If a person continuously consumes large amounts of alcoholic beverages for several days or weeks, then doctors talk about binge drinking. At the same time, the patient is not always able to stop drinking on his own. With the refusal of alcohol, the state of he alth often worsens in an addicted person, which forces him to continue to use alcohol-containing drinks in large doses. In many cases, only the intervention of a narcologist helps to interrupt the binge. How to help the patient? What methods can be used to get a person out of a binge? We will answer these questions in the article.
Stages of alcoholism
Alcohol addiction is formed in a person for quite a long time. Narcologists distinguish the following stages of this pathology:
- initial;
- medium;
- heavy.
Consider thesestages of the formation of craving for alcohol in more detail.
At the initial stage, the patient does not yet experience painful cravings 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 drunk is the main symptom of this stage. The patient cannot confine himself to a moderate dose of alcohol and comes to 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 formed an abstinence syndrome. Drinking at the initial stage, as a rule, is 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 drinking stops, the patient's he alth deteriorates sharply. Only new doses of alcohol help to stop an unpleasant state. The patient gets drunk regularly. It is at this stage that drunken alcoholism is formed. A person can continuously drink for several days, weeks and even months. He can abstain from alcohol on his own for a while, but soon he has a new breakdown.
At the severe stage of alcoholism, a person's tolerance to ethanol falls. However, at the same time, the patient has an irresistible craving for alcohol. The patient consumes alcohol in small doses, but at the same time constantly maintains himself in a state of intoxication. Withdrawal syndrome almost neverstops. Hard drinking at this stage is not observed, drunkenness is permanent.
The main cause of binge drinking is the formation of withdrawal symptoms in the second stage of pathology. Physical addiction causes the patient to drink continuously for a certain length of time.
Doctors single out a constant and drunken type of drunkenness in alcoholics in the second stage. In the first case, a person drinks constantly and continuously. When drinking, the patient experiences frequent breakdowns, which alternate with short periods of sobriety.
Types of drunken states
Narcologists and psychiatrists distinguish the following types of binge:
- false;
- true;
- dipsomania.
Drinking for many days is not always a sign of physical addiction. Only a specialist can determine the stage of alcoholism in a patient. Let us consider in more detail the varieties of drunken states.
Fake binge
There are cases when a 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, due to the need to go to work or financial difficulties.
In this case, doctors talk about a false binge orpseudobinge. 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-binge drinking is also characteristic of the very beginning of the middle stage of addiction.
True drunk state
True hard 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 drunken alcoholism in a patient.
Drinking is usually preceded by an uncomfortable mental state characterized by:
- depression;
- anxiety;
- irritability;
- withdrawal;
- loss of interest in work and daily activities;
- appetite loss;
- insomnia.
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 has the following symptoms of binge drinking:
- nausea and vomiting due to intoxication of the body;
- diarrhea;
- arrhythmia;
- dizziness;
- puffiness and flushing of the face;
- sleep disorders;
- convulsive seizures.
Drinking stops only with complete physical exhaustion. There comes a time when the human body refuses to take alcohol. Just thisforces the patient to stop drinking. When the patient comes out of the binge, the withdrawal syndrome occurs. This unpleasant condition is characterized by the following painful manifestations:
- headache;
- nauseous;
- trembling limbs;
- dizzy;
- anxiety;
- depressed;
- sleep disorders;
- nightmarish dreams.
The patient's well-being gradually improves over 7 to 10 days. After that, he returns to normal life and may abstain from alcohol for some time. However, subsequently, the physical and mental craving for alcohol reappears, and the person goes into a new binge. It turns out 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 at home. The specialist will detoxify the body and stop the withdrawal syndrome.
Dipsomania
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 consume a large amount of alcohol. The binge may last for several days or weeks, and then suddenlystops. At the same time, the patient is not stopped by possible troubles at work or dissatisfaction with relatives.
With dipsomania, a person outside of attacks is absolutely indifferent to alcohol. He has no addiction to alcohol. There is also no withdrawal syndrome. After drinking, the patient may experience only a slight indisposition caused by intoxication.
It is impossible to cure dipsomania with the help of various narcological methods. Such a patient needs to see a psychiatrist and undergo therapy with sedatives and antidepressants.
Features of pathology in women
Women's binge drinking is much more severe than men's. This is due to the peculiarities of metabolism. In a woman's body, alcohol is processed poorly, so her withdrawal syndrome is 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, the patients experience withdrawal symptoms, accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Excruciating headache and severe weakness. The state of he alth may be so severe that the patient has difficulty moving around the house and is unable to do any business.
- Indomitable vomiting. Nausea is not stopped by either drugs or folk remedies. Constant vomiting exacerbates dehydration caused by alcohol. Arisesdry mouth and intense thirst.
- Depressed mental state. Patients experience severe depression and anxiety after drinking. This is due to the fact that women often reproach themselves for drinking alcohol. They feel guilt and shame. On this basis, patients during a hangover may experience mental disorders.
The above signs point to the formed physical dependence. They are stopped by a new intake of alcohol. This causes the binge to continue, which stops only when the body is completely exhausted.
There is a misconception that there is no cure for female alcoholism. However, this is a profound misunderstanding. If the patient has a desire to get rid of a bad habit, then it is quite possible to defeat the craving for alcohol.
Consequences of drinking binges
Consider the consequences of drunken alcoholism. Long-term and continuous intake of large doses of alcohol does not pass without a trace for the body. Against the background of alcohol consumption, patients may experience the following pathologies:
- Delirium tremens (alcoholic delirium). This mental disorder occurs only after the cessation of drinking. It develops against the background of withdrawal syndrome. The onset of delirium is usually preceded by insomnia and anxiety. The patient has a sharp rise in temperature, there are visual hallucinations of a frightening nature.
- Alcoholic hallucinosis. This mental disorder also develops against the background of a hangover and insomnia. The condition is accompanied by the appearance of auditory hallucinations. The patient hears voices condemning oraccusing him.
- Intoxication. At the middle stage of the pathology, an alcoholic has an increased tolerance to ethanol. However, during a binge, the patient loses control over alcohol consumption. There have been cases when the patient died due to an overdose of alcohol or received severe poisoning with damage to the digestive tract and liver. In addition, during drinking bouts, patients may consume alcohol surrogates and low-quality drinks.
- Alcoholic polyneuropathy. Often during hard drinking, patients experience severe pain and numbness of the lower extremities. Sometimes the legs completely fail, and the person cannot move. This is a sign of peripheral nerve damage due to alcohol intoxication.
All this suggests that the patient needs the help of a specialist when drinking heavily. Otherwise, the risk of complications is very high.
Getting out of binge with the help of a narcologist
As already mentioned, often an alcoholic cannot get out of a binge without medical help. What to do in this case? Today, many narcologists offer services for the relief of drunken conditions. Such assistance is provided both at home and on an outpatient basis.
Specialist puts a drip on a patient. The composition of the solution may include the following substances:
- Glucose. Helps to remove toxins from the body.
- Eufillin. Improves blood circulation in the brain.
- Insulin. Used to normalize metabolism.
- Calcium chloride. Restores water-s alt metabolism.
- Cerucal. Thiscomponent reduces nausea and vomiting.
- Sedatives. Relieve depression and anxiety, promote sound sleep. This helps prevent the development of alcoholic delirium and hallucinosis.
This set of drugs allows you to remove intoxication and stop the hangover. Usually, after a dropper, the patient falls asleep and wakes up in a normal state. However, you should not stop there. It is necessary to undergo treatment for alcohol dependence, otherwise a new breakdown is almost inevitable.
What can be done at home
How to remove a hangover at home? If the patient has a strong withdrawal syndrome, then it is better to seek the help of a specialist. Refusal of medical care can lead to delirium tremens. Before the arrival of the doctor, the patient needs to drink plenty of fluids to get rid of dehydration. The following drinks will do:
- green tea with lemon;
- cucumber pickle;
- mineral water;
- s alted tomato juice;
- kefir.
It is also recommended to wash the patient's stomach and put a cleansing enema. This will help reduce toxicity somewhat. You can give the patient a decoction of valerian or motherwort, this will reduce anxiety. You should not take alcohol tinctures of sedative herbs for alcoholism.
How to get rid of a hangover with drugs from a home first aid kit? Doctors do not recommend self-administration of prescription drugs. Can be taken at homeenterosorbents ("Activated carbon", "Enterosgel", "Polysorb"). This will help flush out toxins. Multivitamin complexes are also recommended, because with the abundant use of alcohol, the body loses many useful substances. Taking the drug "Regidron" is shown, this will reduce dehydration.
These measures can help only with a short-term binge and the absence of severe withdrawal. If the patient has severe vomiting, heart rhythm disturbances, mental disorders, then it is impossible to do without the help of a narcologist.
Medicated treatment
Detoxification and relief of withdrawal symptoms are only first aid measures for binge drinking. Addiction treatment needs to be comprehensive. After withdrawal from binge, the patient needs a course of therapy. Otherwise, a new breakdown is almost inevitable.
In binge drinking, patients are prescribed the following groups of drugs:
- Drugs that block the possibility of drinking alcohol ("Colme", medicines based on disulfiram). These drugs cause a sharp negative reaction of the body when taken together with alcohol. They are also called chemical coding drugs.
- Nootropics ("Piracetam", "Cinnarizine", "Cavinton"). These medications restore brain function damaged by alcohol.
- Sedatives (antidepressants, neuroleptics). Reduce mental stress, which often precedes drinking.
- Vitamins of group B. Multivitamincomplexes prevent neurological complications of alcoholism.
Is it possible to give a cure for alcoholism without the knowledge of the patient? If we are talking about drugs for chemical coding (Colme, Disulfiram and its analogues), then this should never be done. If the patient breaks down, the reaction of the body 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 drugs for alcoholism without the knowledge of the patient can be mixed into food? Only homeopathic remedies can be used in this way. These include:
- "Edas 121".
- "Proproten 100".
- "Acidum C".
Manufacturers claim that these funds reduce cravings for alcohol. However, homeopathy does not help all patients. Indeed, in order to successfully get rid of alcohol dependence, the desire of the patient himself is necessary. Therefore, treatment without the knowledge of the patient is not always effective.
Psychotherapeutic methods
Medication alone is not enough to get rid of addiction. It is necessary to create in the patient a firm psychological attitude to stop drinking. For this purpose, hypnosis for alcoholism is widely used, which in everyday lifeoften referred to as "encoding".
The hypnotic session is carried out in several stages:
- The patient is put into a trance state. The patient first relaxes and then falls into a deep sleep.
- Method of hypnotic suggestion, the psychotherapist forms the patient's attitude to sobriety. The specialist vividly describes all the dangerous consequences of alcoholism and the advantages of giving up alcohol.
- The patient is brought out of sleep. After that, he is given a sniff of cotton wool soaked in alcohol. If this causes disgust, then the suggestion was successful.
To achieve the full effect, a person usually needs to go through 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 the treatment will be ineffective.
