Beer alcoholism

STARTED WITH BEER...

In recent years, so-called beer alcoholism has gained significant momentum among young people. Beer has always been considered the classic “starter drink”, gradually moving towards stronger drinks. In adolescents, addiction develops 3-4 times faster than in adults and has a more malignant course.

HOW DO YOU BECOME A BEER ALCOHOLIC?

People don't believe that beer can lead to real alcoholism. Meanwhile, drinking beer during the day forms a hefty dose of alcohol, sufficient both for the development of alcoholism and for its toxic effect on the body.

Since beer usually does not cause as much intoxication as strong drinks, its consumption is accepted loyally by family and society. Because of this, beer consumption increases, and this, in turn, contributes to the development of alcoholism. A teenager gets a psychotropic effect much faster - a “high” from beer - and consciously strives for this, not realizing that he is drinking an alcoholic drink that changes the psyche.

HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS THE BODY

There is not a single organ or tissue in the body that is not exposed to alcohol. Under its influence, the heart quickly wears out, the kidneys stop releasing harmful products from the body, liver cells die, losing their protective function (scientists have proven that it is beer lovers who most often die from cirrhosis of the liver). But the nervous system especially suffers: memory deteriorates, attention weakens, mental processes are disrupted, behavior changes sharply, the personality necessarily changes to some extent (cruelty, hot temper, vindictiveness or depression, stiffness, isolation, emotional impoverishment, inability to find a “common language” appear) " with parents).

Systematic consumption of alcohol very quickly leads to addiction. A so-called mental dependence appears. This is when a young man begins to be interested not just in drinking in company, but tries to solve some of his problems with the help of alcohol. If you resort to alcohol to solve such specific problems, it is very dangerous. The worst thing is if you are already starting to like the state of intoxication itself. When a person drinks for the sake of intoxication as such, this is already a very advanced stage of mental dependence.

Systematic alcohol consumption leads to premature aging and disability; The life expectancy of people prone to drunkenness is 15-20 years shorter than the statistical average.

Beer consumption by children and youth contributes to the development of:

  • chronic “beer” alcoholism”;
  • liver cirrhosis, chronic inflammation of the pancreas;
  • breast cancer in girls, prostate cancer in men;
  • infertility in women and impotence in men;
  • high blood pressure and cerebral hemorrhages;
  • rhythm disturbances and dilation of the heart chambers (“beer heart”);
  • metabolic disorders (beer type obesity).

In Germany, where beer is traditionally consumed, most patients suffer from beer alcoholism.

Remember: beer is the same as an alcoholic drink, and in the summer heat it should not be a means of quenching thirst. The addiction to beer occurs as if unnoticed, but then it becomes all the more difficult to get rid of such addiction.

BEER: BOTH PROS AND CONS

Beer combines both beneficial and harmful components in a bizarre way. In addition to water and alcohol, it contains up to 10% grape, malt sugars and other extractive substances that are easily absorbed by the body. It contains a small amount of vitamins B1 and B2. The most useful of the components are polyphenols. But there are about 10 times less of them in beer than in grape wine.

There is no consensus on the protective effect of beer polyphenols against atherosclerosis. But there is evidence showing that beer increases the risk of coronary heart disease, which is based on atherosclerosis. And biogenic amines - the bitter substances in beer - can increase blood pressure, cause headaches and have a hypnotic effect. Beer also contains in a decent dose such an “exotic” component as phytoestrogens - plant substances similar to female sex hormones. In men who abuse beer, they cause feminization, and in women – masculinization.

HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS IN BEER?

A half-liter bottle of beer with a strength of 5% alcohol is already 50 grams. vodka, 9% beer - this is 100 g. vodka. And the higher the strength, the more aggressive the toxic substances contained in beer behave.

Strong beer, which is becoming increasingly popular, poses a particular danger. The addition of alcohol not only increases its strength to 12%, but also makes the drink especially aggressive. Alcohol enhances the toxic effect of some components of beer contained in very small quantities.

ARE THERE ANY SAFE DOSES OF BEER?

Alcohol very roughly interferes with the process of formation of an unformed teenage body. Don't think that drinking once or twice a week is normal. This attitude towards alcohol is extremely dangerous. It is very important to remember: if a teenager drinks three or four times a month, this is already abuse, and very serious. There is no concept of harmless drinking for a teenager until the body has completed its formation. This usually happens by age 20.

ARE THERE “RISK GROUPS” – TEENS FOR WHOM ALCOHOL USE IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS?

Alcohol addiction is a disease. This means that there may be a predisposition to it, like to any other disease. A person does not always know what genes are in him. But if the parents drink, there is probably every reason to believe that the child has inherited such a predisposition. According to statistics, if a father drinks, his son is 4 times more likely to develop an alcohol addiction than a peer from a non-drinking family.

WHAT TO DO?

Show willpower, listen to the voice of reason - do not give in to temptations and think about your future!

CONCLUSION

As with any other disease, it is necessary to prevent alcoholism. It is better to prevent alcoholism than to face it as a result of a life crisis.

The health of the younger generation is the health of the future of our nation, and therefore sober youth make Belarus stronger

Information material prepared by: valeologist of the 1st City Clinical Hospital Zhuravel L.V.