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 overtones, 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 the habit of drinking in the evenings is perceived by most people as normal.
Of course, when alcoholism crosses social limits, and a person slides into the abyss and begins to lead a marginal lifestyle, this is perceived as a slow suicide, but are most people so critical of the so-called domestic drunkenness? One or two glasses of wine with dinner, a bottle of beer with a football match, 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 so dangerous, or is it just a stereotype? Let's turn 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 claim that ethyl alcohol in small quantities is absolutely safe. True, they tactfully keep 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 experiments and data on sponsors. Is it because representatives of the alcohol industry are at the head? It remains only to guess.
At the same time, there is no such dependence that would arise on its own - most often alcoholism grows precisely from the habit of drinking a bottle at 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 ruin their health every day are enough in intelligent 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 high spirits. It is this effect that is responsible for the emergence of a habit - instead of learning to enjoy a full life, it is easier to obscure the mind with a surrogate for pleasure.
However, this effect is quickly replaced by a much less pleasant one - a total decrease in control over one's own emotions and actions makes a drunk person "appear in all its glory. "Some show aggression, others start crying for no reason, others behave too lovingly . . . The number of manifestations of drunkenness is great, but none of them looks attractive from the outside.
Moreover, inappropriate behavior is far from the worst companion of intoxication. According to statistics, more than half of road traffic accidents and a third of suicides occur while intoxicated. With each glass drunk, the number of cells in the cerebral cortex is gradually reduced, 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 - sound thoughts, social norms and human perception there 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 proven 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 strong 40-degree drink kills 1000-2000 cells. Keep this in mind when pouring 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 and unpleasant health consequences, but over time, when it will be impossible to refuse a drunk glass, you yourself will understand how deceptive the first impression is. And even the beliefs of some drinkers that a bottle helps them relax and relieve stress are nothing more than self-deception. 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 pampering? No answer…
Moreover, the stereotype imposed by the media and advertising about the brutality and masculinity of the stronger sex is directly related to the use 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 at all the case. Yes, at first this glass 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 strength. This means that after a couple of years of a regular "evening 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 modern potency regulators - any of these drugs have a strict restriction on alcohol. So, dear men, remember: by raising a glass after a glass, you are depriving yourself of an important aspect of a fulfilling life.
The harm of alcohol on a woman's body
Women's alcoholism is much worse than men's. Although ethanol acts equally destructively on the organisms of both sexes, female physiology is much more bizarre: the vulnerability, emotionality and psychological sensitivity of the fair sex is a reasonable physiological feature, which means that they develop dependence on the illusion of happiness and calmness much faster. Trying to hide from problems in alcoholic oblivion, ladies become drunk much faster, because the body cannot resist this attachment, and the peculiarities of psychology hinder the attempts of the mind to prevail over the craving for a glass.
In addition, a woman's liver filters ethyl alcohol worse, which means 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 demonstrates that the female body is a priori more sensitive than the male 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 every woman perceives 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 allegedly recommends to them to relieve tone and general relaxation of the body. Who issued the diploma of medical education to these doctors? What are gynecologists guided by when 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's with the alcohol?
Studies by the American Association have shown that the death rate of newborns 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 drinking", 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 his suffering worth the imaginary pleasure of a mother who could not 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 laid in the incubator, at the same time an ethanol vapor generator was installed in the room. As a result, half of the embryos simply did not form, and out of the remaining 80, 40 died in the first days after birth, and another 25 were with serious malformations - for example, without a beak, one wing, or with incorrectly formed legs. Worth considering!
The harm of alcohol on the body of a teenager
There is no and cannot be an innate need 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, and even more so would not suffer from the desire to try alcohol-containing products. However, by adolescence, the statistics change significantly: more than 60% of modern teenagers try alcohol by the age of 15, and by the age of majority, their percentage reaches 90.
Research by our scientists B. S. Bratusya and P. I. Sidorova showed that even at kindergarten age, children easily reproduce the process of drinking and the state of intoxication. If you ask the kids to play a wedding, birthday or a trip to a party, they involuntarily clink their glasses, pour drinks into them and say toasts. Thus, a stereotype is formed that alcohol is a companion of celebration and fun, a symbol of a carefree and happy 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 you to overcome 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 beer or homemade wine will be enough for a fragile body to get drunk and lose control.
Drinking for teenagers is an erroneous opportunity to assert themselves, to feel more mature, more relaxed and more courageous. To portray yourself as a "bad guy" or "fatal girl" using alcohol for this is as easy as shelling pears, but is everything as harmless as it seems? Destructive behavior, attempts to appear more mature, swagger 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 attachment arises, and taking into account the fact 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 addiction that has arisen than in adults.
The harm of alcohol on the human body: results
Data from the World Health Organization is beyond doubt: every third case of premature death is somehow related to alcohol consumption. Some drink up to the complete destruction of the body, others get into 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 at the bottom in a small and almost imperceptible font is a footnote: "Excessive alcohol consumption harms ourhealth" in order to comply with the law.
Such mass advertising has a simple explanation: the profitability of the alcohol industry is estimated at billions of dollars, where each potential consumer is another opportunity to fill his pockets. To resist this propaganda, it is enough to think with your own head and worry about your own health. The atomic explosion on Hiroshima claimed the lives of two hundred thousand people, and alcohol kills about one and a half million every year. That's all the math. . .
6 reasons to give up alcohol
A glass of wine is often offered as a relief from stress and emotional difficulties. At the same time, alcohol can be a source of many problems. We tell you why without alcohol 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 mood by increasing dopamine, the hormone of pleasure. But subsequently, the body adapts to the production of the hormone, and more and more is required to achieve the effect. In addition, tetrahydroisoquinoline is formed, a substance that blocks the production of dopamine and serotonin. A person stops enjoying life without stimulation, falls into depressive moods. Thousands of neurons are destroyed, which can no longer be restored.
Following a short-term increase 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.
The 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 leads to premature aging and cosmetic problems: redness and swelling, a grayish skin tone, bruises under the eyes and wrinkles appear. Cholesterol rises in the blood, which leads to the appearance of reddish streaks on the whites of the eyes. When a person stops drinking, most body functions are gradually restored, which has a positive effect on appearance. This will take from a couple of weeks to several years, depending on the duration of drinking.
Alcohol causes overeating
Ethanol stimulates a special AGRP protein called the "obesity protein". It 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 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 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 cease to fully absorb useful substances, which affects the immune system and general health. Alcoholic drinks adversely affect most organs. In the stomach, the production of mucin is suppressed - a substance that protects the mucous membrane from irritants. Without it, the stomach is prone to gastritis and peptic ulcers.
The intestinal microflora is gradually restored within a week after ridding the body of alcohol. By the way, the withdrawal of alcohol from the female body is 20-25% slower than that of men. If a person stays sober for two weeks, he will have clarity of thought, blood pressure will normalize, heart rate will stabilize, shortness of breath and headaches will disappear.
Constant financial expenses
One of the unobvious, but pleasant consequences of giving up alcohol is savings. High duties are set on wine-making raw materials, therefore, ready-made drinks are mainly bought in the country from abroad. Alcohol prices are constantly rising, and if you drink high-quality (and the other is not worth it), then this will affect the budget. Even at an average cost of around a glass of wine with dinner per month, you'll save quite a hefty 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 develop only in disadvantaged people. In fact, this is not always a pronounced disease with external signs. An early-stage alcoholic can continue an active social life, go to work, take care of loved ones, and hang out with friends. Alcoholism occurs regardless of the standard of living, wealth and education. At the same time, non-obvious, at first glance, malfunctions in the work of the body and psyche appear. Therefore, it is especially important to control this habit and monitor your health in order to avoid irreversible consequences. Moreover, the sooner a person stops drinking alcohol, the faster most of the problems arising from it are solved.
What if it's just a little?
You can often 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 five thousand 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 likelihood of atrial fibrillation.