Research and statistics show that people who drink alcohol in small quantities have a lower premature mortality rate than those who abuse alcohol and do not drink at all. This fact is associated with the relaxing effect of small doses of alcohol, which reduces stress, calms and suppresses psychomotor agitation (like antipsychotics, neuroblockers, neuroleptics). In addition, alcohol stimulates the production of high-density lipoproteins, which prevent cholesterol deposition. Alcohol is also traditionally used as an emotional enhancer and in socialization as a “communication lubricant”. This is where the positive effect of alcohol on the body ends. There are several applications that measure stress levels using a flash and camera integrated into a smartphone or tablet. Anyone can download the Welltory app for free via direct links from https://antiage.click/en/welltory-en at the bottom of the page.
The effect of alcohol on the psyche
At the very beginning, alcohol causes a short-term surge of strength and excitement, since it reduces the quality of self-control, criticality, attention, thinking, memory, and also allows you to feel calmer, more relaxed, more confident. Therefore, alcoholic drinks are used to lift your spirits and help you have a good time in company.
Science and https://antiage.click/en/ have proven the tranquilizing (anti-anxiety), sedative (calming) and euphoric (feeling of joy, delight, happiness) effects of alcohol. With the further course of addiction, a stimulating effect is added, and the value of the euphoric effect decreases. Gradually, addiction to alcohol develops, and you need to drink more to experience positive emotions. Large doses of alcohol increase stress, aggression and anger.
Euphoria, socialization, “rest”, stress relief and mental reboot are the main causes of alcohol dependence syndrome, which occurs as a result of addiction to the substance. It is no coincidence that alcoholism is one of the elements of a mental disorder. Alcoholics often suffer from emotional disturbances, depression, etc.
The effect of alcohol on the body
Of course, it is impossible to make a career as a homeless person who wets himself with cirrhosis of the liver in a year, but the body degrades over time. Alcohol causes dehydration of the skin, peeling, rashes, bags under the eyes, enlarged blood vessels and rosacea.
More serious consequences include various ulcers, diseases of the brain, kidneys and muscles. Alcohol raises blood pressure, causes heart failure, and increases the risk of heart attack. The alcoholic’s liver becomes overgrown with fat, inflamed, and scarred, which will sooner or later lead to cirrhosis. It takes a person from 2 to 25 years to become ill with alcoholism, depending on the characteristics of the body and the total dose of alcohol consumed. Over time, the internal organs and brain degrade. Complications arise: ulcers, inflammation, pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, memory lapses, decreased intelligence, apathy, depression, desocialization, dementia, delirium tremens, and seizures. Irreversible disorders often end in death.
How to become an alcoholic
The division into 1-2-3 stages of alcoholism is outdated today. The classification of mental disorders according to ICD-10 records abuse with harmful consequences and alcohol dependence syndrome. Thus, the line beyond which alcoholism begins is as close as possible and is determined by https://antiage.click/en/ alcohol dependence syndrome:
- craving, addiction to alcohol, irresistible desire to drink,
- the importance of alcohol in the life of an alcoholic,
- mental and physical dependence on it,
- regular use,
- inability to control the amount of alcohol consumed,
- withdrawal syndrome after stopping.
It is unsafe to drink regularly, a lot, uncontrollably, and most importantly – to attach great importance to alcohol. Normally, the body does not need ethanol, like food and water.
As soon as the desire to drink a bottle of beer on Friday night or celebrate receiving a salary with the work team at the end of the month arises for the third time in a row, a person becomes on the verge of alcoholism. Periods of sobriety and the amount drunk do not matter. Even if we are talking about one bottle of beer once a month, but at the same time it is given great importance, and plans for such a day are subordinated to the moment of the beginning of alcohol consumption. Binge alcoholics easily do without alcohol for six months or more. As soon as alcohol becomes an obligatory component at a certain point in life, and this is repeated, a person becomes I am on the verge of alcoholism. Repeating such situations will sooner or later lead to alcohol dependence syndrome.
A person will imperceptibly cross the line between alcohol dependence and its acceptable use sometimes in small quantities for variety, enhancing the gastronomic features of dishes, getting new taste sensations. Then there will be a craving, addiction to alcohol, a periodically arising irresistible desire to drink, mental and physical dependence on alcohol. The importance of alcohol in life and its regular use will gradually lead to the inability to control the amount of alcohol consumed and withdrawal syndrome.
The last stage is characterized by binges lasting several days (no more than a week) with a severe hangover. The interval between binges is from a couple of weeks to several months. Asthenoneurotic syndrome lasts 1-2 months after a binge: sleep disturbances, fatigue, irritability, low performance. Drinking alcohol even once a month takes a person out of a normal state for a long time, he simply does not have time to be in a normal state.
To avoid the development of alcoholism, after a binge (even lasting two or three days), it is necessary to completely abstain from alcohol for 3 months so that the body can cleanse itself. Accordingly, a relatively safe period between doses of even a relatively safe “acceptable norm” of alcohol according to https://antiage.click/en/ can be considered 2-3 months.
The norm of a safe dose of alcohol
As for the norm, there is no safe dose of alcohol. The risk can be minimized, but the safest thing is not to drink alcoholic beverages at all. Alcohol is associated with fifty diseases, and the amount of alcohol consumed directly increases the risk of getting sick.
In the WHO Alcohol Use Disorders Test at euro.who.int, the first three key questions implicitly contain the WHO standard amount of alcohol (a standard drink is 10 grams of alcohol).
The questions concern:
1. Frequency of alcohol consumption.
2. Amount on a given day.
3. Frequency of drinking 60 g or more of pure ethanol.
To stay within the “norm”, it is enough to drink 100 g of 100% alcohol or slightly less than once a month, or no more than 60 g of 100% alcohol 4 times a month. A dose of 60 g of pure alcohol once a week is critical, even if there are no other consequences.
60 g of pure alcohol is approximately equivalent to: 180 g of spirits (40% vol.); 600 g of wine (10% vol.); 1500 g of beer (4% vol.).
It is very important that alcohol consumption does not have other consequences: hangover, memory lapses, irresponsibility, guilt, remorse, receiving or causing injuries while under the influence of alcohol, the wishes of others to drink less, the inability to stop once you start drinking. If any of these conditions are violated, we can talk about going beyond the “norm” and dependence on alcohol, regardless of the frequency and amount consumed.
For example, if, while drinking 100-300 g of whiskey once a year, a person under the influence of alcohol caused or received an injury, experienced remorse, heard the wishes of others to drink less, this is an indicator of dangerous or harmful alcohol consumption, that is, alcoholism. This is a fact, even if he did not “overdo it” that evening, and the next day he remembered all the events perfectly, did not have a hangover and arrived on time for a pre-scheduled meeting.
Consequences of alcohol abuse
About 3 million deaths occur worldwide per year due to dangerous or harmful consumption of alcoholic beverages, which is more than 5%. At the same time, for the age of 20-40 years, this is more than 10%. Alcohol is a factor in more than 50 serious diseases.
Exceeding the “norm” by 4 times increases the likelihood of cancer: oral cavity by 5 times, larynx by 2 times, intestines by 50%, pancreas by 30%. Liver damage is observed with a daily dose of 20 to 40 g of pure alcohol.
How to reduce the effects of alcohol consumption so as not to become an alcoholic
In order not to become an alcoholic, according to https://antiage.click/en/, it is better to eat with a drink than to drink with a snack. Preference should be given to natural dry wines. Vodka, whiskey, and other strong drinks should be diluted. The body processes 10 grams of pure alcohol in about an hour. If you dilute the drink and spread it out over the entire evening, the total amount of pure alcohol will be small, and the harm to health will be minimal. It is recommended to start drinking alcohol as late as possible and finish at sunset, 3 hours before bedtime, or at 9 p.m. A few sips of clean water after a cocktail will help avoid dehydration.
For the average person, 300 g of strong alcohol less than monthly, or no more than 180 g of strong drinks once a week are critical doses. In order not to become an alcoholic, these norms cannot be exceeded.
To avoid becoming an alcoholic, you should give up drinking alcohol for https://antiage.click/en/ three years or more if a person, under the influence of alcohol, caused or received an injury, experienced remorse, heard the wishes of others to drink less, “overdid it”, and the next day did not remember all the events, had a hangover and did not show up for a pre-scheduled meeting on time. Any of these events is a marker of dangerous or harmful alcohol consumption. Further in the series of such negative events are serious illnesses, disability, loss of family, all property and death as a result of dangerous and harmful alcohol consumption.
If, despite such “bells and whistles”, you continue to drink alcohol, then sooner or later you can imperceptibly cross the line and seriously become ill with alcoholism. Then, the alcohol dependence syndrome is sure to worsen, leading to negative consequences for the health, psyche, family, social and professional spheres of the alcoholic’s life. It is not easy to recover from alcohol addiction, not everyone succeeds, and only after complete abstinence from alcohol.
Alcohol is objectively not a value in life, the body does not need it, like, for example, air, water and food. There is no safe dose of alcohol, the safest thing is not to drink alcohol at all. When completely abstaining from alcohol, the body does not get rid of it immediately, and full brain function is restored only after six months to a year.