. Regular consumption of large doses has a toxic effect on the ovaries, reduces the production of hormones, which can lead to premature aging. Other changes in the body will not be slow to appear: atrophic processes in the mammary glands, uterus, vagina with all the ensuing circumstances.

The main problem of alcoholism in women is that in the initial stages it is very easy to miss the moment of the onset of alcoholism as a disease and confuse it with banal everyday drunkenness. Most often, specialists are faced with this initial picture. The woman gradually switches to almost daily consumption of low-alcohol drinks, such as wine or beer, getting drunk to the point of mild intoxication. This is accompanied by either euphoria or other disinhibited reactions, which others, as a rule, attribute to natural emotionality. In this state, a woman seems to be active, active, full of ideas. On the other hand, when there is no alcohol in the body, she begins to fall into melancholy and feel sad. But this is also mistaken for ordinary mood swings.

One way or another, alcoholism gradually develops, resistance to the dose of alcohol consumed increases, more and more alcohol is required, mental changes begin, but not abruptly, but in the same way - gradually.

However, women who abuse alcohol can break out of the usual image of an alcoholic and look like a completely healthy individual with a picnic structure due to the fact that alcohol interferes with work endocrine system, causes hormonal disbalance. In addition, alcoholism can be not only vodka and arise not only against the background of problems of a different nature. It's unfortunate but true: these days, several other types of alcohol pose particular danger.

Many housewives of average social status buy various cocktails to meet with friends or have a nice time alone on the couch watching TV. The composition can be different - with a low alcohol content or with a higher one. Due to ignorance of the harm caused by such carbonated drinks to the body, women consider them completely harmless and do not limit themselves to consuming all sorts of “tonics” with gins, cocktails with added juices and similar “little things”. However, systematic, and even more so regular use of them leads to dependence on them. Therefore, it is worth calculating the strength of all drinks so that it does not exceed the weekly consumption rate.

A special variant of the development of alcohol dependence in women is familial. It often develops in women married to a man who abuses alcohol. Women who did not attach much importance to marriage before marriage find themselves in this situation. bad habit their chosen one, they believed the promises that after the wedding everything would change for the better and he would stop drinking alcohol. But, as practice shows, in reality the result is completely different. The husband begins to drink even more, often forcing his wife to accompany him.

The second variant of family alcoholism occurs in women who have experienced a husband’s betrayal or divorce, or adult children leaving the family. In this case, the main reason is loneliness. At first, alcohol is used simply for relaxation, stress relief, and liberation. But gradually it becomes more and more difficult for the lady to control herself, alcohol is consumed more and more often and in large quantities.

This is how everyday drunkenness is formed, which goes into the initial stage of alcoholism. According to statistics, about 25% of women drinkers drink alcohol systematically, 44% of women go on alcoholic binges, 3.9% drink periodically, and for the remaining 28% the period of abstinence alternates with daily alcohol consumption or binge drinking. Casual drunkenness turns into chronic alcoholism. A woman falls into a trap from which it is very difficult to get out because female alcoholism is practically untreatable.

Women who drink for a long time suffer from anorexia, a pronounced autonomic reaction of irritation, an irresistible and constant desire to drink alcohol, and may attempt suicide, after which they are hospitalized in psychiatric hospitals.

Sometimes even small doses of alcohol significantly reduce the process of arousal and make it difficult to achieve orgasm. Regular consumption of large doses has a toxic effect on the ovaries, reduces the production of hormones, which can lead to premature aging. Other changes in the body will not slow down: atrophic processes in the mammary glands, uterus, vagina with all the ensuing circumstances

Alcoholism progresses faster in women than in men. Of particular concern are women who continue to abuse alcohol while pregnant. They cannot give birth to healthy children and give them the necessary education.

During embryonic development(from the moment of fertilization of the egg to the ninth week), the differentiation of organs and the growth of the embryo slow down. During the fetal development stage (from the 9th week), alcohol consumption leads to the development of defects in organs and systems; due to impaired blood supply to the placenta, fetal hypoxia may occur, and pregnancy may end in early or late miscarriage or stillbirth.

Children born to an alcoholic woman suffer from diseases such as mental retardation, epilepsy, psychopathy, neuropathy, defects oral cavity (cleft lip, cleft palate), heart (tetralogy of Fallot, patent atrial septum, atrioventricular orifice stenosis, etc.) and other organs. They are born with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Other consequences of alcoholic binges in women

A woman under the influence of alcohol does not look her best. Her face turns red, purple or bluish spots appear, her eyes shine, her hair is disheveled. She speaks loudly, gesticulates, screams, and demands increased attention. If attention is not paid, it is perceived as an insult, disrespect. Another effect of alcohol that occurs with prolonged use is the disappearance of subcutaneous fat. The exposed parts of the body become more muscular and lose the smoothness of outline characteristic of the female figure.

Under the influence of alcohol, the mental makeup of a person changes. Data epidemiological studies indicate that approximately 60% of women who drink before the onset of alcohol abuse were sociable, friendly, cheerful, and energetic; 11% were characterized as hardworking, calm, and only 8% noted a closed character. Mood swings in women who abuse alcohol are very pronounced. In the morning she can be gloomy, withdrawn, does not want to see anyone, and after a while she suddenly becomes hysterical: she cries, shouts at everyone, blaming them for her misfortunes, breaks dishes. Women often experience mood disorders even after a hangover. This is expressed in depression, anticipation of some kind of trouble, and a feeling of hopelessness. Often, under the influence of the blues, thoughts of suicide appear. Unfortunately, thoughts often translate into actual attempts to commit suicide.

There is an opinion that female and male alcoholism have completely different natures. Of course this is not true. From the point of view of a narcologist, in both cases the disease goes through the same stages, is subject to the same laws in its development, and has similar clinical manifestations. However, there are still differences.

Why do women drink secretly?

One of the main differences is secrecy. Male drunkenness is perceived by the people as more, so to speak, naturally, much less condemned. Many people are familiar with the customs of some social strata from Soviet times to drink “in advance”, “on pay”, “on weekends”. Often, wives did not even swear at their careless husbands, knowing that on the “fifth and twentieth” they would share a bottle or two with their colleagues at work. It was a rare day off without a glass at lunch “for appetite.”

And being busy with family (after work, running to the shops, preparing food, picking up children from school, preparing homework with them, and much more) created the preconditions for a much rarer spread of drunkenness among women. A woman has always been the embodiment of comfort, care, and family warmth. Therefore, for many years, a drinking woman was the standard of a person who had sunk to the very bottom.

For these reasons, if women start drinking, they prefer to do it alone or in a narrow circle of their own kind. For some time they maintain their social status, continue to lead an active lifestyle, and work.

For many years, the overwhelming majority of residents of drug treatment hospitals were men; they went to treatment quite willingly, especially when “the pressure was on.” The women's departments were something extraordinary, what they call a piece of goods. Only since the early 90s of the last century, when drug treatment at home began to be practiced, women began to seek it.

Preferences in alcoholic drinks

It is also necessary to note here that women, unlike men, extremely rarely immediately opt for strong alcoholic drinks, preferring weak ones (beer, wine, cocktails), that is, the severity of their intoxication is lower, often those around them simply do not notice that that the woman is drunk. As a rule, the transition to strong, forty-proof alcohol occurs at late stages alcoholism.

How women alcoholics are rehabilitated

Another feature: men quickly restore their status after treatment and return to their usual lifestyle. The rehabilitation process for female alcoholics is much more difficult and longer. The reason for this lies in the fact that women resort to medical help in advanced cases, when they simply cannot hide their addiction.

Why alcohol is more harmful to the female body

The number of enzymes involved in the breakdown of alcohol in women is less than in men. Therefore, equal doses of alcohol taken have a more pronounced and long-lasting toxic effect. The negative impact on women’s bodies begins much earlier than they realize the severity of their condition.

As a rule, the liver and pancreas are affected first. Against the background of chronic liver damage, psycho-emotional activity also changes noticeably - a tendency to hysteroform behavior, an increase in irritability and aggressiveness. Personality degradation in women also occurs faster.

Why women drink alcohol

Male alcoholism is, first of all, numerous rituals. Meeting with friends, buying a car, someone's birthday, going to the bathhouse or going to football - all this often involves the obligatory consumption of alcohol. It often happens that if a man brings some emotional reason(troubles at work), then this is nothing more than an attempt to justify drunkenness.

In women, as a rule, the roots of drunkenness lie precisely in emotional turmoil: mental disorder, lack of understanding on the part of loved ones, lack of warmth and attention.

Why is female alcoholism more dangerous than male alcoholism?

dementia;

• 5. Increased weight, overeating

  Chemically active substances, the imbalance of which leads to disturbances in appetite (in particular, its increase) also cause disturbances in psycho-emotional state women. Frequent mood swings following overeating, weight gain, inability to wear a dress that fit just a year ago, increased irritability- all this pushes a woman to drunkenness.

  conclusions

  female alcoholism develops faster: where a man needs 10-15 years, a woman often takes 3-5;

  the negative consequences of drinking in women are more pronounced, the function of the liver and pancreas is more quickly impaired, and dementia develops faster;

  taking into account the prevailing views in society, a woman’s visit to a doctor is very often belated, when nothing can be done;

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Many people think that female and male alcoholism have completely different natures. But that's not true. From the point of view of a narcologist, in both cases the disease goes through the same stages, and the same manifestations appear during development. Treatment of female and male alcoholism is also the same. But there are still differences.

Women drink in secret

One of the main differences is secrecy. Male alcoholism is quite common and is perceived without any surprise. Many men, since the times of the USSR, often missed several bottles on the weekend, took it “for appetite” and “thought for three.” But a woman is always busy with her family, and therefore there were fewer prerequisites for the development of drunkenness. Therefore, for many years a drinking woman was considered the standard of such a person who had sunk to the very bottom.

And so the woman begins to drink in secret so that no one finds out about it. They continue to maintain social status and lead an active lifestyle. In rare cases, their alcoholism is obvious.

For many years, almost only men ended up in drug treatment, but the treatment of female alcoholism was practically not practiced. It was only in the early nineties that they began to seek help, as many centers began to offer anonymous help at home.

Women get drunk on other drinks

It should be noted that women, unlike men, rarely immediately start drinking strong alcoholic drinks, preferring weak ones (wine, beer, cocktails). And therefore, the severity of their intoxication is lower; those around them may simply not notice that the woman is drunk. Strong alcohol consumption most often occurs in the last stages of alcoholism.

Rehabilitation and treatment of female alcoholism

It has been confirmed that men restore their status much faster and return to their usual lifestyle. Treatment for women is somewhat more complicated and longer. Often the reason is that women turn to rehabilitation centers, on average, much later than men.

Alcohol is much more dangerous for women

Alcohol is broken down using special enzymes in the liver. In women their number is slightly lower than in men. Therefore, alcohol affects women much faster and if she drinks on an equal basis with a man, then the harm to health will be greater. The liver and pancreas are affected first and change quickly mental health. Personality degradation develops faster in women.

Reasons for drinking alcohol

Male alcoholism can begin due to various rituals: the need to “celebrate” certain events, regular meetings with friends, drinking on weekends, etc. But in women, alcoholism most often develops precisely because of emotional troubles: emotional grievances, misunderstanding on the part of loved ones, lack of attention and warmth.

Women's alcoholism is more dangerous than men's

The development of alcoholism occurs 2-3 times faster than in men. Therefore, contact rehabilitation center needed as soon as possible. Treatment of female alcoholism is possible and will take place without any problems if professionals work on the problem.

The addiction of the female half of humanity to alcohol today is becoming a problem not only for families of drinkers, but also for society as a whole. Since the percentage of women alcoholics compared to the 20th century (late 90s) has almost tripled, and already accounts for a third of the total number of alcohol addicts. And all because it is customary in our society to turn a blind eye to a woman who drinks, even when the signs of female alcoholism become quite obvious. After all, a drinking lady is considered a disgrace and a burden for the family, while an alcoholic man is simply a real reflection of the Slavic addiction to strong alcoholic drinks.

Important: the main reason for women’s advanced alcoholism lies in society’s attitude towards a drinking lady. For some reason, based on the remnants of the Soviet of Deputies, it is generally accepted that drinking man has a lot of excuses for his behavior and addiction. While a woman is a caretaker, a keeper of the hearth, a mother and a wife, who simply does not have the right to such behavior. Hence the habit of turning away from an addict or turning a blind eye to cravings for alcohol. initial stages when it is still possible to treat the disease using non-radical methods.

Causes of female alcoholism

The main reason for a woman's addiction to alcohol is emotional instability caused by various external factors. Thus, a physically weak woman is constantly exposed to stress both within the family and outside (work, hobbies, personal life). As a result, a lady may decide to drink as a result of such stress:

• Constant loneliness and unsettled personal life;
• Grief (widowhood, loss of parent/child/loved one);
• Asocialization of women (lack of permanent residence, work, family);
• Negative example of alcoholic parents;
• Surrounded by drinkers;
• The desire to help an alcoholic husband cope with his addiction by reducing his dose through himself. That is, a woman tries to make sure that her husband gets less alcohol by sharing a drink with him every day. Such cases account for 10% of the total number of dependent men.

Thus, female alcohol addiction develops into a continuous craving for alcohol.

Important: early teenage alcoholism in girls can begin due to the low intellectual and antisocial status of the girl’s parents. As a rule, teenage girls begin their journey of addiction as early as 13-14 years old. If such a teenager is not stopped in time and not pulled out of his clutches antisocial behavior, in the future she will turn into an alcoholic woman.

The reasons lie in personal psychological predisposition

Besides external factors, which can provoke female alcoholism, a woman’s craving for alcohol is also influenced by her psycho-emotional background. That is, a woman who is self-sufficient and intellectually developed, has good mental health and can independently cope with stress in healthy ways is less likely to become an alcoholic, unlike a woman who is mentally unstable. Thus, the main psychological and psycho-emotional factors that shape a woman’s dependence on alcohol are:

• A woman’s hysteria and her tendency to scandals and swearing;
• The lady’s unstable psyche and her tendency to sudden mood swings, depression and negative perception of the world around her;
• A woman’s susceptibility to constant mental fatigue, insomnia;
• The presence of problems of an intimate nature (including sexual inferiority);
• Infantile ladies and women prone to neuroses are also at risk.

Important: in addition, the formation of persistent alcohol dependence is also observed among representatives of certain professions. As a rule, these are women working in the field of catering, services, construction and street (off-site) trading.

Features and subtleties of female alcoholism

It is believed that female alcoholism is more complex in nature, and therefore its treatment may take longer, unlike male addiction. This complicated course of the disease is due to the physiology of the female body. And for the same reason, the first signs of alcoholism in women appear more clearly.

Thus, it is worth noting the following features of the formation and course of alcohol dependence among representatives of the fairer sex:

• Women are more susceptible to developing addiction at the genetic level. That is, the daughter of an alcoholic mother is more likely to become addicted to alcohol than the daughter of a non-drinker. And if both parents drink in a family, then the likelihood of alcoholism in the daughter increases even more significantly.
• Greater situational control allows a woman a long period hide your addiction from others. Until the problem gets out of control and manifests itself as stage 3-4 of the disease. Until then, the woman will drink carefully, without attracting special attention those around you to your problem. Most often, the lady in this case drinks alone or in a very small company.
• It is worth noting that during PMS a woman may experience a stronger craving for alcohol, which further aggravates her condition and complicates treatment.
• With a passion for alcohol, women, unlike men, develop much later hangover syndrome. This also allows the woman not to recognize herself as an addict for a longer period, when the problem worsens even more.
• The absorption of alcohol in the fairer sex is stronger, which contributes to more negative influence ethanol on the body as a whole.
• In addition, even being at the 2-3 stages of addiction, ladies most often realize their problem, and this makes them experience additional psycho-emotional stress and a feeling of moral failure.

Important: if you are concerned about the problem of alcohol addiction, you can undergo a simple test for addiction to ethanol. Such a test for alcohol dependence will allow you to refute or confirm your doubts, and, accordingly, seek professional help in time. At the same time, there is no need to be embarrassed or ashamed of your condition. The sooner you trust the hands of professionals, the sooner you will say goodbye to your addiction.

The main symptoms of female addiction

So, the symptoms and signs of female addiction are as follows:

• Puffy face and sparkle in the eyes when drinking even a small dose of alcohol.
• External untidiness and dishevelment. That is, being dependent on ethanol, a woman pays less and less attention to her appearance. Often such a woman’s hair is unkempt and unkempt, as shown in the photo below.
• The behavior of an alcoholic woman changes dramatically. If this lady is quiet and modest in life, then sharp shouts towards others, uncontrollable cynicism and swagger can give her away. If a lady is a brawler in life, then, on the contrary, the dose taken can have a calming effect.
• In women who have been drinking heavily for a long time, their legs in the upper thighs become disproportionately thin.
• Also, an alcoholic woman is prone to sudden mood swings.

Stages of female alcohol addiction

Women, just like men, being on the path of worsening alcohol dependence, experience several stages of this terrible disease. Professionals divide the disease into three stages:

• Initial. Characterized by frequent and regular consumption of alcoholic beverages. In this case, the dose becomes constant, and the body no longer rejects ethanol. At the same time, the craving for alcohol intensifies, and after waking up the patient realizes that she is suffering from memory loss after drinking libations.
• Expanded stage. In this case, the dose of ethanol taken is increased. At the same time, the woman already develops a hangover syndrome, which is manifested by chills, headache, dizziness and a new craving to drink. At this stage of addiction, the patient’s condition also worsens due to psycho-emotional experiences. The patient realizes that she is losing control of herself. And this, in turn, can cause sudden changes moods from tearfulness to irritability or nervous breakdowns. At this stage of the disease, most often a woman begins to lose her social status, turning into a dependent.
• The final stage of addiction. In this case, the woman already loses complete control over herself. Appearance deteriorates sharply. The state of health of all systems is losing ground and internal organs. The lady exists only in search of alcohol. Intoxication occurs even from a small dose of ethanol, and significant and long-term lapses in memory are observed.

The terrible consequences of female alcoholism

Dependence on ethanol for women can be expressed in such negative consequences How:

• Malfunctions of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis, and then cirrhosis, which develops much faster than in men due to the structural features of the liver);
• Beginning pathologies in the cardiovascular system, expressed in varicose veins veins, thrombophlebitis, etc.;
• Severe and irreversible damage to the central nervous system;
• Malfunctions of the endocrine system;
• Disturbances in the respiratory system.

In addition, it is worth noting that a woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy develops fetal alcohol syndrome in the embryo, which can be expressed in the following ways:

• The baby has abnormalities in the maxillofacial bone structure;
• Retardation of physical and mental development child after birth;
• Pathologies in the functioning of the central nervous system (tearfulness, hyperactivity, cerebral palsy, etc.);
• Pathologies in the structure of internal organs.

Important: treatment of such children is complex and difficult due to constant toxic poisoning of the baby’s body while still in the womb.

Treatment of female addiction

Treatment of female alcoholism is based on the same scheme as for men. The only difference is the strengthening of psychotherapy in relation to the lady, since the woman’s psyche is more focused on contact and support from the outside. That is, all the work on treating an alcoholic lady can be successfully performed by simply a competent psychotherapist or psychologist. However, in order to help a woman’s body fully recover after long binges, it is also necessary to carry out a thorough detoxification of the patient’s body.

Remember: if you or your close relative/friend are addicted to alcohol, you should not turn a blind eye to the problem. The patient/you need strong psychological support that will help you escape from the clutches of alcohol addiction and return to social society sober and healthy.

Alcoholism is a very serious disease associated with craving for alcohol, which manifests itself in the form of physical and psychological dependence. The problems of alcoholism are faced not only in Russia, but also in other countries of the world, but only in Russia is alcoholism such a large-scale problem that it is comparable to a national disaster.

The Bible also says that people drank wine, drank it everywhere, instead of water or, for example, tea broth, but it is not known what kind of wine it was, whether it was an intoxicating drink or was considered like juice, and the atmosphere in those distant times was different . Atmospheric pressure had a different effect on people who lived in ancient times; alcohol-containing drinks may not have had a detrimental effect on the body of ancient inhabitants, such as kefir or kvass on those living today.

Are there ways to cure alcoholism for each individual and the nation as a whole? Eat. Prevention is necessary of this disease. Just like doctors who give people flu shots, or the population itself during a flu epidemic or colds starts eating garlic and drinking tea with lemon to strengthen the immune system and not catch a cold. It is necessary to have conversations with people on the topic of alcohol addiction.

Prevention of alcoholism is necessary for people at any age, because people become addicted for various reasons in life: some are driven by banal interest - this is more often the case in adolescence, some have family problems - young and middle-aged people, and some struggle with age-related depression, seeing a glass of intoxicating liquor as a way out of all life's troubles.

Types of prevention

Prevention of alcoholism is very important and necessary, because it is easier to prevent and prevent than to deal with the consequences, and treatment is difficult and is not always successful. Many alcoholics feel relief after a course of therapy, but after some time they return to this destructive habit of drinking alcohol.

Prevention of alcohol dependence is:

1. Primary.
2. Secondary.
3. Tertiary.

Primary prevention of alcoholism is carried out in the form of a conversation, it prevents the occurrence of alcohol dependence. These are conversations, watching various videos and listening to a course of interviews with people who drink harmful drinks. People fighting this disease go to crowded places and promote healthy image life. Conversations need to be held with schoolchildren and students, at employment exchanges and with young people.

Usually such conversations boil down to stories about diseases that are caused by drinking alcohol. Activities are disrupted gastrointestinal tract, the liver and kidneys begin to hurt, alcoholic hepatitis develops, the pancreas cannot cope with the functions assigned to it, pancreatitis appears, which then turns into diabetes mellitus.

The influence of Western ideologies has a very strong effect on Russian citizens. Previously, there was no such thing as a glass of wine with breakfast to improve digestion. Nowadays, more and more business dinners and meetings take place with the use of alcohol, but is it possible to make important transactions while drunk?

All more families is destroyed due to the fact that one or both spouses abuse alcohol. Even beer, which most men consider a harmless drink, causes irreparable consequences. Not only does it disrupt the activities nervous system, and also increases the number female hormones V male body. Representatives of the stronger sex become similar to women: they develop roundness on their stomach and hips, their shoulders become more sloping, and their psyche is shaken - men begin to throw hysterics, and they are increasingly “pushed” to tears. That's what it's for primary prevention alcohol addiction to avoid all irreversible consequences consequences of alcohol consumption.

Secondary prevention involves conversations and meetings with people who are being treated for this moment from the habit of drinking ethyl alcohol. Prevention of drunkenness and alcoholism involves meetings with the patient’s family so that its members can support and help in every possible way in curing the habit.

And the family members themselves need psychological help in dealing with the problem of drunkenness, because their loved one is changing - first, from an exemplary family man, he turns into a drunkard and alcoholic, who ceases to value his family, and then, on the contrary, he tries to turn back into a decent person. Sometimes it is much more difficult to believe in the possibility of a miracle than in the fact that a miracle has already happened, and close person stopped being dependent.

Tertiary prevention is Alcoholics Anonymous.

To avoid falling into drunkenness again, you need to talk about your problems.

But it is very difficult to find a person who would listen and not judge, help cope with the problem that has arisen and share his own experience. For these purposes, societies of anonymous alcoholics are increasingly being created, where people talk with each other, share their problems and experiences, and tell how they struggled with the disease. A psychologist works with them and helps them understand themselves. Every city in Russia needs such societies, then there will be fewer people suffering from alcoholism.

Nowadays, more and more often you can hear from teenagers that they drank on weekends or partied at discos with alcohol. This is a reason to start sounding the alarm.

The program for the prevention of alcoholism among schoolchildren should be designed for two age groups:

1. Junior schoolchildren.
2. Middle and senior management.

A prevention program should be in every educational institution, designed for a specific group of children and parents, updates and adjustments should be made annually.

It is clear that children under the age of 11 will not drink alcohol, but their parents can. It is the work with parents that becomes the key element of this program. The task of recognizing parents who are suffering falls on the shoulders of the class teacher. alcohol addiction. How to do this correctly?

Conduct parent meetings at least once a month. It is clear that school teachers have enough problems of their own at work and in their personal lives, they need to write programs, prepare for classes every day, get milk for primary classes, check homework. There are not enough teachers in schools - this is acute problem, many of them have to take charge of two classes and work in two shifts, and then there are the parents. But if you do not recognize in time that a child has problems with alcohol in the family, his parents drink, and the child himself suffers, then in the future he himself will become a potential alcoholic. His academic performance is low, he is left to his own devices, and his behavior leaves much to be desired.

Such children try to attract the attention of adults, in in this case teachers, precisely by bad behavior, because they don’t know how to do otherwise. Or they have learned that a bad deed will be noticed faster than a good one.

Carrying out parent meetings will allow you to evaluate the picture as a whole. If parents regularly attend meetings and actively participate in the lives of their children, then everything is fine in the family. But if parents do not contact the class teacher, do not attend meetings, citing work, then it is worth thinking about the involvement of this family in alcohol addiction.

Individual conversation with parents. If parents do not show up for a school meeting, then it is worth trying to meet with them in person, set a convenient time for them and talk about their children’s school problems, their progress and class tasks.

Carrying out school events and hikes. A hike is a fun time for children; they will be happy to go into nature, sit near the fire, fry sausages, frolic and run around. For the class teacher, this is a very big responsibility, he takes the children with him and is responsible for their safety, but he can observe their behavior. Children from disadvantaged families do not mince words, they talk about what their parents drink, and when the children themselves drink tea or other drinks, they “clink glasses”, just like adults do. This behavior of younger schoolchildren makes us think that they are from a dysfunctional family, and we need to help such a child and his parents.

Prevention of alcoholism among older schoolchildren and students

A rather difficult task in schools and other educational institutions is the need to prevent drunkenness. On average in Russia, children begin to drink alcohol at the age of 14. Not only the situation in the family, but also environment, relationships between peers, desire for popularity. Many teenagers mistakenly believe that drinking alcohol will help them become more popular and relaxed, make many friends among the opposite sex, and improve their personal lives.

If you just talk to children and show them videos about the dangers of alcohol and the effect on a young body, then in this case the benefit from this will be minimal. Teenagers rarely think about their own health and the health of their future children.

Prevention of drunkenness among teenagers should come down to the following: give children as little free time as possible. Involve them in all sorts of school activities and events: decorating school corners and stands, working in groups on projects on any subject, but so that it is carried out on the school grounds or schoolyard, and not at home when parents are at work, and children have the opportunity to purchase alcohol in the store.

Schools and other educational institutions need to hold as many sports and entertainment events as possible, attendance at which will be mandatory.

Sports and an active lifestyle are measures to prevent alcoholism and promote a healthy lifestyle.

If every child mandatory will have to visit sports section at an educational institution, there will be no time left for drinking alcoholic beverages.

Alcoholism statistics

In 60% of cases, teenagers begin to drink alcohol under the influence of drinking parents or other family members, and in 40% of cases, children turn to alcohol because they have nothing to do, they are tired of sitting at the computer and listening to music. Alcohol helps them start communicating with each other, they think so.

Modern teenagers are proficient in computer technology, actively click on keys and text each other. But they don’t know how to speak, communicate, they need to feel confident, so they hide behind alcohol intoxication. What to do in such a situation? During lessons in educational institutions, teachers need to try to structure classes so that children communicate through dialogue and discuss problems. A teacher or lecturer should not conduct a lesson in the form of a monologue or lecture. Where else can children learn to communicate with peers, if not in educational institutions?

Prevention of alcoholism among adolescents is also carried out at the state level. It is prohibited to sell alcohol to children and adolescents under 18 years of age after 21:00 in some regions and after 22:00 throughout Russia. Such a law exists, but is not always followed. The law must be enforced because some sellers sell alcohol to children, and some adults buy alcohol at the request of teenagers. Prevention of teenage alcoholism must also be carried out with the public in order to avoid cases of sales of alcohol to minors and cases of purchase of alcohol for minors and adolescents.

Measures to prevent alcoholism among adolescents should be taken comprehensively. The family must be involved in this educational establishments and the state.

Female alcoholism: prevention

If men's problems with alcohol can be solved, and the addiction itself, although difficult, is possible to cure, then female alcoholism is incurable. This has long been a proven fact. Representatives of the fair sex, who do not look as beautiful as before the illness, will never be able to completely get rid of addiction, no matter what. difficult situation they will touch the bottle again and again and try to drown their problems in wine or something stronger.

There is only one way out to combat female drunkenness - the prevention of alcoholism. Young girls prefer light types of alcohol: light beer, sparkling wine or martini. They do not think about the fact that the body gets used to sweetish liquids, which intoxicate and give deceptive freedom in communication; after drinking such drinks for a year 1-2 times a week, an addiction arises that is incurable. After 2-3 years of drinking alcohol like this, light alcohol no longer brings the intoxicating ease, and girls switch to stronger alcohol, without thinking about their health.

The mass of water in the female body is 20% less than in the male body, the psyche is softer and more vulnerable. And the body is not designed for alcoholic drinks and toxins, which is why a severe form of addiction occurs. Girls most often do not even think about the fact that they will never be able to give up alcohol, so from an early age school age it is necessary to conduct explanatory conversations with them. Moreover, a drunk girl has poor self-control; unprotected sex with young people may occur, which will lead to unwanted pregnancy. And “drunk” conception is very dangerous for both the baby and the expectant mother.

More than 60% of girls aged 14-17 drink alcohol only in groups, but 40% have the desire to drink alone. If parents notice increased anxiety daughter or irritability, rudeness, decline in academic performance, then you need to talk to her and then contact a psychologist. Prevention of female alcoholism is necessary. Alcohol abuse among girls leads to infertility and problems with bearing offspring.

There are three stages of female alcoholism:

1. The first stage is drinking alcohol in groups. This stage lasts up to 1-2 years, when girls and young women see each other in groups, where they drink alcohol and socialize.
2. Stage two – alcohol is the solution to the problem. At this stage, the mental state of a woman or girl changes. They no longer imagine how they can talk about problems without a bottle of alcohol. A girlfriend and a bottle are the best psychologists. And then the girl starts drinking alone. At this stage, if you seek help from specialists, you can still get rid of addiction.
3. The third stage is painful. At this stage, diseases of the liver, kidneys, and pancreas develop. Irreversible changes occur in the psyche; alcoholism can no longer be cured.

Prevention and treatment of male drunkenness

Prevention of drunkenness among men is much more important than treatment of alcoholism; prevention is better than treatment. Moreover, group therapy brings better results than individual conversations. What to do for prevention? Employers and managers of companies where mostly male teams work should promote sports and a healthy lifestyle, hold matches in football, volleyball and other sports between workshops and teams, then the percentage of men dependent on alcohol will decrease. It is no secret that among men there are those who abuse alcohol, but male alcoholism is a treatable disease.

Is it possible to somehow treat an existing addiction? Of course you can. Prevention and treatment of alcoholism should be carried out comprehensively - conversation and medicines. It is recommended to add bay leaf to all cooked food. This is not only the prevention of colds, but also alcohol addiction. Bay leaves discourage the body from drinking alcohol. Lavrushka helps cope with addiction not only for men, but also for women who abuse alcohol.

If you eat 2-3 teaspoons of honey daily with tea, you can also cope with the desire to feel alcohol intoxication. Honey is an excellent treatment method. It contains glucose and maltose, necessary for the body to cope with addiction.

Besides honey and bay leaf, you can use soda, but soda will only provide temporary relief. To treat alcoholism, you need to drink half a glass of water in which soda is diluted throughout the day.

To prevent drunkenness and alcoholism, it is necessary to promote a healthy lifestyle, notify the population through leaflets and newspapers, talk about the dangers of alcohol on television, and devote more time to children so that they do not find time to drink alcohol.

Modern women demonstrate miracles of endurance. In the interval between having children and preparing dinners, they work intensively and solve a lot of everyday problems. Some manage to lead teams and make scientific discoveries. But sometimes you have to pay a considerable price for emancipation: overload can cause various diseases. And female alcoholism is one of them.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the ratio of men to women suffering from alcohol dependence did not exceed 12:1. Today the situation has changed radically: women make up a fifth of all alcoholics.

Statistics on female alcoholism

Official statistics, which tend to underestimate the real numbers, indicate a steady increase in the number of Russian women addicted to alcohol. Over the past few years, their number has increased from 11.3% to 15.8%. Scandinavians and Americans believe that the number of victims of female alcoholism in their countries is at least 30%, and the British call a shocking figure of 50%.

One of the most depressing aspects of the disease is its ability to “get younger” year after year. Clinical data from Russian scientists indicate that 82% of women began systematically drinking alcohol before the age of 30. Moreover, half of them manage to become addicted to alcohol in the interval from 16 to 21. What pushes girls on this path?

Female alcoholism: psychological reasons

A special role in the sharp surge in female alcoholism is played by the intense rhythm of life, which leads to constant nervous exhaustion. Women susceptible to neurological and psychological problems often do not notice how stress gradually accustoms them to a regular evening glass of wine.

Often, ladies who carry an excessive burden of care on their fragile shoulders, both in the family and at work, are forced to put on the mask of an “iron lady” who can handle everything. In such cases, alcohol becomes the only available relaxant for an exhausted and tired woman.

In addition, ladies are emotionally predisposed to relieve stress alone. They do not need extraneous ears and vests in order to reduce tension and restore peace of mind. A good friend and a glass of another low-alcohol cocktail may be enough for a woman. Unnoticed, a friend may become an extra link, and the initial dose of alcohol begins to confidently increase.

Additional risk factors for female alcoholism

Reasons that can also become the starting point in the development of a serious illness include:

● Genetic predisposition. The most authoritative clinical researches confirmed the existence of a hereditary tendency to alcoholism. Scientists conducted an interesting experiment in which identical twins participated. Children were observed from birth to 30 years. Regardless of where the twins were raised or whether they were separated, the addiction to alcoholic drinks in girls with the same genetic code was completely identical.

● Attitude to alcohol in the family. Sometimes alcoholism is a consequence of children's pictures depicting parents with a glass in their hand.

How susceptible is the female body to alcohol?

It's no secret that women are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol than men. This feature is easily explained physiological factors, among which:

Fat content in the body. When dissolved ethyl alcohol in water, its concentration decreases, and the accumulation of ethanol in fats, on the contrary, helps to increase its content in organs and tissues. The female body contains much more fatty tissue and less water than the male body. "Thanks" like this physiological feature It is women who become more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol.

Enzyme concentration. The female body differs from the male body in having low levels of the two main enzymes that break down ethanol. Therefore, if a man and a woman drink an equal dose of alcohol, the content of ethyl alcohol in the woman’s bloodstream will be higher.

Hormone levels. Fluctuations in the level of hormones that are inherent in the female body during the menstrual cycle and during menopause can also affect the absorption of alcohol.

When does the disease begin?

The line between drinking enough alcohol and the onset of illness is very thin, and crossing it is easy. Doctors believe that women can drink 340 ml of beer, 140 ml of wine or 80 ml of spirits per day without harm to their health.

However, in determining a personal norm, a woman’s weight, heredity, age, general state health. Some experts believe that by regularly drinking even one low-alcohol drink a day, a woman is already putting herself at risk of developing alcoholism.

What diseases does alcohol cause?

Doctors say that women are more vulnerable to the harmful effects of alcoholic beverages than men. Target organs include the brain, heart and liver.

Liver damage

Liver damage. Compared to men, the destruction of hepatocytes - liver cells - in women occurs much faster and under the influence of smaller doses of ethyl alcohol. In addition, women are more likely to develop alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Animal studies have shown that the increased vulnerability of the female hepatobiliary system is associated with the effects of the main female sex hormone, estrogen.

Brain damage

Brain damage. Women are much more likely than men to suffer from alcohol-related brain damage, which manifests itself in a decrease in cognitive functions (memory, attention, mental abilities) and even a decrease in brain size.

Heart diseases

Heart diseases. It has been proven that men and women who drink one or two alcoholic drinks per day in moderate doses have a lower mortality rate from coronary disease hearts than patients with alcoholism. The likelihood of cardiovascular accidents - heart attack and stroke with fatal- with alcoholism increases several times.

Mammary cancer

Mammary cancer. Many studies show that excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Every additional 10 grams of pure alcohol (113 ml of wine) can increase the likelihood of developing a tumor by 10%, and the risk persists throughout life.

Compared to women who do not drink alcohol at all or who observe the measure, patients with alcoholism are much more likely to develop:

● osteoporosis

● increased agility

● bone tissue

● premature menopause

● infertility and miscarriage

● hypertension

Treatment of female alcoholism

For a long time it was believed that female alcoholism is much more difficult to treat than male alcoholism. This opinion is largely explained by the fact that until 1990, studies on the effectiveness of alcoholism treatment were conducted on men. Only since the end of the twentieth century have scientists begun to take into account data on the treatment of female alcoholism.

Today we can say with confidence that women have equal chances with men in terms of getting rid of addiction to alcohol. And this means that curing female alcoholism modern medicine I can do it.

Leading drug treatment clinics are developing their own treatment programs for women. Considering the emotional component in the development of female alcoholism, psychological correction is of no small importance.

Knowledgeable, experienced psychologists carry out painstaking work with each patient, attuning her to the need and importance of treatment. Often, the help of a qualified psychotherapist becomes the very straw that helps to get out of the alcoholic whirlpool even in the most seemingly difficult cases.

The editors would like to thank the Otkritie Center for the Treatment of Women's Alcoholism for their assistance in preparing the material.