Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages cannot last long without consequences. So-called beer alcoholism develops much more slowly than strong alcohol addiction, and this is its special danger.
What is the danger of beer
The type of alcohol does not play a role in the development of alcoholism. The disease develops when drinking wine, vodka, moonshine, alcoholic cocktails and beer. The only thing that low-alcohol drinks affect is the speed of addiction formation. Beer is considered one of the most dangerous drinks in this regard. And therefore.
- The alcohol in it is from 4 to 14%, which does not worry the majority. In fact, such harmless drinks as kvass or kefir also contain alcohol.
- The beer is delicious. Unlike vodka or moonshine, which must be squeezed in, the intoxicating liquid can be enjoyed as many times as you like, and you'll want to repeat the pleasure often.
- In terms of popularity, beer ranks first in almost all social classes: men, women and young people drink it. In obsessive advertising, it is presented as an ordinary soft drink.
- In addition to alcohol, most varieties contain a number of substances that negatively affect the endocrine and cardiovascular systems.
If we take a closer look at the above facts, it becomes clear that there is nothing safe in this drink. Frequent drinking of beer is not condemned by society. On the contrary, there are arguments for it. It is recommended to fill vitamin deficiencies or improve digestion. For this reason, many do not have a psychological stop signal, which is the beginning of the abuse of strong alcohol, for example. Drinking vodka is considered shameful and unhealthy, and drinking beer daily is just a form of relaxation. Some do not consider it dangerous even to give it to children "to promote health".
Signs and characteristics of beer addiction
The usual arithmetic calculation allows you to determine what threatens a beer frenzy with regular libations. In 1 liter of weak beer 40 ml of pure ethanol, in strong varieties - 120-140 ml. In the latter case, the permissible daily dose of alcohol for men was doubled. And if you consider that 1 liter is only drunk "for overclocking" and then the amount is not counted, it becomes clear that the consequences of drinking beer are inevitable.
From an ordinary hobby, the addiction seamlessly turns into a psychological dependency, while the abuser is quite sure of his own well-being and does not put himself on the same level as alcoholics, but continues to drink beer every day. You can understand that the disease is developing when the following situations arise:
- upcoming meetings with beer cause impatience and joyful anticipation, for them you can postpone less important things;
- Intoxication comes on quickly and lasts a long time;
- at least 1. 5 liters are drunk per day, the maximum is not exactly known;
- Days when the usual beer is impossible for some reason is experienced with irritation, the mood worsens, few new cans or bottles can return it;
- weak beer shines like water, one wants to take the strongest;
- those around and the mirror begin to notice changes in appearance: swelling of the face, swollen body, bags under the eyes, pale earthy skin;
- more often than usual there is shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid pulse;
- the next morning after the beer my head hurts, i want to drink a little more to "get better".
The appearance of even one of the signs against the background of a daily "hobby" indicates a beer addiction, the symptoms of which will be felt more in the future.
Narcologists do not recognize specifics of alcoholism depending on the type of drinks they prefer, but they agree that beer addiction is very insidious. It is very difficult to identify it at the first stage, since there are no pronounced changes in lifestyle and human health. For example, a woman whose husband drinks beer every day may not notice any signs of outside dependency at all.
Beer alcoholism in men is often disguised as a somatic disorder. Heart problems, headaches and irritability are often mistaken for accumulated fatigue.
Health effects of beer abuse
The consequences of beer alcoholism concern, to a lesser extent, spiritual, moral and personal aspects. People who are addicted to the drink are less likely to lose professional skills and maintain the appropriateness of behavior and judgment than those who drink strong alcohol every day. This is a feature of weak alcoholic beverages: personality degradation develops, but very slowly.
Another danger that awaits beer lovers is the destruction of physical health. As a result of daily heavy drinking, serious chronic diseases develop:
- myocardial dystrophy;
- Angina;
- coronary heart disease;
- Gastritis;
- Jade;
- fatty hepatosis;
- liver cirrhosis;
- neurological disorders.
A foamy drink places a heavy load on the kidneys, binds and removes minerals and vitamins necessary for the body: potassium, calcium, ascorbic acid, riboflavin. As a result, the work of all internal organs is disrupted. The constant presence of acetaldehyde in the blood causes swelling, combined with dehydration, and poisons the liver and brain.
It is important that beer contains many so-called phytoestrogens. Ingested uncontrollably, these substances contribute to hormonal imbalances in both men and women, leading to reproductive system dysfunction, an increased risk of blood clots, and elevated cholesterol levels.
But the main thing for which beer alcoholism is dangerous is uncontrolled intoxication. The pleasure of the taste of the drink overshadows the effects of ethanol, the rising feeling of euphoria disinhibites, retouches problems and prompts to take a few more cups or bottles. Rarely does anyone realize they've walked over a beer when they're drinking beer. In addition, addicts often switch from weak alcohol to vodka or other "fuel" abuse.
The fight against beer alcoholism
Dealing with beer alcoholism depends on the degree of the disease and the overall situation. Since such abuse isn't always accompanied by a loss of will qualities and mental disorders, it makes sense for the addict to do all the work on their own. There is no coding of beer alcoholism as a separate specific pathology. Stitching drug torpedoes under the skin or hypnosis may not work.
As with other forms of addiction, the patient must recognize the existing situation and the need to change it. Some can do it themselves, others need a sign from the outside. If there is no physical addiction to ethanol - the lack of beer does not lead to a deterioration in well-being, heart attack - you can do without the help of a narcologist.
Approximate program of action.
- Medicine does not recognize "small-dose" methods of treating alcoholism. It is pointless to recommend people who have a painful beer addiction to drink 1 bottle a day. This is self-deception, after a while the problem comes back. Thereonly complete denial will help You must act on the principle "last time was yesterday" This is the most difficult step, but it is necessary.
- After the rejection, you should analyze what annoys you the most. Boredom, a lot of free time, uninteresting TV, stress at work, arguments with a friend. Usually, problems smoothed out by drinking beer immediately get off. They need to be identified and addressed immediately: Instead of watching TV, repairing something, going for a walk, communicating with a forgotten friend, spending more time on work, children, helping around the house.
- Boredom and irritability can be alleviated by finding something you love and can enjoy doing. Hobbies, a new pet, playing sports, music, learning a foreign language, mastering a new job. Anything that sparks genuine interest, requires effort, but leaves no inner compulsion, will do. This is the most effective way to deal with psychological addiction.
- With an irresistible desire to drink beer, you can give the body a substitute: prepare juice, green tea, lemonade. First of all, a non-alcoholic beer variant is suitable. At the same time, after drinking 2-3 glasses of the drink, there is an urgent need to draw attention to an urgent matter. The brain will receive the necessary discharge, mental stress will disappear. If we are not talking about alcoholism, but just a bad habit, you can drastically reduce the amount of beer - drink no more than 0. 5 liters 1-2 times a week, ideally even less.
The lack of good mood and interest in life and the presence of frequent dizziness, weakness in the self-treatment of beer alcoholism is a reason to visit a neurologist or endocrinologist, since there is a possibility of developing metabolic disorders or damage to the central nervous system. In this case, the doctor can prescribe a laboratory blood test, dopplerography, MRI of the brain. If signs of disease are detected, therapy with hormonal or nootropic drugs is required.
The prevention of beer alcoholism consists in excluding the replacement of entertainment with a drink, fighting boredom, relaxing and solving problems. Beer, like other alcoholic beverages, is acceptable on the festive table, but you cannot make it the constant companion of life or quench your thirst with it.