Alcohol dependence: people will feel relaxed, excited and happy after drinking alcohol. In order to maintain this feeling, they need to continue drinking, which is also the reason why people who drink for a long time drink more and more, that is to say, the human body has developed tolerance to alcohol, and it is necessary to increase the amount of drinking to achieve the original effect. Alcohol dependence refers to a psychological demand for drinking in order to get special pleasure after drinking. In other words, this person is mentally dependent on alcohol intake.
Long-term mental dependence will produce physiological dependence, which means that the adaptability of human body to ethanol has changed. Once you stop drinking or drink less, you will have unbearable discomfort and symptoms of sympathetic excitement, such as sweating and pulse trembling, which is the opposite of alcoholism. Long-term drinkers who suddenly stop drinking or reduce their drinking amount can have the following four withdrawal reactions:
1. Simple withdrawal reaction: reduce 6-24 hours after drinking. The symptoms are tremor, anxiety, excitement, tachycardia, elevated blood pressure, profuse sweating, nausea and vomiting, and most of them relieve themselves within 2~5 days.
2. Alcohol hallucination reaction: The patient has clear consciousness and complete orientation. Mainly auditory hallucinations, but also hallucinations, delusions, delusions of victimization, delusions, generally relieved after 3 to 4 weeks.
3. Withdrawal convulsion reaction: It often occurs at the same time as simple withdrawal reaction, and can also induce grand mal. There are only 1~2 episodes, each lasting several minutes. It can also happen many times in a few days.
4. Delirium tremens: It occurs 24-72 hours after abstinence, and it also occurs after 7- 10 hours. Insanity, whole body muscles shaking. Delirium is a vivid and frightening hallucination under the condition of vague consciousness, which can be manifested as sympathetic excitement such as sweating, tachycardia and elevated blood pressure.
Harm of long-term drinking:
1. Nutritional deficiency: alcohol and drinks provide 29. 3kJ(7kcal) calories per gram, but it does not contain vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other essential nutrients, so wine is a high-calorie beverage without nutrients. When drinking heavily for a long time, loss of appetite and reduced food intake can cause obvious nutritional deficiency. Vitamin B deficiency can cause vitamin B deficiency syndrome and peripheral nerve paralysis. Causing folic acid deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia. When drinking for a long time, sugar and multivitamins should be supplemented.
2. Toxic effect: ethanol can stimulate secretion of mucous membrane and gland, which can cause esophagitis, gastritis, pancreatitis, alcoholic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and abnormal liver function.