Alcoholism is the greatest problem of all time. Every year the number of people who abuse alcohol is growing. This is due not only to the deterioration in the standard of living of the population, but also to the change in the mentality of the younger generation. Modern children are brought up in an atmosphere of permissiveness, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to surprise them with something. Therefore, they try to get new sensations themselves by drinking alcohol.
The problem of our times
Each of us almost daily encounters a drunk person at the entrance, on the street, in the subway, in cafes, shops and other public places. People in a state of intoxication cause disgust and irritation, which is sometimes simply impossible to hide. Passers-by, seeing drunk people, most often throw after them such abusive words as “drunkard” and “alcoholic”. At the same time, many of them consider them synonyms, but this is a big mistake.
What is the difference between a drunkard and an alcoholic? What is the difference? This is a very relevant question today. Despite the fact that the main characteristic of drunkards andalcoholics is the systematic use of alcoholic beverages, there are still differences between them, and quite significant. In order to properly understand them, it is necessary to consider each definition in more detail.
Let's start with the fact that the concept of "drunkard" is the common name of a person who is addicted to alcohol. Whereas "alcoholic" is a medical term. It defines the same category of people.
Drunkens
What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? The difference between the concepts is as follows: a drunkard is a person who systematically consumes alcoholic beverages, he is often in a tipsy state. While an alcoholic is a person for whom the use of alcoholic beverages develops into a need and becomes a way of life.
The latter suffer from a latent or pronounced form of alcohol addiction. It, in turn, is considered a disease requiring serious and long-term treatment. Drunkenness is social in nature. It is the main step on the road to alcoholism.
For drunkards, the presence of a reason is not necessary. They drink alcohol just to cheer up. A shot of vodka after a hard day's work is a tradition for them. Drunkards like to spend time in a noisy company, where alcohol flows like water, or in a narrow circle, with a mug of cold beer. However, they always rely only on themselves and can stop in time. They can drink even in the middle of the week, while they come to work neat and withoutbeing late.
The difference between drunkards and alcoholics is that they can stop drinking at any time. In this case, they will not experience any discomfort. This addiction is nothing more than a bad habit that can be overcome if you take the will into a fist.
Alcoholics
An alcoholic is a person addicted to hard liquor. Their use does not give him any pleasure, but he cannot imagine life without this addiction. Here is another answer to the question of the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard.
The alcoholic is illegible in the choice of strong drinks. He is ready to drink everything "that burns." Without a daily dose of alcohol, he simply cannot exist normally. This addiction is somewhat similar to a drug addiction. In medical terminology, there is even such a thing as “alcohol withdrawal”. What does it represent? This is the state of an alcohol addict who has not received the next dose of alcohol.
An alcoholic needs a new portion of alcohol within a couple of hours after the previous drink. If time is running out, and they have nothing to improve their he alth, the so-called withdrawal occurs. Its manifestations can be different: uncontrolled attacks of aggression, headache, vomiting, fever. To stop everything, you need a drink.
Delirium tremens develops in an alcoholic
What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? The difference is that the former, unlike the latter, cannot fight his addiction on his own. Refusal attemptfrom alcohol can result in the development of delirium tremens for a person. What is it?
Delirium tremens is one of the acute forms of alcoholic psychosis. She worries mostly alcoholics with experience. It manifests itself in the evening in the form of auditory and visual hallucinations. It requires immediate medical attention. This happens because the body of an addicted person is simply not able to function without another dose of alcohol.
An alcoholic drinks for no reason
He doesn't need company or a reason to drink. This is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard. For a bottle, he is able to give everything. Therefore, most often such people are left without a family and without work. They are well aware that all this happened because of their addiction, but they cannot get rid of it on their own.
Fine line
Before I say how an alcoholic differs from a drunkard, I would like to note that there is a fine line between these two states. It can collapse if the drunkard fails to give up his bad habit in time.
The manifestation of weakness in this case can lead to alcoholism, which, if left untreated, can cause death. After all, the constant presence of a large amount of alcohol in the blood triggers the mechanism of destruction of the body. The consequences of alcohol abuse in this case can be irreversible.
Control
What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? What is the difference? That drunkardis able to control himself and knows the norm. His brain can still signal the body to stop. It is impossible not to feel it. When the drunkard's he alth deteriorates sharply, then he stops drinking and tries in every possible way to put himself in order. He can go to sleep, go outside, take a contrast shower or drink a cup of strong coffee.
The brain of an alcoholic is simply not capable of signaling the body. Therefore, a person can pour himself an unlimited amount of alcoholic beverages. He will not get any pleasure from this procedure, but he will not be able to stop. He will drink until he passes out. To achieve this effect, an alcoholic must constantly increase the dose of alcohol. Therefore, every year he begins to drink more and more and cannot stop, even if he feels a threat to life.
Damage to the cerebral cortex by alcohol can lead to alcoholic epilepsy. With it, there is a loss of consciousness and memory.
A drunkard is able to give up alcohol or reduce the amount of his consumption, as soon as he feels that something is wrong with his body. He also does not need to increase the dosage. He has a strictly set maximum, which he does not intend to exceed. This is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard. There are no symptoms of addiction in the drunkard. And their manifestation will be considered his transition to the category of alcoholics.
Root of Evil
Drunks flatly refuse to admit to themselves and others that alcohol occupies an important place in their lives. The denial of this fact is the root of the evil, since their opinion that they can stop drinking alcohol at any time is erroneous. Unbeknownst to themselves, they may begin to abuse alcohol in greater quantities.
What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? No one can answer this question right away. This is due to the fact that these two terms are two sides of the same coin. An alcoholic and a drunkard have so much in common that in this variety it is not so easy to find differences. Currently, there is even an opinion that these are equivalent concepts. Because both of them disgust those around them with their appearance. The very word "drunkard" sounds much more humiliating than "alcoholic". After all, the last word is a medical term. It means that a particular person has a problem.
Conclusion
Now you know the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard. What is the difference between them, we hope it became clear to you. Due to the lack of pronounced differences in these definitions, it is customary for people to call people who are fond of drinking alcohol alcoholics. However, we should not forget that both alcoholics and drunkards are people with serious problems. They need help, and the sooner it is provided to them, the more chances they have for a full happy life.
