Is it possible to drink alcohol if you have neurosis?

Alcohol neurosis: treatment, prevention, consultations

Alcoholic neurosis is a nervous or mental disorder resulting from prolonged drunkenness, manifests itself in the form of psycho-emotional symptoms, and affects the behavior and lifestyle of the alcoholic.
It will be clear to a specialist what the alcoholic acquired during the period of chronic or systematic alcoholism.

Mental disorders are always an alarming signal that reminds you that it’s time to stop drinking and start a different life.

There is no point in treating concomitant diseases without comprehensive treatment of alcoholism, as a rule these are alcoholic psychoses or delirium tremens, and maybe even schizophrenia. Neurosis in alcoholics is a chronic disorder of nervous activity that has protracted due to the lack of timely treatment. In other words, this is a psychological and, most importantly, hidden conflict, where the alcoholic tried to independently cope with his psycho-emotional state through excessive drinking.

Read more about the psychology of alcoholism here or contact the specialists of our drug treatment clinic for advice - all services are anonymous!

Let's return to the signs and symptoms of neuroses in alcoholics

Chronic anxiety
Indecisiveness
Fatigue quickly
Lack of life goals
Inferiority complexes
Inadequate self-esteem
There may be loss of consciousness (critical cases)
Irritability
Anxiety

The alcoholic tries to smooth out all these symptoms with new doses of alcohol, a strong craving for alcohol appears, since alcohol in this case creates the illusion of well-being, but in fact is a strong poison, one might say that it has an allergic reaction and affects the personality.

Forms of alcoholic neurosis

Alcoholic neurosis can be divided into two components, where:

Neurasthenia

The first form of neurosis is neurasthenia, where signs of the disease manifest themselves in frequent headaches, vulnerability, lack of attention, irritability, but the patient does not feel like one, and this is not so obvious to others. Usually, such symptoms of neurosis are attributed to binge drinking, but in reality everything is much more complicated, and if this is not treated, then the neurosis will develop into another, more complex form.

Hysterical neurosis

The second form of neurosis is hysterical neurosis, which manifests itself in anxiety even in a calm environment. There may be hysterics, cutting, inappropriate behavior.

Hysterical attacks can manifest themselves in the form of convulsions, rolling on the floor, threats of suicide, and threats to others.

We can describe hysterical neurosis as a complete lack of self-control against the background of drunkenness, because we are talking about people with problematic alcohol use.

Depressive neurosis

Depressive alcoholic neurosis can also develop, but it usually occurs during the period of withdrawal, abstinence syndrome, and you just need to survive it, but alcoholics cannot cope with this condition on their own and a breakdown in alcohol occurs again. As a result of frequent repetitions of “self-medication” we have hysterical neurosis and a threat to the life of an alcoholic.

Treatment of alcoholic neurosis

Treatment of neuroses, and especially if we are talking about alcohol addiction, requires two methods, the first is medicinal and the second is psychotherapeutic.

The drug method in the treatment of neurosis is typical, where drug therapy is prescribed depending on the case and form of neurosis, but the psychotherapeutic method is very diverse.

The psychotherapeutic method of treating neurosis can be from outpatient to inpatient with the use of travel therapy, and this, again, if there are no medical contraindications.

As you already understand, neurosis is a deviation from the norm, but it will not be possible to return this norm quickly. In order to reassure the reader, we present statistics: almost 80% of heavy drinkers have deviations and use in their treatment not only a medicinal approach in the form of coding for alcoholism, but also a psychotherapeutic rehabilitation program for alcoholism, preferably of an inpatient type.

We will help you cope with neurosis:

Identify the causes of disorders
Understand the extent of disease and destruction
Let's influence the expansion of interests
We will teach you how to set goals and go towards them
Understand your feelings
And most importantly: we will teach you to live soberly

All this is achieved through the coordinated work of psychologists, psychotherapists, chemical dependency counselors, social workers and other specialists who have experience changing the quality of life. Two main strategies on the road to recovery:

Conversation with the client
Cognitive psychotherapy within inpatient programs and preferably long-term

The task of each specialist is to bring a person out of a neurotic state and begin to methodically work with him, reproduce life situations, and look for positive solutions. We teach how to intelligently assess life situations, and a calm and cozy environment helps a person open up.

We adhere to the treatment of neuroses without the use of drugs. Naturally, in the initial stages they are certainly necessary, but then we need to teach a person to cope with difficulties without using substances that alter consciousness.

Antidepressants
Psychostimulants
Nootropic drugs
Neuroleptics
Tranquilizers

But, over time, we refuse them too, since the main goal is complete abstinence from substances that alter consciousness. A sober look at the realities of life and constructive ways to solve problems is the goal for a mature person! An alcoholic continues to drink because he does not have the skills to live a normal life in society (or they have been lost), hence psychosis and neuroses. An internal problem of an alcoholic, which can only be solved through psychotherapy and nothing else. Conflicts and stressful situations have always forced a person to seek consolation, and what can we say about an alcoholic? An alcoholic has only one consolation and that is alcohol. It gives him comfort and peace, but later deprives him of his sanity.

Music or art therapy can help you relax, yoga or acupuncture helps very well - all of this has a beneficial effect on the psyche and makes a person think.

You need to learn to create, not destroy, and this also requires time and good specialists - you can get all this in our addiction treatment programs and it doesn’t matter to us what kind of addiction you have, the main thing is that we will help you change your outlook on life.

As you know, prevention is better than cure! If you have problems with alcohol or already have signs of neurosis, then you should seek help as soon as possible and start preventing neurosis! It is very difficult to do this on your own, this is how the brain of an addicted person works: he is going to start a new life on Monday, and then reservations appear and reasons not to do this. It is very important to normalize rest, form new habits, learn to resolve conflicts, especially if it concerns family or work.

Avoid traumatic situations
Avoid family conflicts
Avoid companies where there is alcohol or drugs

Avoiding is only a recommendation, another question is how to do it correctly and, most importantly, without harm to the psycho-emotional state. Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question in a short text and take into account the fact that all situations are individual.

Prevention of neuroses is anonymous consultations, where we will draw up an individual strategy and begin a psychotherapeutic course.

Everything is fixable and neuroses today can be treated and a person returns to a full life. Contact us for help and get effective results!!!

Source: https://24help7.ru/events/nevroz-i-alkogol/

Alcohol and neurosis (alcoholic): symptoms and course, is it possible to drink, treatment

Changeable vascular tone is called vegetative-vascular dystonia. To improve their condition, patients try to drown out the main symptoms with alcohol. After taking a strong drink, a noticeable improvement occurs in neurosis, but a new exacerbation leads to a worsening of the condition.

Definition of VSD

The diagnosis of VSD is a purely domestic definition. In the European classification it is considered as generalized anxiety disorder. Neurasthenia occurs against the background of dysfunction of the harmonious functioning of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. When both departments are functioning normally, they balance the body's reactions. In people suffering from neurosis, this process is disrupted.

Dystonia is formed as a result of dysfunction of the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus, which regulate the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

There are 3 main types of manifestation of neuroses.

Cardiac - interruptions in the functioning of the heart muscle. Characterized by sensations of squeezing in the thoracic region, shortness of breath, and weakness.
Hypertensive - surges in blood pressure provoked by stress or an uncomfortable psychological situation.
Hypotonic - a decrease in blood pressure up to the point of fainting, also provoked by stress.

Between the main types there are intermediate states - exacerbations.

The effect of alcohol in neurosis

Ethanol alcohol is recognized as a universal tranquilizing agent. It is produced in small quantities in the human body and participates in the processes of protein synthesis. When a person consumes alcohol, the body does not regard it as a foreign substance.

Each individual's body has its own level of tolerance to ethanol. Consuming 100 g of beer is considered safe for the human body. Exceeding the dose leads to red blood cell clumping.

A blood clot forms, clogging one of the nearby capillaries of suitable size. At this moment, endorphins are actively produced and sensitivity decreases.

A vessel blocked by a microthrombus stops feeding the part of the brain that depends on it.

Further developments occur according to several schemes.

The blood clot dissolves, the previously switched off part of the brain is connected, and the intoxication goes away.
The capillary bursts under the pressure of the blood clot, blood flows into the brain area, and the neurons die.
The blood clot remains in place, and the nutrition of the brain area is disrupted.

Dead neurons are replaced by connective tissue. Brain functionality decreases. In total, there are more than 100 billion neurons in the brain. Each dead nerve receptor reduces the strength of the central nervous system, and alcoholic neurosis appears.

If the stage of intoxication passes during sleep, the person wakes up from an exacerbation of the underlying disease. The heartbeat increases, the brain begins to function as in the wakeful stage.

As a result, panic attacks and phobic disorders of various types may appear.

Symptoms of alcoholic neurosis

Symptoms of alcoholic neurosis:

Formation of stable dependence.
Increased sweating, chills.
Irritability.
Headaches.
Sleep disorders.
Temperature increase.

Systematic consumption of alcohol leads to persistent addiction. The brain stops sending signals to the endocrine system, which controls the production of happiness hormones, without ethanol. Toxins gradually replace neurotransmitters that transmit impulses to the brain. Internal organs suffer. The blood vessels weaken, sweating and chills appear.

After drinking alcohol, constant dissatisfaction appears. Irritability becomes a predominant character trait and does not disappear over time even under the influence of intoxicating drinks. Constant stress leads to long-term depression, which the patient tries to overcome.

Headaches are a constant symptom that accompanies alcoholism.

Oxygen starvation of the brain occurs due to the destruction and blockage of blood vessels that provide blood flow. Imaginary relief comes after a dose of alcohol.

Each time the body requires an increasingly larger batch of the drink. Even large volumes of drinking cease to bring pleasure, and the brain gradually stops working, which leads to complete degradation.

A person is not aware of himself, loses memory, keeps track of days.

Therapy for mental disorders

Symptoms of alcoholic neurosis require treatment. The sooner psychocorrection begins, the greater the chance of returning patients to normal life. No method of influence will be effective until the patient decides to give up alcohol. It is important to find the reason why a person is trying to forget.

The first stage of treatment is to give up alcohol. It is necessary to remove toxins from the body. The procedure takes 21 days. During this time, it is important that the person motivates himself correctly and does not lose his temper. For this purpose, psychocorrection is carried out in a special institution.

Neurolinguistic programming gives good results. This approach allows you to quickly determine the causes of binge drinking and model behavioral reactions.

Neurosis and alcohol together destroy the nervous system more severely, so some symptoms can be relieved with medications.

Patients who treat VSD with alcohol realize that their behavior is wrong, but cannot refuse it. In such cases, drugs that cause aversion to alcohol, antidepressants or sedatives are prescribed. Nootropics are used in the treatment of alcohol addiction and neurasthenia. This group of drugs helps restore neurotransmitter communication.

Treatment of alcoholism must be comprehensive

The patient is given IV drips to remove alcohol from the blood. Violent patients are shown tranquilizers to relieve alcohol withdrawal.

When can you drink if you have neurosis?

Whether you can drink alcohol with neurosis depends on several factors:

Ethanol dosage.
A type of neurological disorder.
Alcohol tolerance.

Ethanol is best tolerated by patients with hypotensive disorders. Alcohol has a vasodilating effect, which improves the well-being of patients with low blood pressure.

For non-drinkers, alcohol and neurosis are comparable: you can drink up to 50 g of vodka or red wine at night.

For patients with alcohol intolerance, it is better to completely avoid even alcohol-based medicinal tinctures.

Consequences of nervousness aggravated by alcoholism

The consequences of psychoneurosis from alcohol are terrifying. Hallucinations and persistent addictive behavior appear. A person gets irritated over trifles, because the part of the brain responsible for pleasure does not function without a dose of alcohol.

The most common symptom of drinking alcohol is a hangover. The patient feels guilty for his actions. Symptoms disappear after complete cleansing of the body. The danger to the body is alcoholic neurasthenia and psychosis, which differ in clinical picture. Patients behave violently or become depressed.

Addictive behavior in combination with neurasthenia leads to the destruction of social ties, job loss, communication problems, divorce, etc. Neurasthenia from alcohol is represented by 2 types.

Hysteria.
Obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

Hysteria

When drinking alcohol has grown into a persistent habit, hysterical neurasthenia occurs especially often. The patient does not adequately assess what is happening. He develops a prejudiced attitude towards himself. He regards all attempts to help as a threat.

When drinking alcohol, a violent reaction occurs. The impetus for hysteria is a conflict situation that occurred in the present or past. The patient becomes inadequate: he hits the walls with his head, tears his clothes and hair. The face becomes purple-red or completely pale, the lips turn blue. Spasms often appear in the thoracic region. Fainting and convulsions are possible.

A less vivid symptomatic picture is observed. The patient's behavior seems feigned; he is trying to attract the attention of others. A person does not find a place for himself, sits down, gets up, lies down. May laugh for a long time without stopping for no reason or cry bitterly.

Hysterical neurosis is associated with disturbances in the functioning of the sense organs. Patients with this type of neurasthenia are characterized by egocentrism. He tries to always be surrounded by people when seizures occur.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Pathology appears when interpersonal conflict occurs. Anxiety disorder is accompanied by the emergence of obsessions that force the individual to perform special rituals to calm the conscience. Thoughts arise involuntarily and cannot be controlled. They always have a negative psycho-emotional connotation. The patient is expecting bad events.

If a VSD crisis occurs due to alcohol consumption, patients regard it as a sign of imminent death. People with compulsive disorder expect the attack to recur. The brain is already tuned to death, so it is desperately preparing for it. Against this background, suicidal tendencies may appear.

Obsession can be paranoid in nature. A person under the influence of ethanol convinces himself that he has become a victim of betrayal by friends, his other half. All this is accompanied by reproaches, hysteria and even assault.

It is not possible to cure obsession without the help of a psychiatrist. The main role in treatment is played by complete abstinence from drinking alcohol.

Conclusion

Alcohol for neuroses is not contraindicated in small quantities. But if alcohol causes a nervous disorder, it is better to completely eliminate it. It is impossible to cure such a condition on your own without psychocorrection.

Neurosis in combination with alcohol leads to increased symptoms of the underlying disease and persistent addiction.

Treatment is selected individually depending on the intensity of the manifestations of addiction and neurotic disorder.

Source: https://psyhoday.ru/nevroz/alkogol.html

Ways to restore the nervous system after binge drinking

2/3 of people who drink suffer from alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Its consequence is disruption of the central and peripheral nervous system. The term was officially adopted in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, in 1995.

It combines different stages of damage to the organ that processes alcohol. Changing the structure and function of hepatocytes primarily “kills” sensitive brain cells.

The breakdown product of ethanol (acetaldehyde) deprives the human body of an organ that coordinates all functions, destroys pathways and nerve fibers, and changes the metabolism of neurons.

The mechanism of alcohol damage to the nervous system

In the initial stage of alcohol intoxication, a stimulating effect on brain cells is manifested. Ethanol irritates the pleasure centers, and an increased mass of neurotransmitters-endorphins (hormones of happiness) enters the blood.

Therefore, a small dose improves mood and stimulates communication with others. The action teaches some people to drink alcoholic beverages under stress, problems with adaptation, and as a sedative.

There are no organic changes in tissues at this stage.

Systematic drunkenness, turning into binges, does not allow for complete restoration of cellular metabolism, disrupts the structure of neurons, causes a failure in information processing and a pathological reaction to received signals. In stages II-III of alcoholism, cerebral edema appears and connections between neurons are severed.

It has been established that for people who take breaks from drinking alcohol for at least 2 weeks, the period of “wear and tear” of the liver and brain is extended to 10–15 years.

Factors influencing the degree of violations

The more often and longer the binges, the more severely the brain is affected. Added to this is impaired cell nutrition due to arterial spasm. Neurons are forced to exist in conditions of ischemia, leading to a stroke.

In addition, the effect of acetaldehyde on red blood cells is accompanied by blocking the transfer of oxygen molecules.

Therefore, it does not enter the tissues in sufficient quantities, the respiration process and intracellular metabolism are disrupted.

A serious role in the development of encephalopathy is played by:

Heredity - existing cases of alcoholism in the family along the male line contribute to genetic mutation and reduce the production of enzymes that neutralize ethanol
Individual sensitivity to toxins and metabolic rate determined by thyroid function
Human age - in older people, disorders accelerate, since the vessels are already changed by atherosclerosis
Gender - in women, addiction occurs earlier. In addition, damage to the nervous system is more severe than in men.
Smoking – adds nicotine intoxication

The state of the brain depends on the volume of alcoholic beverage consumed and is determined by the ethanol content in the blood:

Two ppm (0.2%) is manifested by impaired coordination of movements
Four - severe intoxication with loss of consciousness
Eight - clinical death with respiratory and cardiac arrest

It has been proven that alcohol selectively affects the occipital region of the brain and the cerebellum, which are responsible for motor functions and coordination in space. Therefore, after a binge, there is a violation of the coordination of movements, the vestibular apparatus suffers.

Nerve cell receptors lose sensitivity, pain dulls, and the risk of burns and frostbite increases. Focal changes impair vision.

The frontal lobes are responsible for behavior. The toxic influence of alcohol turns patients into antisocial individuals.

Due to emotional dullness, alcoholics are unable to evaluate and control their actions, they lose their sense of shame and danger, and the instinct of self-preservation is lost.

The functions of the higher cortical centers of logical thinking, memory formation, and the ability to concentrate are inhibited. It becomes difficult to formulate a thought clearly. The central nervous system after a binge does not allow you to remember recent moments.

Ethyl alcohol stimulates the adhesion of platelets in the capillary bed. Small blood clots impede blood supply to the brain. When it reaches a large size, the entire diameter of the vessel is blocked. If other arteries do not help restore blood circulation, a stroke occurs with the death of brain tissue in the affected area.

Long-term alcoholism causes a decrease in brain volume, while the production of cerebrospinal fluid increases.

At the stage of poisoning, clinical signs of lack of oxygen and intoxication appear: headaches, dizziness, staggering when walking. Seizures similar to epilepsy are possible due to overstimulation of the motor center. In pathogenesis, a deficiency of essential amino acids and vitamins that ensure the functioning of the nervous system is important.

The degradation stage is characterized by the destruction of neurons, cessation of cell functioning, mental and neurological changes.

In addition to the central zones of the brain, intoxication “hits” the peripheral nerve fibers. Therefore, the patient often experiences pain in the arms and legs of the neuralgic or radiculitis type, and skin numbness.

In such cases, psychiatrists and neurologists consider only partial restoration of function possible.

A person is deprived of personal qualities, intelligence, he develops completely unrecognizable character traits, aggressiveness, irritability.

Treatment of consequences

If a person is still aware of the danger of his alcoholism and strives to preserve his professional knowledge and role in society, he should think about how to restore the nervous system after binge drinking.

Only timely refusal to drink alcohol, complete cleansing of the body of toxins, and implementation of a set of therapeutic measures on the recommendation of a narcologist can help. You may need to consult a neurologist or other specialists.

Recovery requires a long period of time.

The role of detoxication

Damaged nerves after heavy drinking are only part of the general syndrome of intoxication of organs and systems. The detoxification method cleanses the blood and tissues of toxic alcohol metabolites. It is better to treat in a hospital setting. Under the supervision of a doctor, the effect of drugs on the human body is monitored, and prescriptions are adjusted in a timely manner.

The method is based on intravenous administration of fluid and standard saline solutions. The total volume reaches 3 l/day. At the same time, diuresis (how much urine is excreted) is measured.

In case of brain damage, one should take into account the beginning of cell swelling, so 25% “magnesium sulfate” must be added to the solution.

To flush the bloodstream, a fast-acting diuretic drug, Lasix, is injected.

Solutions must contain electrolytes (potassium, sodium, magnesium are necessary for brain function) and glucose as an energy substance. Ready-made preparations “Acesol”, “Disol”, “Trisol” are effective.

After nausea and vomiting are relieved, the patient is able to independently drink standard electrolyte mixtures:

"Regidron"
"Glucosolan"
"Reosolan"
"Gastrolit"
"Orasan"

With the help of enterosorbents (Polysorb, Smecta), toxins are eliminated through the intestines.

Restoring blood circulation in the brain

To improve blood supply to damaged areas of the brain, vasodilators (Nikoshpan, Papaverine) are used. To prevent the formation of blood clots and improve arterial patency, the following is administered intravenously:

"Reomacrodex"
"Reopoliglyukin"
"Dextran"
"Polyvidon"

The drugs normalize the rheological properties of blood by stopping platelet aggregation. On the second or third day of therapy, the patient’s condition improves significantly: the person becomes sociable, orients himself well in the environment, and sleep normalizes.

Treatment of insomnia

Insomnia is a severe symptom of brain damage.

Against the background of non-stop drunkenness, it is strictly forbidden to use sedatives from the tranquilizer group; after binge drinking, the use of ready-made tinctures with alcohol (valerian, motherwort, hawthorn) is not recommended.

When combined with ethyl alcohol, the effect becomes unpredictable and life-threatening. Targeted treatment for insomnia begins with detoxifying the body.

After stopping the binge, the doctor prescribes Phenazepam tablets to relieve anxiety, and Seduxen is added to the system. There are many options for sedatives; they are selected according to their predominant characteristics:

"Clonidine" - for hand tremors
"Phenibut" and "Grandaxin" - for increased anxiety
"Carbamazepine" - if you are worried about leg cramps
"Tiapridom" - stops aggressiveness

It is not recommended to take “other people’s” pills on your own. The dosage and frequency of administration are prescribed by a narcologist.

Alcoholism is a social evil that is difficult to overestimate.”

Vladimir Bekhterev

The importance of vitamin complexes and nootropics

The loss of vitamins B1 and B6 by the alcoholic’s body is accompanied by destruction of the structure of the myelin sheath of nerve fibers. As a result, any transmission of impulses and connections between neurons is blocked. The disorder was named after the author as “Wernicke’s syndrome.” Complex symptoms consist of:

Lesions of the oculomotor nerve with unilateral gaze paralysis, double vision, uneven pupils
Pathologies of the cerebellum with dizziness, severe loss of coordination of movements

When supplemented by a memory disorder, the syndrome is called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Vitamins B, C, and folic acid help provide brain cells with sufficient energy, eliminate oxygen hypoxia, and restore metabolism. For nutrition, neurons need amino acids that the body does not produce. Nootropic drugs are prescribed:

"Glycine"
"Actovegin"
"Piracetam"
"Tenoten"
"Vinpocetine"
"Phenotropil"
"Cinnarizine"

They are able to correct behavior, restore memory, and improve cerebral circulation. You will have to take the drugs along with vitamin-microelement complexes in courses of 2-3 months with repetitions.

Diet and exercise

Considering the dependence of brain function on the functioning of liver cells, it is recommended to adhere to restrictions on fatty and fried foods, hot sauces, and seasonings.

Low-fat soups, chicken broth, liquid cereals, fruits and vegetables, and cottage cheese are suitable for nutrition. Cherries, watermelon and melon have a good diuretic effect.

Alkaline mineral waters without gas (Narzan, Essentuki, Borjomi) must be included in the drinking regime.

A mistake is made by home “healers” who try to force a person to work hard physically after a binge. The patient does not have enough energy to perform the load and needs semi-bed rest for 7–10 days.

After restoration of the nervous system, calm sports, yoga, and relaxing autogenic exercises are recommended.

conclusions

The damaging effects of the nervous system are a necessary result of alcoholism. The functioning of the brain depends on the cleansing capabilities of the liver, so encephalopathy is accompanied by serious anatomical changes in the organ with partial failure.

Nervous activity is directly affected by a toxic substance (acetaldehyde), as well as blood circulation impaired by vasospasm, platelet aggregation, and destruction of myelin fibers due to loss of vitamins. It is better to treat consequences in the form of altered behavior, loss of memory, coordination, vision, and insomnia in a hospital.

The intervention of specialists in various fields may be required. During detoxification, the necessary medications are prescribed. An indispensable condition for success is a complete abstinence from alcohol.

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Neurosis and alcohol: symptoms of alcoholic neurosis, neurosis after alcohol

Neurosis is the collective name for a whole group of mental disorders that, in the absence of therapy, progress and become chronic.

Their occurrence in a person can be provoked by the use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol. Those who regularly drink alcohol are especially at risk.

There are also those who try to treat existing psychological problems with alcohol. How are neurosis and alcohol related?

How are neurosis and alcohol related?

The effects of alcohol on the human nervous system

Drinking alcoholic beverages is a great stress for all body systems. If libations have become a habit, then he can no longer function normally, because:

Changes appear in the functioning of the nervous system: cell destruction occurs.
The brain begins to send the wrong signals to the body. Uncoordinated muscle activity occurs. For example, the eye muscles contract asynchronously, and for this reason a person sees a blurry image in front of him.
Capillaries and small arteries suffer, causing nerve cells to experience oxygen starvation.
Systematic exposure to alcoholic intoxication can lead to changes in the structure of the brain.
Alcohol breakdown products are toxic and cause poisoning in the body.

All this cannot but affect the functioning of the brain and nervous system. The result is a temporary or chronic mental disorder.

Alcohol destroys the functioning of the human nervous system

Alcohol as a “way to calm your nerves”

Some patients suffering from anxiety disorders and other psychological problems drink alcohol to calm themselves down. But alcoholic drinks bring only a temporary effect: after their influence ends, unpleasant symptoms return with renewed vigor. A vicious circle arises, from which it is not easy to get out.

In other people with autonomic disorders, alcohol, on the contrary, worsens the condition. They regard changes in well-being caused by exposure to alcohol as symptoms of the disease. Patients complain of tachycardia, chest pain, fear of death due to a heart attack.

Neurosis as a result of alcohol consumption

The most harmless mental disorder after heavy drinking is bad mood and anxiety as a manifestation of a hangover. It seems to a person that yesterday he committed some unforgivable act or disgraced himself. There is a premonition of a bad event in the future. But such “pangs of conscience” end after 1–3 days, when the body recovers.

Bad mood is one of the manifestations of mental disorders

Alcoholic neuroses and psychoses that arise from a long history of alcohol use pose a great danger. Their types differ from each other in clinical manifestations: a person can behave violently or, on the contrary, become depressed with suicidal thoughts. All of these conditions require psychiatric help.

Worth seeing: Muscle tension in neurosis

The symptoms of alcoholic neurosis are different. They depend on the type of personality, the characteristics of his life, state of health, and environment. Psychological manifestations and behavioral deviations are accompanied by a deterioration in general well-being in the absence of pathologies:

insomnia, disturbance of the sleep-wake schedule;
decreased performance, inability to concentrate;
cardiac pain;
migraine;
tremor;
high fatigue.

Alcoholism in combination with neurosis leads to disturbances in interaction with the outside world. The family is often destroyed, or the relationships in it leave much to be desired. A person has problems at work. Due to his addiction, he may become absentee, and neurosis negatively affects relationships with colleagues and superiors.

Alcoholism combined with neurosis leads to conflicts at work and in the family

Is it possible to drink alcohol when depressed?

Alcohol is commonly referred to as a “depressant,” and it would seem that people suffering from depression should abstain from alcohol if they feel low.

But as life and pop culture often show us, many people too often turn to alcohol to cope with pain, numbness, anxiety, or other symptoms of depression.

TONIC talked to scientists about whether people suffering from depression can drink alcohol.

Why do depressed people drink?

According to George Koob, director of the US National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, this form of self-medication for depression is common, and perhaps even more common than is commonly believed. This is not strange or paradoxical behavior.

As experts point out, alcohol is a complex and multifaceted substance, and simply calling it a depressant may not be correct. Its short-term effects seem to alleviate episodes of depression.

However, alcohol also has many immediate and long-term negative effects that can increase depression, which largely outweigh the short-term subjective benefits.

“It's difficult to figure out exactly how alcohol interacts with depression because there are many forms of depression,” says Harvard Medical School psychiatrist Rocco Iannucci.

— The question of how exactly different types of depression differ, and where the boundaries between them lie, remains vague and controversial. Some people are pushed down by depression - they have no energy, they lie in bed all the time, they don’t eat anything.

Other people have more agitated depression.

Each person can seek their own unique solace, or react in their own way to any type of self-medication. However, alcohol has a wide range of effects on the mind and body. It doesn't appeal to every depressed person. But someone looking for relief from the various symptoms of depression could theoretically find something appealing in a drink or two.

Why does drinking alcohol help you feel better during depression?

One of the reasons alcohol is attractive to many people, Koob notes, is that alcohol releases feel-good neurotransmitters and blunts, at least temporarily, the effects of feel-good neurotransmitters. It also suppresses activity in the part of the brain responsible for deep thinking and planning.

For some people, it helps them tune out the negative feelings that usually linger somewhere on the edge of consciousness, adds Susan Ramsey, a professor of psychiatry and an expert in human behavior at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine. Negative memories and emotions may fade.

As a result, many people feel relief from pain and complexes, carefree euphoria - at least for a short time.

A little alcohol can also release inhibitions, helping people with social anxiety move past barriers that are bothering them, says Joseph Boden, an alcohol expert at New Zealand's University of Otago.

With anxious forms of depression, all experts interviewed indicate that alcohol often relaxes the body and leads to early sleep.

The quality of such sleep is poor, but people suffering from depressive insomnia usually do not care about this.

There are general effects of the initial stages of alcohol consumption. But people experience them differently. "We don't know why one person might get a greater surge of euphoria from drinking the same amount of alcohol than another with the same body type or metabolism," admits Cube.

(Although some studies suggest that people who get more high are also more likely to drink alcohol heavily.) All scientists know is that the "antidepressive" qualities of alcohol are more appealing and "effective" to some people with depression than to others. others.

But this doesn't fully explain why so many people with depression turn to alcohol.

People with anxious depression may simply need relaxation rather than the euphoria of the drink, while those who feel lethargic and numb may need the opposite. But each person may need a little of both.

Sedatives such as alprazolam may be better suited for the former, while drugs such as cocaine may be better suited for the latter and have more targeted physiological effects.

All the experts interviewed note that, indeed, many people use other substances to cope with depression. But the thing about alcohol is that it is legal in most countries of the world.

You don't need a prescription for it, you don't need to look for a drug dealer.

Plus, Boden notes, most people in drinking countries are more familiar with the effects of alcohol from their youth than they might be with the effects of controlled substances, and consider it safe and acceptable.

Koob, however, suspects that many people trying to cope with depression appreciate the fact that alcohol is a multifunctional drug that works on many aspects, and also works faster than other substances. This, in part, explains why alcohol consumption is common even in cultures where it is considered illegal - people are especially attracted to this substance.

Can alcohol make depression worse?

Unfortunately, for those who turn to alcohol to cope with depression, its varied effects are a double-edged sword.

Even at its peak, Boden points out, alcohol slows mental processes, metabolism, breathing and other functions. Some people have these symptoms of depression, so they may feel like their condition is getting worse.

These effects, scientists suggest, may increase after the initial peak of euphoria.

Additionally, when blood alcohol levels begin to drop (which, as Koob notes, can happen quite quickly after a person stops drinking), the body begins to experience a mini-withdrawal syndrome.

This doesn't necessarily mean a terrible hangover, Boden emphasizes.

Even after drinking a small amount of alcohol, a person may experience, at least to some extent, mental and physiological symptoms similar to a hangover.

The body begins to cope with overstrain of the pleasure system. Moreover, neurotransmitters associated with stress begin to be released. The neurotransmitter dynorphin is also released, which makes a person feel disgusting.

The intensity of this sudden decrease in pleasure and increase in stress, like other effects of alcohol, varies from person to person. But for someone who is experiencing an active phase of depression, they are likely to be increased.

It is almost impossible to say how long this “low” phase will last after drinking alcohol.

When a person moves from initial withdrawal symptoms to a real hangover, they experience physical symptoms like dehydration and an upset stomach, Iannucci says.

This, for most people, only adds to all the neurochemical problems, because, the scientist notes, if you don’t feel good physically, your mood is unlikely to improve.

This physical unwellness can make it difficult to control your depression on the day after drinking - eat well, don't smoke, exercise.

The morning after, a person will have to deal with what he usually regrets. When a person is depressed, he is vulnerable enough, Iannucci notes, so that what yesterday was a minor social failure can be exaggerated in the mind. A person may think about this for a long time when the higher nervous functions become active again.

How does alcohol interact with antidepressants?

If a person is taking antidepressants, there is good evidence that an evening spent drinking alcohol will temporarily reduce their effectiveness.

Combining alcohol with antidepressants such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors can cause negative side effects, such as increased blood pressure, which can only increase overall feelings of stress and anxiety on the day after drinking too much.

As already mentioned, alcohol is quite attractive to people who are depressed and looking for quick relaxation. After a glass or two, many people feel better – for a couple of hours.

But the long-term effects only worsen the symptoms of many forms of depression, affecting pleasure centers, increasing stress levels and worsening physical well-being the next day.

It doesn't help depression, Iannucci says, and may even make it worse.

Unfortunately, for some people with depression, it creates a vicious cycle. Alcohol makes them feel worse and even more desperate for relief. So they drink alcohol again, hoping for a short-term antidepressant effect. And they are in trouble again.

Not every person with depression goes down this spiral, Koob says, but for some, the cycle will eventually develop into alcoholism. The person will become dependent on alcohol, which provides temporary relief, with increasingly severe withdrawal symptoms and more severe depressive episodes in the process.

Alcohol and neurosis (alcoholic): symptoms and course, is it possible to drink, treatment – Harmony within

Neurosis and alcohol: symptoms of alcoholic neurosis, neurosis after alcohol

Neurosis is the collective name for a whole group of mental disorders that, in the absence of therapy, progress and become chronic.

Their occurrence in a person can be provoked by the use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol. Those who regularly drink alcohol are especially at risk.

There are also those who try to treat existing psychological problems with alcohol. How are neurosis and alcohol related?

How are neurosis and alcohol related?