Many perceive alcohol as a means to relieve stress, anxiety or fatigue. Such an approach is categorically unacceptable. Alcohol will never help you get out of difficult situations. In addition, alcohol abuse often causes many problems, one of which is pathological intoxication. This is a change in consciousness when a person loses touch with reality. In this state, he is able to commit not only ridiculous acts, but also cruel crimes. This article will discuss the main causes and treatments for this disorder.
General information
From a medical point of view, pathological intoxication is a short-term psychotic disorder resulting from the intake of alcohol. It is characterized by twilight clouding of consciousness, pronounced changes in behavior. This is a kind of reaction of the body, reminiscent of the state after consumption.certain groups of drugs (barbiturates, benzodiazepines). Experts in the field of narcology believe that this pathology may be based on previous craniocerebral injuries. The danger of the condition lies in its sudden development. Expressed human aggression can lead to harm to other people.
Causes of the phenomenon
The state of pathological intoxication does not always develop due to alcohol abuse. Sometimes it is preceded by the intake of alcohol in small quantities. According to psychiatrists and narcologists, the following factors can provoke such a reaction of the body:
- excessive psycho-emotional stress;
- chronic sleep deprivation;
- traumatic brain injury;
- mental or physical exhaustion;
- panic attacks.
Of course, alcohol acts as a trigger for pathological intoxication. The disorder itself is not a type of traditional drunkenness. This is an independent phenomenon, the development of which may be preceded by certain pathogenic factors from the list mentioned above.
Manifestations of psychotic disorder
The pathological form of intoxication develops against the background of already existing signs of alcohol consumption (slurred speech, staggering gait). Relative adequacy is abruptly replaced by motor and speech hyperactivity. Formersymptoms of intoxication disappear. A person conditionally sobers up, but at the same time loses responsibility for the actions performed.
His face expresses anxiety, fear or confusion. However, the ability to perform logical and purposeful actions remains. Also, the ability of verbal contact with others does not disappear. Despite the disorientation in space, a person can hide, run away from enemies or take aggressive actions against them.
The duration of the state of pathological intoxication cannot be accurately determined. It starts quickly and ends abruptly. After that, a person usually falls into a deep sleep, and in the morning of the next day he does not remember anything. He cannot restore the sequence of his actions and deeds.
Varieties of disorder
Doctors distinguish two forms of pathological intoxication: epileptoid and paranoid. Forensic psychiatrists in their practice use another variant of the disorder - alcoholic catatonia. What are the symptoms of each of these forms?
Epileptoid pathological intoxication is accompanied by a sudden disorientation in space. The person completely loses contact with reality. He becomes suspicious and angry. Movements are made "on the machine", they are distinguished by sharpness and rudeness. The patient in a fit of aggression is usually silent, sometimes muttering something. There is no criticism and awareness of the actions taken.
The paranoid form of the disorder is characterized by a sudden loss of consciousness. The person is in great agitation. His movements are impulsive, accompanied by affective reactions in the form of anger. This variant of pathological intoxication is characterized by a sudden onset and the same ending with a transition to deep sleep.
With alcoholic catatonia, a person “freezes” in any action. He can constantly repeat words or sentences, not paying attention to others and their actions. Attempts to contact him are futile.
Diagnostic Methods
There are other forms of alcohol intoxication, which in their symptoms resemble pathological. When illegal actions are committed, their differential diagnosis comes to the fore. The patient's sanity/insanity depends on the final decision of the forensic psychiatrists.
When making a diagnosis, signs of pathological intoxication play a paramount role. The use of a small amount of alcoholic beverages, a sharp change in consciousness, severe motor hyperactivity while maintaining normal coordination of movements - these distinguishing criteria are characteristic of the disorder. Sometimes this condition is accompanied by delusions and hallucinations. In the course of studying the clinical picture, partial or complete amnesia is also taken into account.
Differential diagnosis is carried out with various forms of alcohol intoxication: depressive, impulsive, dysphoric and others. The examiner must be highly qualified and able todistinguish the symptoms of these pathologies. For example, single cries of obscene words can be mistaken for crazy ideas. If the patient reacts to external stimuli, and a certain dynamics can be traced in his behavior, such a clinical picture indicates a common alcohol syndrome. Not all doctors can see the fine line between manifestations of disorders.
It is especially difficult to differentiate the pathological form of the disorder and complicated intoxication in chronic alcoholism. In the latter case, a change in the clinical picture towards aggressiveness is often observed. Making a definitive diagnosis is always difficult. Narcologists and forensic psychiatrists do not have the opportunity to observe a person's behavior, usually their conclusions are based on the testimony of other people.
What to do after diagnosis? Treatment options
A patient diagnosed with pathological alcohol intoxication should be hospitalized immediately. In this state, he poses a threat not only to those around him, but also to himself. Therefore, when signs indicating a disorder appear, a medical team should be called.
The doctor in the hospital chooses the tactics of treating the patient. Usually "Promazin" is immediately prescribed to prevent psychosis. This is a sleeping pill. After waking up, detoxification therapy begins. As a rule, it includes intravenous administration of fructose to speed up sobering up. Vitamins are added to the composition of the infusion solutionGroup B, Levozan and Benadon. Nootropics and hepatoprotectors are also part of the treatment for pathological intoxication.
Therapy is possible only in a hospital of the appropriate direction. Usually this is a drug dispensary. The treatment program takes a lot of time, includes psychotherapeutic and drug effects. If the doctor's recommendations are followed, the prognosis for recovery is positive in most cases.
Legal
A person with this disorder is not responsible for his actions, so it is difficult for him to bring charges against his actions. In this case, it is necessary to recall again the question of how difficult it is to differentiate pathological from ordinary intoxication.
In the first case, a person loses control over motor activity, psychological adequacy. Therefore, responsibility for the committed actions is lost in full. Often the patient does not even try to hide the crime and does not remember its details at all. Forensic experts recognize persons who have committed an offense in a state of pathological intoxication as insane. Criminal liability in relation to such patients is not applied.
What is pathological intoxication dangerous for?
A person in this state cannot control and evaluate his actions. Therefore, he becomes a danger to himself and loved ones. The sleep phase can come at any time. It is this period after active wakefulnessoften causes injury or death. Many violent crimes were committed under the influence of small doses of alcohol.
Prevention measures
The only effective option for the prevention of pathological intoxication is the complete rejection of alcohol. Only the exclusion of alcoholic beverages will help to avoid unpredictable consequences and a similar condition. Also, a sober lifestyle will save you from unbearable shame, which is often observed the day after the deed.
Summary of results
Pathological intoxication is understood as an acute condition that develops in people who practically do not consume alcoholic beverages. For him, the appearance of a distorted perception of the surrounding reality is typical. The person becomes irritable. Everything around him seems hostile and threatening. The duration of pathological intoxication is difficult to determine. The logical conclusion of the disorder is the patient's sleep. After waking up, he usually does not remember anything. Detoxification therapy is used as the main measure to combat the disorder.
