How hidden alcoholism manifests itself and how to get rid of it. Latent alcoholism: features. Manifestations of female alcoholism

Alcohol addiction is one of those special diseases, in which patients convince themselves that everything is fine with them, that they do not need any help.

People who wage a daily struggle with their addictions each time improve their skill in masking their problems from prying eyes.

Hiding your habit allows the alcoholic to continue drinking, often in order to alleviate the emotional suffering associated with unpleasant situations from past life. But how do you know that a person close to you is not accidentally hiding problems with alcohol? And why is it so important to know about small everyday trifles that may at first seem unnoticed and familiar in Everyday life?

Why does alcohol breed secrecy?

Alcoholism is a disease that often inspires mystery and loneliness in alcoholics. People who are constantly preoccupied with drinking issues may often not notice signs of their real problem, the existence of which
They don’t even realize it and simply flood it every day. In fact, patterns of problematic use are constantly confused. People often don't know the boundaries between moderate and problematic drinking. Moreover, additional parameters for defining alcoholism tend to complicate this identification.

Without corresponding medical care drunkenness can last for years, while the addictive behavior of the alcoholic is rationalized, they stop noticing important points In my life. Moreover, than longer person abuses alcohol at a problematic level, the greater the likelihood of complications and concomitant diseases in future.

Alcoholism -ThisphysicalAndmentaldisease,atwhichindividualwith his own handconvincesmyselfVhisabsence;Thiscalleddenial.

How to recognize hidden drunkenness in your home?

Alcoholics tend to stop drinking alcohol for a while. They easily rationalize their drinking, convincing themselves of moderation and a clearly defined amount.
However, this type of lie contrasts with the even greater deception they resort to to hide the true amount of drinking from family members, friends and work colleagues. Those who heavily abuse alcohol behave as if they have no problems, justifying their deception by caring for their loved ones. There is also the concept of self-preservation, when, for example, in order to protect their career, they hide their alcoholism from their employer. However, systematic lies and “half-truths” become the reasons for increasing the additional complexity of existing problems. In the face of hidden continued alcohol abuse, some may even resort to more inventive extreme measures in order to calmly continue to drink the alcohol they so desire, as they say, away from prying eyes.

These can be various inventive and insidious ways of unhindered access to alcohol, such as:

• Organization various trips to remote places (where they cannot be recognized) in order to purchase alcohol;
• Seclusion in secret, hidden places for drinking alcohol around the home or office;
• Constant wearing bring hip flasks with you;
• Storing alcohol in soft drink containers;
• Mixing strong alcoholic drinks with non-alcoholic ones.

Each of these methods is used to hide the level of chronic alcoholism. However, time certainly “brings a person down to earth.” Over time, someone or something will certainly expose his problem, or the alcoholic himself can no longer hide the traces of his use without a trace, and then the problem of alcoholism becomes obvious to everyone.

How to identify hidden signs of alcoholism?

It's no secret that alcohol negatively affects all people. However, this dependence manifests itself differently in most patients. In order to recognize addiction, you must, first of all, know the answers to some questions regarding the physiology of the body, be informed in matters of understanding alcoholism as a disease: how a person copes with stress, how alcohol affects the function of the brain and body, etc. However, there are a number of specific signs that may indicate a problem with alcohol. Here are some of them:

1. Concealing the actual amount of alcohol consumed;
2. Drinking alcohol mainly alone;
3. Increasing the usual dose of use;
4. Lack of special reasons for use;
5. The morning begins with the obligatory intake of the required dose of alcohol;
6. A feeling of uncontrollable craving for alcohol, as a means without which normal well-being and concentration are impossible;
7. “Self-medication” of pre-existing health problems with alcohol;
8. The frequency of occurrence of unpleasant situations in the family, at work or in other environments.

The problem of drunkenness among the elderly population

According to statistics, 9% of men and 4% of women in our country suffer from alcoholism, but most of them do not seek help and are not even aware of their illness. Alcoholism is one of the determining factors in the development of heart disease, liver disease, cancer and problems mental health. That is why it is very important to know about the main signs of the development of alcoholism and be prepared to counter them at any time. In addition, alcohol tends to exacerbate mental health problems.

Majorityof people,WithchronicdepressionAndattacksanxiety,are tryingon one's ownget treatmentWithwith helpalcohol,And,Vin the end,onlycomplicateproblem.

IN different sources mass media We only hear about the problems associated with drunkenness among young people. Despite the fact that this type of alcoholism
is indeed a widespread problem, a significant proportion of older people aged 55 to 64 years are secretly abusing alcohol and are also in the group of high or increased risk.

People of retirement age who drink frequently expose themselves to greatest danger. Their underlying problems, such as retirement boredom or the “empty nest” syndrome caused by their adult children living independently, often lead retirees to fill their time with alcohol. This is facilitated by the inability to react correctly and overcome emotional problems on their own, without resorting to self-medication.

We hope that after viewing this article, you will be able to recognize or recognize the signs of hidden alcohol addiction among the people you care about, and by talking to them, let them understand that they have people who are truly fighting their bad habit.

What's next?

If you notice these signs in yours, do not hesitate, seek help or leave us your questions in the comments. We will certainly do our best to respond to you personally and promptly.

People try by all means to hide their addiction to alcoholic beverages from the public and their acquaintances. It is difficult for such patients to cope with the problem on their own, so it is recommended to seek help from specialists. You need to understand what such a habit is and how you can help a person who abuses alcohol alone.

How to recognize a hidden alcoholic

Such people drink alcohol in small doses every day, often diluting it with water or coffee. A hidden alcoholic claims that he drinks alcohol to tone up and only a little, so there is no disease. More often than not, representatives of the fair sex suffer from this disease. This is explained by the fact that they do not prefer to be in a drunken company and behave indecently. Hidden alcoholism is serious illness, and the big one cannot stop drinking alcohol on his own.

It is quite easy to recognize such a person. First of all, the reaction slows down. If the patient only initial stage, then after drinking alcohol he becomes excited, cheerful, and sociable. To eliminate bad smell, chewing gum, seeds, cigarettes, and candies are often used.

At the next stages, irritability, aggressiveness, isolation, depression appear, it all depends on individual characteristics human body and temperament.

If long time lead such a lifestyle, then in most cases, a person begins to go on a heavy binge, and is no longer able to hide his addiction to alcoholic beverages.

Consequences of hidden alcoholism

Even small ones daily doses alcohol leads to intoxication of the body, which leads to disruption of organ function, brain activity and mental system. As a result, they develop chronic diseases pancreas, liver, heart, genitourinary system, stomach. Since the functioning of the brain is disrupted, diseases may appear against the background of alcoholism: encephalopathy, psychosis, myocardial infarction, ulcers, diabetes, impotence, cirrhosis and many other diseases. All this can lead to death.

Hidden alcoholism is not always at the stage of hiding its habit. As a result, the patient begins to use large doses alcoholic drinks and go on a binge.

How to help a hidden alcoholic

The only solution is strong motivation. However, it is difficult to persuade a person not to drink, because he is used to constantly drinking alcohol and does not think that he has an addiction. All this is deposited in the subconscious.

In this case, professional therapy is necessary, which requires a lot of time and effort on the part of the patient and the doctor. Sometimes a whole team of medical specialists is required.

If you assign complex treatment, and relatives will psychologically help a person who suffers from hidden alcoholism, then good results can be achieved.

Latent alcoholic - this concept can be attributed to many. But what does the term mean? It has long been known how a drunk person makes others feel. They clearly condemn a person behaving inappropriately, saying the same thing - stop drinking. And he may be happy, but he can’t. Because this passion for alcoholic beverages gradually developed into a disease, and the person did not even notice it.

Who is a latent alcoholic?

Having tried alcohol for the first time, many remain completely indifferent to it, but there are people who, after drinking the first glass in their life, felt euphoria and emotional uplift. Continuing to drink alcohol from time to time, they did not seem to feel any craving for it. But after a few years it suddenly turns out that the person is very sick and almost an alcoholic.

A latent alcoholic can be called a person on the verge between domestic drunkenness and addiction.

Indeed, it begins quite harmlessly. Drinking is not constant. From time to time, a person can take the treasured one hundred grams, monitoring the dose and being aware of the limits of what is permitted. Having felt a certain degree of intoxication, he does not feel the desire to add another glass, because he knows: excess alcohol in the body leads to negative consequences which manifest themselves in reactions such as vomiting, nausea, sleepy state. If the desire to drink comes just to experience all the “charm” of the narcotic effects of alcohol, or because friends invited you to support the company, this is already the first signal that a dangerous addiction and illness have begun.

In this case, the person knows about his illness, but those around him do not even realize that next to them there is a so-called latent alcoholic, in whom irreversible processes have already begun in his head and body.

Main features

Consequences

As a result, a normal, sympathetic, kind, positive person in everything changes so much that it is almost impossible to recognize. This deceitful, arrogant, unceremonious, degrading person does not evoke any emotions other than disgust.

It was not for nothing that the Polish writer Jan Parandowski uttered the sad phrase that many talents drowned in a glass.

And besides the fact that a person is degrading, in the stage alcohol intoxication Coordination of movements is impaired and control of danger is reduced. Therefore, a person who does not seem to have particularly abused alcohol ends up under the wheels of a car, freezes on a park bench in winter, dies in a fire after lighting a cigarette in bed.

Help together

When close person begins to pay more and more attention to alcohol, he already needs help. It is a misconception that doctors accept those patients who exhibit severe consequences. The sooner you contact professional doctor, the higher the chances of treatment. Of course, persuading a patient to go to the doctor when he does not consider himself sick at all is not an easy task. Moreover, alcohol is here, everywhere: on store shelves, in stalls, cafes, restaurants, in the home bar. At any celebration - a sure attribute of any feast.

But sometimes nothing helps. The person does not respond to endless persuasion, begins to drink more and more, and comes up with more and more ideas at work. amazing stories, why you were late or didn’t come to work at all. Then you have to take tough measures and use compulsory treatment.

After treatment

Alas, after discharge, breakdowns also occur. Former friends, a lucky coincidence of circumstances can negate the treatment. And the patient himself may not fully recover, but may persist for several months or several years, remaining, as doctors say, a non-drinking alcoholic. Here the reason lies in the fact that too serious changes have occurred in the patient’s personality, and, of course, they cannot disappear instantly. He can be extremely irritated by any circumstances. In some ways he overestimated his capabilities. I often remember that easy and carefree life, when you could have fun in a drunken stupor and not think about any problems. It’s different now – a modest, quiet life at home, the same days at work.

That is why, at the stage on the path to recovery, difficult problems often arise. psychological problems. Again, a friendly atmosphere will help a person adapt and integrate into everyday life without stress.

But it is necessary to try to break out of this captivity. What can help?

1. The help of relatives here is again invaluable, especially when a person, after being discharged from the hospital, finds himself in new living conditions. A person is trying to assert himself, and society must meet him halfway.
2. If the doctor, for his part, controls the patient’s behavior, the family will create all the conditions for positive emotions, and in production make sure that a person does not relapse again, then he will forget his wasted years like a bad dream.
3. Many who underwent treatment and adaptation managed to regain their joy ordinary life, improved relationships at home and at work, became self-confident individuals and respected members of the team. Many received a second education and climbed the career ladder.

Everyone loves life, but each in their own way, and so that family and friends do not think that all joys should be assessed through the prism of a glass, it is necessary to have time to cut off the threads leading to drunkenness.

All materials on our site are intended for those who care about their health. But we do not recommend self-medication - each person is unique, and without consulting a doctor you cannot use certain means and methods. Be healthy!

In medicine there is no such thing as hidden alcoholism, but in everyday speech this term is heard often. Usually he is classified as one of those who drink alcohol, but they try to hide it as much as possible and not advertise their addiction to alcohol even among loved ones.

Who is considered a hidden alcoholic? This includes those who do not drink alcoholic beverages in pure form, but uses them diluted. A very popular option is coffee with cognac. Several cups of such coffee during the day already lead to the formation of addiction, but at the same time the person will most likely begin to make excuses by saying that he has a stressful job, and such a drink keeps him in good shape. The other side of hidden alcoholism is female alcoholism. A woman understands that being drunk in society is indecent, so women avoid even severe alcoholism for as long as possible.

Is it possible to recognize a hidden alcoholic? Unfortunately, this is not always possible. The disinhibition characteristic of such people is often perceived by others as sociability and cheerfulness. The smell of small doses of alcohol can be almost completely drowned out by chewing gum, so others may not notice that the person has drunk. In the future, a hidden alcoholic may become irritable and angry, or, on the contrary, sensitive and even vulnerable, but those around them can attribute these signs to personality traits or an unpleasant situation in life.

Many people characterize latent alcoholism as chronic. Those who constantly drink even not very large doses of alcoholic beverages are on the way to the formation of real alcoholism in the most familiar sense. Most often, hidden alcoholics already have an addiction to alcohol (usually in the first stage), so a very thin line separates them from real alcoholism.

What can hidden alcoholism lead to? Of course, the most important consequence is chronic alcohol dependence. Constant poisoning of the body with alcoholic beverages, even in small quantities, leads to the appearance and progression of dysfunction internal organs and the brain suffers. Later, pathologies appear in the heart and liver, and the work is disrupted gastrointestinal tract And excretory system. Constant intoxication of the brain leads to increasingly frequent attacks of alcoholic psychosis and epilepsy, liver cirrhosis and diabetes mellitus, men acquire impotence, and women experience infertility, geometric progression the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes increases. These diseases are one of the main causes of death in chronic alcoholics.

Of course, alcoholism does not always remain hidden; sooner or later it manifests itself and develops as a chronic alcoholism: at first these are infrequent episodes of use large quantity alcoholic drinks, then such episodes become more frequent, and then turn into multi-day drinking bouts, which are impossible to hide.

Are there ways to help hidden alcoholics? Like any other addiction, there is only one way to get rid of hidden alcoholism - it is necessary for the addict himself to understand that he needs help and begin treatment. It is even more difficult for hidden alcoholics to admit their illness than for chronic alcoholics: they do not drink to the point of complete intoxication, do not drink alcoholic beverages in unsanitary conditions etc., so they have feelings of guilt, and it is difficult for them to realize that they are sick.

Treatment of hidden alcoholism involves long work a whole staff of doctors with the indispensable participation of a psychologist. Relatives of a hidden alcoholic can also provide significant assistance, who should develop his motivation for treatment and support him in every possible way during the treatment process.

There is no such thing as “latent alcoholism” in medicine. But quite often, non-medical workers, psychologists and ordinary people use this expression in relation to people who are prone to alcoholism, abuse alcohol and various reasons They try to hide their addiction to alcoholic beverages as much as possible.

Who are “hidden” alcoholics?

These people, as a rule, drink weak alcohol or in a diluted state, for example coffee with cognac. Alcohol consumption is ongoing in small doses, and more often throughout the day. In my own defense, you can often hear from a patient: “I drink a little bit to stay in good shape all day. Otherwise, I can’t work.” This type of alcoholism occurs most often in women and is typical for " female alcoholism"Women drink alcohol, realizing that it is indecent for them to be drunk “in public.” But alcoholism is a disease that is characterized by irresistible craving to drinking alcohol and people with it cannot give up alcohol on their own.

How to recognize such a person?

Most often, the behavior of a “secret alcoholic” is disinhibited. On initial stages he is usually excited, cheerful for no reason, never refuses small, “accidental” doses of alcohol, after which he tries to “knock down” the smell ( chocolate candies, coffee, cigarettes or chewing gum). Later, depending on individual traits, he may become withdrawn, aggressive, easily vulnerable, tearful, etc., which is caused by intoxication and asthenia of the body, the onset of manifestations of somatic diseases, changes in mental state.

If we use the term "latent alcoholism", then it can be characterized as a constant form of drunkenness. As a rule, people who can be called “hidden alcoholics”, in the medical sense, are at the stage of developing alcoholism. In the majority similar cases, we're talking about about a permanent form of drunkenness, either about the first or the beginning of the second stages of alcoholism.

What does “hidden alcoholism” lead to?

Constant alcohol intoxication the body, albeit in small doses, first leads to cognitive (behavioral) and thinking disorders on the part of the mental activity of the brain. Later, chronic somatic diseases, these are changes in the heart muscle, pathologies of the liver, pancreas, stomach, and genitourinary system. Against the background of chronic intoxication of the brain and the whole body, diseases such as: alcoholic epilepsy, alcoholic psychoses, alcoholic encephalopathy, gastric ulcer, myocardial infarction, liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, urolithiasis disease, impotence and other diseases. Formed as a result of alcohol consumption, these diseases, independently or indirectly, can cause a person’s death.

But hidden alcoholism cannot remain so forever. There comes a time when the disease progresses to more high level and binge drinking begins, with large amounts of alcohol consumed. Such episodes, at first rare and one-day, become more frequent and their duration increases. It becomes more and more difficult to hide the presence of alcohol addiction. There comes a moment when, as they say, “the secret becomes clear.” At this moment, alcoholism is already fully formed and, as a rule, the presence of the second, with transition to the third, stage of alcohol dependence is diagnosed.

How can you help a “hidden” alcoholic?

There can be only one help - motivation for anti-alcohol treatment. Unfortunately, the prognosis in such situations is usually unfavorable. As a rule, it is difficult to convince such a person of the presence of the disease, because he always has the main argument - “I don’t get drunk and I don’t lie around drunk. Just think, I drank a little. Who cares?” He lacks awareness of the severity of his own condition and situation.

If we talk about practical work with such patients, then a special approach is needed and specific therapy. Treatment requires quite a lot of effort on the part of not just one doctor, but an entire team, which should include doctors of various specializations.

In such situations, therapy gives positive results only if specific complex treatment is carried out, and relatives and close people unconditionally take the side of the doctor and, together with him, wage a targeted fight not with the person, but with his illness. All actions must be clearly planned and supervised by the attending physician.