What Is Involved in Inpatient Alcohol Rehab?

Chronic alcoholism refers to severe poisoning of the central nervous system caused by long-term excessive drinking. Alcohol is ethanol, with the chemical formula C2H5OH, which is a neurophilic substance. Because the ethanol entering the human body cannot be digested and absorbed, it will enter the brain with the blood, destroy the neuronal cell membrane, weaken the central nervous system, and cause slow brain activity by activating inhibitory neurons and suppressing activating neurons. Once excessive, it will cause A large number of nerve cells died. Excessive drinking can also cause alcoholic coma. Alcoholism is a bad habit that does no good at all, and it should be avoided and quit in time.

Chronic alcoholism

Introduction to chronic alcoholism

Chronic alcoholism (alcohol dependence) is a serious poisoning of the central nervous system caused by long-term excessive drinking. It manifests as a craving for alcohol and a compulsive experience that often requires drinking. After stopping drinking, I often feel uncomfortable, restless, or have tremor, Withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and sweating, these symptoms quickly disappear when drinking resumes. Due to long-term alcohol consumption, most of them are associated with physical damage, most notably the heart, liver, and nervous system. The most common are liver cirrhosis, peripheral neuropathy, and epileptic seizures. In recent years, the increasing number of patients with chronic alcoholism has attracted the attention of medical and sociological circles.

Pathogenesis of chronic alcoholism

Diagnosis of chronic alcoholism Alcohol is a neurophilic substance. Long-term drinking can cause chronic poisoning, causing irreversible damage to the nervous system, weakening of the cerebral cortical connection function, and reduced flexibility. It is the main pathogenesis of chronic alcoholism. Its pathological changes are inflammatory changes of nerve cells And degeneration changes, severe cases of brain atrophy, brain volume reduction, in addition to the central nerve, peripheral nerves are also affected, and can lead to pathological changes in other organs, resulting in clinical symptoms.

Clinical symptoms of chronic alcoholism

Chronic alcoholism Gradually changing personality and mental decline are the characteristics of chronic alcoholism. Patients gradually become selfish, lonely, irresponsible, emotionally unstable, emotionally retarded, decline in working ability, memory loss, difficult to get along with people around, and often Blame the difficulties in work and life on others, and be extremely eager for alcohol, and do everything possible to get it, keep your hands on the bottle all day, drink alcohol regardless of time, and use wine as a meal, resulting in gastritis, vitamin deficiency, malnutrition, insomnia, sexual function Disorders, and ultimately lead to dysfunction of internal organs, and failure, often with liver and kidney sclerosis, enlarged heart, alcoholic myocarditis, etc., patients' resistance to infection decreases, physical complications often occur, and nervous system may have tremors , Neuritis, muscle atrophy and other changes.

The following symptoms are associated with alcoholism:

1. Temporary black vision or memory loss.

2. Frequent disputes or fights with family members or friends.

3. Continue drinking in order to get relaxed, excited, fall asleep, cope with problems, or feel "normal".

4, headaches, anxiety, insomnia, nausea or other unpleasant symptoms appear when you stop drinking.

5, flushed skin, ruptured capillaries on the face, hoarse voice, trembling hands, chronic diarrhea, and drinking alone in the morning or in the dark. These symptoms are particularly related to chronic alcoholism.

Seek medical attention if you have chronic alcoholism

You

After chronic alcoholism If you have any of these symptoms, you can't stop drinking. You need drug intervention to treat alcoholism. You may be susceptible to diseases such as cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis and heart disease.

2. You often drink alcohol, and you are in a chronic or cyclical state of depression. You may be at risk for suicide.

3. You try to quit drinking, but symptoms such as headache, anxiety, insomnia, nausea or delirium bother you when you quit drinking. At this time, you need to see a doctor or go to a treatment center for treatment.

People have been brewing and producing alcoholic beverages since history. Proper drinking can relax people and in some cases even be good for health. Excessive drinking is considered harmful to the human body and is considered an addictive drug. Almost 100,000 people die each year from alcohol in the United States. Alcohol has become a major culprit in homicides, suicides and more than half of traffic accidents in this country. Alcoholism also plays a role in social and family issues, such as absenteeism, crimes against family property, and child abuse.

Chronic Alcoholism Drugs The effects of drinking on the body are only emotional changes in the light, and the coordination, vision, balance, and language will be completely lost in the severe cases. Any of these obstacles indicates a temporary poisoning of the human body, which is called acute alcoholism Or drunk. These effects gradually disappear within hours after stopping drinking. Many law enforcement agencies consider alcohol levels in the blood to be above 0.08% as evidence of poisoning. A large amount of alcohol in the blood can damage brain function. In severe cases, it can lead to loss of consciousness. Extreme overdose can cause death.

Chronic alcoholism is a progressive, potentially fatal disease that is characterized by a strong desire for drinking, increased tolerance, increased dependence, and uncontrolled. Some people are more dependent on alcohol, while others may not be. When some chronic alcoholics are drunk, others can exercise enough to control their appearance and deal with everyday things in a near-normal state. However, chronic alcoholism can cause many diseases, including hypoglycemia, kidney disease, brain and heart damage, skin vasodilation, chronic gastritis, and pancreatitis.

Caused by chronic alcoholism Chronic alcoholism can cause impotence in men; it can harm the fetus in pregnant women; and it increases the risk of throat, esophagus, stomach, pancreas and upper gastrointestinal cancer in patients. Because alcoholics rarely have a normal diet, they may suffer from nutritional deficiencies, severe alcoholism damages liver function, and at least one of five people develops cirrhosis.

Drinkers have a strong desire to drink, and it is extremely difficult for them to quit drinking (an important purpose of treatment). Denying the harmfulness of alcohol often complicates the disease. For example, alcoholics use strategies in the field of psychology to find their problems, but do not blame them for alcoholism. This will fundamentally hinder the recovery stage of treatment. . Historically, alcoholism has often been blamed for poor quality or weak will, and many authorities now consider alcoholism to be a disease that distresses everyone.

In fact, every culture is warning of the dangers of excessive drinking, some even outright prohibition, but rarely succeed. In the United States, despite legal and educational propaganda to stop alcohol abuse, pressure from business and society continues to put people at risk for alcohol. Symptoms of alcoholism are often insignificant in young people and older people, in part because the symptoms are revealed only when alcoholics truly realize that they cannot escape from alcohol.

Causes of chronic alcoholism

Alcoholism is caused by many factors such as heredity, physical condition, psychology, environment, and society, but there are large differences among individuals, and heredity is considered to play a key role. If parents are alcoholic, the offspring is at risk Sex is four to five times higher than the general population, but there are also absolute abstinenceists who have overcome heredity this way.

Chronic alcoholism treatment

The purpose of treatment is to quit drinking. People who are in good health among alcoholics, but who are helped and encouraged by society, are more likely to recover. 50% to 60% of people continue to ban alcohol after one year of treatment. Most of them can Quit the wine permanently. However, those who lack social help and encouragement, or people with mental illness, are prone to relapse within a few years of treatment. For these people, the successful measure is to urge alcohol abstinence, reduce alcohol consumption, and maintain good health. Conditions, and functions to improve society.

Routine treatment of chronic alcoholism

Treatment can only begin when the alcoholic recognizes the danger of the disease and agrees to quit drinking. They must be made aware that alcoholism is curable, and confidence must be built to overcome the disease. Treatment is generally divided into two phases: one is the alcohol withdrawal phase, sometimes called the detoxification phase, and the other is the rehabilitation treatment phase. Because abstinence does not stop the desire to drink, it is often difficult to maintain recovery. For patients at the early stages of alcoholism, alcohol withdrawal can cause anxiety and insomnia; for patients with long-term dependence on alcohol, alcohol withdrawal can cause uncontrollable tremors, panic, and tremor delirium (DT). If patients with DT are not treated by professionals, the mortality rate will exceed 10%. Therefore, patients with alcoholism in the advanced stage should quit drinking and should be hospitalized.

Treatment may require the use of one or more drugs. Disulfiram can interfere with the metabolism of alcohol. Drinking a small amount of alcohol can cause nausea, vomiting, confusion, and difficulty breathing. Naltrexone can reduce dependence on alcohol, but it is recommended to use it under the guidance of a doctor. Benzodiazepine is an anti-anxiety drug that is commonly used to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia. It is also used to prevent seizures and delirium. Be careful when using them because they are also addictive. Tricyclic antidepressants can be used to control anxiety and depression caused by any cause, but because these symptoms may disappear with abstinence, they should not be used until these symptoms persist after abstinence.

Because alcoholics may become dependent again on alcohol, the key to recovery is to quit drinking completely. A variety of treatments are available during the rehabilitation phase, including educational programs, categorized treatments, family treatments, and participation in self-help groups.

Adjuvant treatment of chronic alcoholism

Once the alcoholic recognizes his illness and demands abstinence, many other treatments can help them recover.

Licensed acupuncture scholars can reduce alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture is reported to prevent seizures, prevent relapses, and increase the likelihood that patients will complete a recovery treatment plan.

Chronic alcoholism body treatment

Massage is part of a physical therapy plan that relaxes the body, facilitates recovery, and reduces anxiety about drinking alcohol.

Chronic alcoholism hydrotherapy

A mild saline bath is effective in removing drugs and toxins from the body. Dissolve half a cup of sea salt, or dried soda, in warm water in the tub and soak for 10 to 20 minutes each day.

Chronic alcoholism

Because alcoholics often drink to cope with stress, various relaxation therapies such as massage and meditation are helpful in treating stress. Hypnosis can relieve psychological disorders under behavioral morbidity.

Chronic Alcoholism Nutrition and Diet

Severe alcoholism is often accompanied by malnutrition. This is because half an alcohol is equivalent to more than 200 calories, but it has no nutritional value. Absorbing a large amount of alcohol means that the body no longer needs more food. Alcoholic patients lack vitamin A, multivitamin B and vitamin C, carnitine, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and essential fatty acids and antioxidants. Supplementing nutritional ingredients, especially thiamine (vitamin B1) can help with alcohol withdrawal and rehabilitation. One study found that the effectiveness of rehabilitation treatments doubled when nutritional therapy was taken.

Some therapists believe that stabilizing blood glucose at a certain level will help the treatment succeed. Recommended methods include avoiding sugar, or even sugar in fruit juices. Juices may contain more sugar than whole fruits; reduce diets high in monosaccharides, such as white flour and prepared potatoes; increase plant protein and polysaccharide consumption These substances are high in cereals, beans and vegetables.

Chronic alcoholism home treatment

The key to rehabilitation and abstinence is probably the most difficult. To learn to live without drinking, you must do the following:

Avoid contact with drinkers and places where you drink, and make friends who do not drink.

Participate in self-help groups (see Supportive Therapy for Recovery Period below).

Get help from family and friends.

Instead of relying on alcohol, use positive dependencies, such as new hobbies, or volunteer work with churches or citizens.

Take part in exercise. Exercise allows the brain to release chemicals to "natural heights". Even walking after a meal can calm people down.

Chronic alcoholism prevention

The main problem affecting the rehabilitation of alcoholics is re-drinking alcohol. Preventing alcohol consumption may be difficult. This requires continuous treatment, aggressiveness and strong social support to consolidate the results achieved. Other ways to prevent drinking include changing your daily habits, accepting new values, and avoiding contact or activities with people who have a drinking habit. For example, 90% of alcoholics smoke, and those who quit smoking are more likely to achieve long-term quitting, which is also beneficial to other health.

Self-examination of chronic alcoholism

Alcoholism is not diagnosed as a single symptom, but honestly answering the following questions will help you determine if you are at risk:

Your friends or relatives have offered you too much alcohol.

It is difficult to control your non-drinking after you have had one or two alcoholics.

You can't remember where to drink alcohol.

You have felt sick after drinking too much alcohol.

Argue or fight with others while you are drinking.

You have been detained or hospitalized due to alcoholism.

You considered getting help from others to control drinking or quit drinking.

If you have one or more of the above problems, you may have serious drinking problems. For your own health, it is necessary to see a doctor or consult a mental health specialist.

Prevention and treatment of alcoholic psychosis

When drinking, do a good habit of drinking without getting drunk.

When drinking alcohol, you should not disturb your diet. Don't use wine as a meal to avoid malnutrition.

Once an addict should quit drinking quickly, take care of the withdrawal syndrome carefully, and the severe person must be hospitalized.

For the treatment of chronic alcoholism or alcohol addiction, venous venous drugs (such as ATP, coenzyme A, cytochrome C, etc.) can be used to stimulate the metabolism of the brain, once a day, if necessary, large doses of B vitamins, vitamin C and other nutritional drugs 10 to 12 times is a course of treatment; combined application of sedative and hypnotic drugs to achieve sedation and prevent the occurrence of seizures, and small doses of antipsychotic drugs, such as chlorpromazine or perphenazine to control the symptoms of excitement and associated hallucinations and delusions.

Anti-drinking drugs can be applied, such as quitting sulphur and pentamidine to stop drinking and have an aversion to alcohol; subcutaneous injection of apomorphine can also be used while drinking, causing aversive conditioned reflexes and quitting.

After alcohol psychiatric quit drinking and symptoms have improved significantly, they should be helped to solve interpersonal problems and enable them to achieve social rehabilitation.

Supportive therapy for chronic alcoholism on rehabilitation stage

Despite controversy over whether alcoholism is a disease or a weak will, society still reports prejudice against alcoholics, especially women. Many alcoholics deny the dangers of drinking, and family and friends also cover up the behavior of alcoholics and only provide help within their ability. It is important to know that family and friends' love to understand alcoholism and inspire help seeking is extremely important to alcoholics. important.

The help of social groups has helped many alcoholics return to normal life and rekindle their love of life. The Alocohoolics Anonymous (AA) has about one million Americans. The AA encourages many people to be aggressive and play a vital role in maintaining a good state of abstinence. However, people may have different views on some aspects of AA and other similar organizations. For example, some therapists worry that AA cannot diagnose mental illness and make a correct evaluation of them. Those who do not agree with AA's spiritual emphasis People with a 12-step treatment plan can turn to other social groups (such as Rational Recovery and Women for Sobriety) for help.