Alcoholic beverages are widely used recreational substances. As the amount and frequency of use increases, they cause many negative consequences, both by direct effects and by causing various mental diseases.
One of the most important risks caused by alcohol use is the development of tolerance to its use over time. In other words, more and more amount of alcohol is needed to get the same
pleasure and reach the same level of intoxication. Therefore, if use continues, addiction may develop over time. The common feature of addictive substances is that they have a reinforcing effect on re-taking. The pleasurable property of the substance on the reward
system in the brain causes the individual to become addicted
by using alcohol or substances repeatedly. The addicted person uses the substance he is addicted to
in a compulsive manner, despite the negative consequences he experiences.
Although it is not easy to decide on problematic alcohol use due to individual variability, there are certain
standards. Alcohol consumption above these is defined as "harmful/risky use, alcohol use at a level that may cause physical and/or mental harm". These amounts are as follows:
– For men; 4 or more drinks at a time or more than 14 drinks per week
– For women; 3 or more units of drink at a time or more than 7 units of drink per week
One unit of drink = One 330 ml (small) beer (5% alcohol), 1 glass (140 ml) wine (12% alcohol
), 1 single (40 ml) vodka-whisky-gin (40% alcohol content) and 1 single (40 ml) raki (45% alcohol content).
If there is use of more than these amounts and the individual requests help in this regard, treatment
is planned. The first week to ten days of treatment is the cleansing (detoxification) period. If the amount of alcohol use is too high, it is more appropriate to spend the first days of quitting alcohol in hospital. Because
serious withdrawal symptoms occur when alcohol use is stopped quickly at the addictive level.
These may be tolerable symptoms such as sweating, tremors, insomnia, restlessness, anxiety, or epileptic seizures, delirium (loss of consciousness). There may also be serious conditions such as depression, hallucinations, agitation, etc.) and even with a risk of death. For this reason, patients either try to relieve these withdrawal
symptoms by drinking again, and the attempt to quit fails, or they are exposed to these negative consequences. In cases of milder use, outpatient treatments may be possible. However, it would still be appropriate for the patient to spend this purification period at home with an assistant. Because the medications that should be used during this
period will prevent the ability to continue daily life and work as usual.
After the purification period treatment, addiction can be treated with both medications and original psychotherapy methods
treatment is applied. Individual or group therapies, family interventions, support groups (alcoholics anonymous,
AA) are the methods and efforts used to help the patient adapt to a life without alcohol.
Use of alcohol in high amounts and frequency can cause other psychiatric disorders besides addiction.
may also cause. Such as depressive disorder, anxiety disorders (such as panic attacks), sleep disorders. In these cases, it is necessary to treat these diseases along with addiction treatment.
On the other hand, other psychiatric diseases may also pave the way for the development of alcohol addiction. Personality
disorders, social phobia, panic disorder, depressive disorder, sleep disorders are some of these.
People resort to alcohol to overcome the difficulties caused by these underlying problems (for example,
people who have trouble falling asleep). (such as someone drinking alcohol every night to sleep, a businessman with flying phobia drinking alcohol before and during each flight, or an artist with social phobia drinking alcohol before each
stage appearance) and alcohol use over time. It may get out of control and addiction
may develop. Long-term psychotherapy will be required after alcohol addiction treatment, especially in cases accompanied by personality problems.
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