The scandalous British psychotherapist David Nutt, who became famous not only for his scientific achievements, but also for his habit of expressing his thoughts and beliefs directly and without unnecessary nuances, argued that there is no substance more dangerous for a person than alcohol. . In terms of the degree of destructive effect, ethyl alcohol surpasses many poisons and narcotic substances, but for some reason most people perceive the habit of drinking at night as normal.
Of course, when alcoholism crosses social lines, and a person slides into the abyss and begins to lead a fringe lifestyle, this is perceived as slow suicide, but are most people so critical of so-called domestic drunkenness? One or two glasses of wine with dinner, a bottle of beer with a football game or 100 grams of liquor for a meeting with a friend are perceived as appropriate as a cup of tea, but such a habit in the end causes no less devastating. harm than chronic drinking. Is alcohol that dangerous or is it just a stereotype? Let's move on to the opinion of scientists.
The harm of alcohol on the human body: briefly about the main
So what is the main danger of alcohol? In its deceptive harmlessness! Californian scientists affirm that ethyl alcohol in small quantities is absolutely safe. True, they are tactfully silent about where "a small amount" ends and "drunkenness" begins. It is also impossible to find information about who funded these studies, since they are not published in any high-profile scientific journal, which requires all the protocols of the experiments and data on the sponsors. Is it because the representatives of the alcohol industry are in the lead? It remains only to guess.
At the same time, there is no such dependence that arises by itself; most often alcoholism arises precisely from the habit of drinking a bottle in moments of special joy and sadness, in the circle of friends and relatives. And we are not talking about notorious alcoholics who cannot live a day without a bottle of cheap wine - those who spoil their health every day are enough in smart circles.
It is difficult to find a more insidious liquid than alcohol. It acts on the brain like serotonin (the natural hormone of joy), causing an imaginary feeling of happiness and good humor. It is this effect that is responsible for the emergence of a habit: instead of learning to enjoy a fulfilling life, it is easier to cloud the mind with a pleasure substitute.
However, this effect is quickly replaced by a much less pleasant one: a complete decrease in control over one's own emotions and actions makes a drunk person "appear in all their glory. "Some show aggressiveness, others start crying for no reason, others behave too lovingly. . . The number of drunken manifestations is large, but none of them looks attractive from the outside.
Furthermore, inappropriate behavior is far from the worst companion of intoxication. According to statistics, more than half of traffic accidents and a third of suicides occur while intoxicated. With each glass drunk, the number of cells in the cerebral cortex gradually decreases, but the irreversible effect is not immediately noticeable. Look into the eyes of a person who has been drinking alcohol for a long time and regularly - sensible thoughts, social norms and human perception are gradually replaced by banal animal instincts and craving for a bottle. Moreover, this process is irreversible: if the destroyed liver can still be treated a little, then the cerebral cortex is not restored. Australian scientists have shown that even those who drink alcohol moderately 2-3 times a week, the size of the brain gradually decreases and its functionality decreases due to shrinkage. On average, 200 ml of a 40-degree strong drink kills between 1, 000 and 2, 000 cells. Keep this in mind when you pour another glass!
Harm of alcohol for men.
Like any substance that causes addiction, ethyl alcohol acts on the sly: at first you will not notice any changes or unpleasant consequences for health, but over time, when it becomes impossible to refuse a drunken glass, you yourself will understand how deceptive the former is. the impression isAnd even the beliefs of some drinkers that a bottle helps them relax and relieve stress are nothing more than self-delusion. Such a feeling causes paralysis of the center of attention and self-control: ethanol, getting into the blood, affects the brain centers and simulates a feeling of euphoria, which overshadows all other feelings, dulling the rational perception of reality. The same goes for marijuana or hashish. Why is the harm of drugs known even to a child, and alcohol is perceived as a mime? Unanswered…
In addition, the stereotype imposed by the media and advertising on the brutality and masculinity of the stronger sex is directly related to the consumption of alcoholic beverages. A glass of beer, a glass of whiskey or rum is considered a noble pastime of true gentlemen, but this is not the case at all. Yes, at first this vessel will be invisible, but with each new sip, the vessels and capillaries will become vulnerable and less elastic, and the heart will work at half its strength. This means that after a couple of years of a regular "night with a glass", blood circulation will inevitably be disturbed, and as a result, impotence will appear, which cannot be eliminated even with the help of power regulators. modern, any of these medicines have a strict restriction on alcohol. So, dear men, remember: by raising glass after glass, you are depriving yourself of an important aspect of a fulfilling life.
The harm of alcohol on the body of a woman
Women's alcoholism is much worse than men's. Although ethanol acts equally destructively on the organisms of both sexes, female physiology is much stranger: vulnerability, emotionality and psychological sensitivity of the fair sex is a reasonable physiological characteristic, which means that they develop a much greater dependence of the illusion of happiness and tranquility. faster. Trying to hide from problems in alcoholic oblivion, ladies get drunk much faster, because the body cannot resist this attachment, and the peculiarities of psychology hinder the mind's attempts to prevail over the craving for a glass.
In addition, a woman's liver filters ethyl alcohol worse, which means that it breaks down faster under its influence. As statistics show, the first signs of cirrhosis appear in women on average after 5 years of alcohol dependence, and in men - after 7. And although the difference is small, it clearly proves that the female body is a priori more sensitive than the masculine. to alcohol
What are the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy?
A pregnant woman is a sacred vessel in which the life of an unborn child is hidden. It is unfortunate that not all women perceive the state of pregnancy in this way. Modern trends dictate new rules: today, ladies "in position" do not deny themselves anything, including a glass of red wine, which a gynecologist supposedly recommends to them in order to alleviate the tone and general relaxation of the body. Who issued the medical education diploma to these doctors? What are gynecologists guided by in recommending this to pregnant women? There are many proven and safe ways to relieve stress, such as fresh air, meditation, simple yoga poses, or walking in nature. What about alcohol?
Studies by the American Association have shown that the newborn mortality rate in alcoholic mothers is 5 times higher than in those who do not drink alcohol. And this is not about alcohol addiction, but about the notorious "cultural drink", which is called everyday drunkenness. Ethanol affects the fetus even in the womb, causing underdevelopment, mental retardation and other pathologies that will accompany the child all his life! Is her suffering worth the imagined pleasure of a mother who couldn't refuse a glass of alcohol?
An interesting experiment on the effects of alcohol vapor on embryos was carried out at the Federal Medical and Biological Center. 160 eggs were placed in the incubator, at the same time an ethanol steam generator was installed in the room. As a result, half of the embryos simply did not form, and of the remaining 80, 40 died in the first days after birth, and another 25 were with severe malformations, for example, without a beak, without a wing, or with malformations. formed legs. It is worth considering!
The harm of alcohol in the body of a teenager.
There is not and cannot be an innate urge to drink alcohol: children learn this by watching their family and loved ones. If the advertising, sale and consumption of alcohol were banned on the same day, no child would feel deprived or inferior, let alone crave alcohol-containing products. However, in adolescence, the statistics change significantly: more than 60% of modern adolescents try alcohol by the age of 15, and upon reaching the age of majority, their percentage reaches 90.
Research of our scientists B. S. Bratusya and P. I. Sidorova proved that even in kindergarten age, children easily reproduce the process of drinking and the state of intoxication. If you ask kids to play a wedding, birthday, or trip to a party, they inadvertently clink their glasses, serve them drinks, and toast. Thus, a stereotype is formed that alcohol is a companion for celebration and fun, a symbol of a happy and carefree adult life. This is where teenage alcoholism begins.
What harm does alcohol bring to today's teenagers?
Today's teenagers perceive alcohol as a minor and idle pastime that allows them to get over the first disappointment, cope with embarrassment on a first date, or just have fun with friends. However, even a glass of a low-alcohol drink like homemade beer or wine will be enough for a fragile body to get drunk and lose control.
Drinking for teens is a misguided opportunity to assert themselves, to feel more mature, more relaxed, and more courageous. Presenting yourself as a "bad boy" or "fatal girl" using alcohol for this is as easy as shelling pears, but is it all as harmless as it seems? Destructive behavior, attempts to appear more mature, arrogance, and hysteria are far from the worst companions of teenage drinking. Most young people, after drinking a glass, lose their sense of proportion, gradually succumbing to a feeling of surrogate euphoria. This is how addiction arises, and considering that in adolescence the body as a whole and the psyche in particular are not yet fully formed, it will be much more difficult to overcome the arisen addiction than in adults.
The harm of alcohol on the human body: results.
The data from the World Health Organization is beyond doubt: every third case of premature death is somehow related to alcohol consumption. Some drink until the complete destruction of the body, others have accidents under the influence of ethanol, others lose self-control and harm themselves. However, today a conscious choice in favor of a sober lifestyle is not so simple: successful men and women with a glass of alcohol look at us from TV screens, billboards and their own smartphones, and only in the background. in a small and almost imperceptible font is a footnote: "Excessive consumption of alcohol harms our health" to comply with the law.
Such massive publicity has a simple explanation: the profitability of the alcohol industry is estimated at billions of dollars, where each potential consumer is one more opportunity to line their pockets. To resist this propaganda, it is enough to think with your head and worry about your own health. The atomic explosion in Hiroshima claimed the lives of two hundred thousand people, and alcohol kills about a million and a half every year. That's all the math. . .
6 reasons to quit alcohol
A glass of wine is often offered to relieve stress and emotional difficulties. At the same time, alcohol can be a source of many problems. We tell you why alcohol-free is better.
alcohol is a depressant
Alcohol is often referred to as an antidepressant, and this is not true. It only relaxes the body for a short time and improves the mood by increasing dopamine, the pleasure hormone. But subsequently, the body adapts to the production of the hormone, and more and more is required to achieve the effect. In addition, tetrahydroisoquinoline, a substance that blocks the production of dopamine and serotonin, is formed. A person ceases to enjoy life without stimulation, falls into depressive moods. Thousands of neurons are destroyed, which can no longer be restored.
After a short-term rise in mood, an increase in aggression and apathy follows. Scientists say that alcohol contributes to insomnia, increases anxiety, and with systematic use can cause nervous disorders.
Negative effects on mood are reduced after two weeks of abstinence from alcohol and are almost completely eliminated within a month: a person restores mental functions, mood normalizes, vitality and motivation increase.
Drinking alcohol affects appearance
With frequent use of alcohol, the skin loses its elasticity due to dehydration. This causes premature aging and aesthetic problems: redness and swelling, grayish skin tone, bruising under the eyes and the appearance of wrinkles. Cholesterol rises in the blood, which causes the appearance of reddish streaks on the whites of the eyes. When a person stops drinking, most bodily functions are gradually restored, which has a positive effect on appearance. This will take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several years, depending on the length of the drink.
Alcohol causes overeating
Ethanol stimulates a special AGRP protein called the "obesity protein. "Significantly increases appetite, causing gluttony, even when a person is full of energy and does not want to eat. The habit of drinking a glass of wine helps to slow down the metabolism, so it is better to replace alcohol with healthy drinks.
alcohol causes disease
Alcohol is the cause of cirrhosis and hepatitis due to inflammation and scarring of the liver tissue. It actively destroys the pancreas and causes a tendency to diabetes. The walls of the intestines are destroyed under the influence of alcohol, the structure of the cells changes, they completely stop absorbing useful substances, which affects the immune system and health in general. Alcoholic beverages negatively affect most organs. In the stomach, the production of mucin, a substance that protects the mucous membrane from irritants, is suppressed. Without it, the stomach is prone to gastritis and peptic ulcers.
The intestinal microflora is gradually restored within a week after removing alcohol from the body. By the way, the extraction of alcohol from the female body is 20-25% slower than that of men. If a person stays sober for two weeks, they will have clear thinking, blood pressure will normalize, heart rate will stabilize, shortness of breath and headaches will disappear.
constant financial expenses
One of the non-obvious but pleasant consequences of giving up alcohol is savings. High tariffs are imposed on raw materials for winemaking, therefore ready-made drinks are mainly bought in the country from abroad. Alcohol prices are constantly increasing, and if you drink high-quality (and the other is not worth it), then this will hit the budget. Even at an average cost of about a glass of wine with dinner per month, you'll save a considerable sum. Add to this the cost of visiting doctors, as well as buying medicines and cosmetics, which you need much less with a healthy lifestyle.
The risk of developing alcoholism.
It seems that alcoholism can only develop in disadvantaged people. In fact, this is not always a pronounced disease with external signs. An early-stage alcoholic can continue to have an active social life, go to work, care for loved ones, and hang out with friends. Alcoholism occurs regardless of standard of living, wealth and education. At the same time, not obvious, at first glance, failures in the work of the body and psyche appear. Therefore, it is especially important to control this habit and monitor your health to avoid irreversible consequences. Also, the sooner a person stops drinking alcohol, the faster most of the problems arising from it are resolved.
And if it's just a little?
Often you can find the opinion that in small doses alcohol is good for health. Doctors from the American Heart Association argue with this theory. Over the course of six years, they observed about 5, 000 volunteers, half of whom drank often and little by little, just a glass of wine or a mug of beer in the evening. Experts noted that these people, according to general health indicators, have an increased risk of developing disorders of the cardiovascular system, including an increased probability of atrial fibrillation.