It is no secret that alcohol can cause serious health problems, including cirrhosis and injuries in road accidents. But liver disease and car crashes - this is not only the consequences of alcoholism. Researchers have proven link alcohol use with the emergence of more than sixty kinds of diseases.

Alcohol affects all processes in the body, and we still do not know the limits of its influence. This process is extremely complex. There are twelve of health risks associated with chronic alcoholism.

Anemia

Alcoholism can cause a critical reduction in blood levels of red blood cells, which are the carriers of oxygen. This condition is called "anemia" and, in turn, can cause a variety of symptoms, including chronic fatigue, shortness of breath and dizziness Dizziness - if the ground is slipping from under his feet .

Cancer

Chronic use of alcohol increases the risk of cancer. According to scientists, the risk of developing the disease increases when the body converts alcohol into acetic aldehyde, a strong carcinogen. When alcohol abuse malignant tumor Malignant tumor: cells are mad   can affect areas such as the mouth, pharynx (throat), the windpipe (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast area, as well as colorectal intestine. Even more cancer risk is increased in those who have not only a lot of drinks, but also smokes.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

Frequent use of alcohol, and especially in an excessive amount leads to the fact that platelets are collected in groups to form clots that can trigger a heart attack or cardiac arrest. In the course of an important study conducted in 2005, researchers from Harvard found that as a result of excessive consumption of alcohol risk of death among people who previously survived a heart attack is increased by half.

In addition, alcohol can cause cardiomyopathy, a deadly disease in which the heart muscle weakens and atrophies. It also leads to disruption of cardiac rhythm, such as atrial fibrillation and ventricular. Atrial fibrillation, wherein the reducing of the upper chambers of the heart (atria) and becomes erratic and can cause the formation of diamonds and as a consequence a heart attack. Ventricular fibrillation is a chaotic contraction main pumping chambers of the heart (the ventricles). The result comes almost instantaneous loss of consciousness, and then, in the absence of immediate medical attention, instant death.

Cirrhosis

Alcohol - is poison for the liver cells, and many people who abuse alcohol develop cirrhosis, sometimes fatal. In cirrhosis scars covered to the extent that it ceases to function. But guess which of drinkers may appear cirrhosis. Some people drink excessively lot and cirrhosis have not arise. Others drink significantly less and suffering from the disease.

Dementia

With age, the human brain is reduced at an average rate of 1, 9% in ten years. This is normal. But alcohol accelerates the reduction of some of the key parts of the brain. This can lead to memory loss Loss of memory - not only in telenovelas   and other forms of dementia.

Also, alcoholism can lead to a minor, but debilitating brain disorders abilities in planning, reasoning, problem solving and other tasks of the executive functions of the brain, that is, high-order skills that allow us to maximize the use of the functions of the human being.

In addition, "non-specific" dementia, which is a consequence of atrophy of the brain, alcohol can lead to such severe nutritional deficiencies that it will cause and other forms of dementia.

Depression

It is well known that alcoholism is often accompanied by depression. But until now, there is debate about what occurs first, depression or alcoholism? One theory is that people suffering from depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood Use alcohol to "cure" that is, to facilitate their emotional experiences. But large-scale study conducted in New Zealand, proved that the opposite is true: alcoholism leads to depression.

The study also showed that the rate of depression is reduced when a person abuses alcohol, stop drinking.

Seizures

Alcoholism can cause the development of diseases such as epilepsy, as well as trigger seizures, even in people who do not suffer from epilepsy. Additionally, alcohol abuse can reduce the effectiveness of drugs designed to stop convulsions.

A person is not always easy to understand when alcohol enters the line between habit of drinking several times a week, and alcohol dependence. But if you drink alcoholic beverages, to cope with life's difficulties and to get away from negative emotions, it is an alarming sign. Alcohol addiction can be a surprise to a man, but only because he had long denied the very possibility of its existence ("I can quit at any time" - many people do not just say, but really believe in it). However, the relationship is formed gradually, and there are certain signs by which it can be identified at any stage.

Why do people become addicted to alcohol

Alcohol addiction develops under the influence of many interrelated factors, such as genetics, upbringing, social environment, mental health. In some ethnic groups, such as American Indians and Alaska Natives, the risk of alcohol dependence is much higher than average. People whose immediate relatives suffered from alcoholism, as well as those who are in close contact with alcoholics are also at risk of developing alcohol dependence. The group also includes the risk of people suffering from disorders such as anxiety disorder, depression, or bipolar disorder, as they may use alcohol to improve their own psychological state.

Do you have a drinking problem?

Perhaps you have an alcohol problem if:

• Do you feel guilty or ashamed of the fact that too much, and often drink;
• You lie to others about how much you drink;
• Your family and friends are concerned about how much alcohol you consume;
• You need to drink to relax or just to feel better;
• You sometimes can not remember what they were doing when they were intoxicated;
• Do you regularly consume more alcohol than originally planned - you find it hard to stop.

However, the most important criterion - that's how alcohol affects you. If alcohol is causing problems in your life, it's time to think about how to overcome the habit of alcohol.

Symptoms

Doctors distinguish between alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence present, or alcoholism. People who abuse alcohol, yet are capable of self-restraint, although they have a habit can be dangerous both for themselves and for others. Since alcohol is a step toward alcohol dependence, it will list the most common symptoms:

• Man ignores their home, work and other responsibilities due to alcohol consumption habits. For example, it can not take care of children and to miss work due to the fact that once again in a state of intoxication;
• Drinking alcohol when it is a health hazard, for example, the combination of alcohol with drugs, despite the ban on the doctor, the use of alcoholic beverages before performing potentially hazardous activities that require high concentration of attention, including, before sitting down behind the wheel;
• Regular problems with the law as a result of use of alcohol;
• Man continues to drink, even though that because of this, it has problems in respects Seven of problems in relationships and how to solve them   with loved ones;
• Man almost loses its ability to relieve stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis   without the aid of alcohol.

Not all people who abuse alcohol develop alcohol dependence, but the probability of this is very high. Alcoholics all signs of alcohol is added to a physical dependence on alcohol.

Tolerance alcohol - the first of the two main attributes of alcohol dependence. You need to drink more than before, to relax? You can drink more than others, without feeling drunk? If so, your body has become tolerant to alcohol, and you constantly have to increase the dose to get the desired effect.

Withdrawal symptoms - the second most important symptom of alcoholism. Tremors in the limbs, tachycardia Tachycardia - the body to the limit? , Sweating after drinking alcohol, which can only be alleviated with the help of another alcoholic drink - the most typical signs of withdrawal syndrome. In other words, no alcohol in humans begins the "breaking" - more or less strong depending on the stage of alcoholism. Other withdrawal symptoms: anxiety, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, depression, irritability Irritability - you try to control my temper , Lethargy, lack of appetite, headaches. In severe cases, the removal of alcohol can cause hallucinations, confusion, convulsions, fever. Patients who develop these symptoms, often can not quit drinking without the help of a doctor.

Many alcoholics deny the existence of addiction, and often accuse loved ones that they invent non-existent problem. The most common erroneous assertions of people with alcohol dependence:

• "I can quit when I want." In most cases it is not. In the early stages of alcoholism, many people simply do not want to throw - then their relationship has not created serious problems. Then they can not do without alcohol. This belief - only the illusion of saving, which is sometimes even save people who suffer from alcoholism for years.
• "The fact that I drink - this is only my problem, and no one has the right to tell me when to throw." In fact, human alcoholism is a problem for all of his loved ones. Moreover, they suffer from this continuously: and in between heavily, and when a person allows himself to relax again with alcohol.
• "I'm not an alcoholic, because I do not drink every day." Even if a person does not drink for months, but now and then there comes a time when he can not hold back and drink for several days in a row, at the expense of his own life, he is a real addiction.
• "I'm not an alcoholic, because I have a job, and I have to cope with it." Alcoholics are not only homeless. Some of them succeed in school and work - until a certain time. Once health problems make themselves known, and well-being will be threatened. The only way to avoid this - to give up alcohol.

How to help a person with alcohol dependence

Those who become dependent on alcohol, you can only advise to consult a doctor or stop drinking on their own (in the early stages of dependence is quite possible). In any case, to overcome the dependence will require enormous willpower, courage, and a lot of time.

If the dependence on alcohol at your loved one, remember that you can get him to stop drinking. The solution can only accept himself.

What not to do when your loved one dependent on alcohol:

• Do not play the victim. Constant complaints and accusations only reinforce the guilt of an alcoholic, and deal with it, he can only one way. If you can no longer live with a dependent person, it is best to just walk away;
• Do not pour the alcohol and do not hide the bottle;
• Do not threaten divorce, moving with their children and so on. If you decide to do it - do it, but it makes no sense to threaten: it will only lead to more tension in the family, and can provoke aggression, but does not induce a person to stop drinking;
• Does not justify an alcoholic - even if a person started drinking because of psychological problems with them could easily cope in other ways;
• Do not expect people to stop drinking without help. Most affiliates urgently needed care as doctors and loved ones.

Finally, the treatment - a long process, and should not expect quick results are not. As to the patient and his loved ones need a lot of patience and effort to return to a sober life, but if it happens - is a common achievement.