Classification, symptoms and treatment of alcoholic psychoses: from white fever to delirium

People who drink alcohol, often explain the craving for it the pleasant sensations that they receive after drinking alcohol.

Lightness, absence of oppressive thoughts, freedom and looseness - this is what those who are asked to describe the feelings that arise after drinking alcohol say about it. However, it should not be thoughtlessly to believe that this will always be so: prolonged use of alcohol leads to mental disorders, this or that type of alcoholic psychosis develops.

Like alcohol iniyaet nervous system

With regular, long-term treatment of alcoholic beverages there is a chronic intoxication of alcohol products decay. This affects the work of internal organs, whose functions are eventually violated. In turn, such deviations provoke a violation of metabolic processes in the body.

Alcoholic psychosis occurs as a result of a combination of several factors at once, contrary to popular belief, not only does it involve taking large doses of alcohol.

The risk of its manifestation is increased in the case of recent injuries, transmitted infectious diseases, stresses, depressions. All these phenomena significantly weaken the immunity of the drinking person, and under such conditions the unhealthy nervous system quickly gives out psychotic reactions.

An important point is that psychosis occurs not only when you consume too much alcohol, but also when the blood alcohol content is too fast, when the dependent tries to get rid of the addictive habit immediately and dramatically.

Against the backdrop of chronic alcoholism, specific psychoses( pathological intoxication, alcoholic hallucinosis, delirium( aka "squirrel"), paranoid and others) can occur in a person, which can last from one month to six months, have specific symptoms, are accompanied by various changes in the general state of healthand it is difficult to give in to treatment.

Characteristic features of alkopsychosis

Alcoholic psychosis is the result of a combination of many unfavorable factors. This disorder is observed in drinkers in the second or third stage of alcoholism, if alcohol is consumed for 5 years or more.

Alkopsychosis is classified as a chronic disease. It is impossible to stop forever: even after the end of treatment, specialists do not give a guarantee that the disease will not arise again after taking another dose of alcohol.

With this pathology, the specific orientation in the activity of the central nervous system and internal organs changes.

The mechanism of the development of the psychopathological state, which develops under the influence of alcohol decay products, is as follows:

1. The metabolism of special mediators that are responsible for the transfer of impulses along nerve fibers occurs.
2. As a result of the resulting violations, signal transmission through nerve fibers is not enough to respond to external influences. Because of the excessive content of alcohol decay products in the body, the number of mediators in the cerebral cortex also decreases.
3. The concentration of dopamine - a hormone, which is responsible for the psychoemotional state of a person - decreases. This contributes to the disruption of the process of general metabolism in the brain. In addition, there is a decrease in the level of neuropeptides - special molecules that are formed in the central nervous system and regulate the physiological functions of the body.
4. As a result, neurological disorders occur, brain cells die. All described violations not only contribute to the development of mental abnormalities, but also increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

The disease is characterized by a constant progression, as the symptoms of alcoholic psychosis become more pronounced.
The peculiarity of this condition is that it does not arise during drinking alcohol, but 2-3 days after.

provocateurs Various types of psychotic disorders occur as a result of long-term consumption of alcohol-containing beverages, that provokes persistent impairment of metabolic processes.

In addition, the development of such a deviation is affected by the predisposition to it at the genetic level, as well as the social environment and living conditions of life.

The risk of development of psychotic abnormalities grows under the influence of the transferred infectious diseases, the development of the inflammatory foci that have appeared in the body, injuries, severe stress.

Under the influence of these factors, alcohol abusers develop psychoses, the clinical picture of which is expressed in specific reactions with gross violations of the reflection of reality. They are accompanied by psycho-organic disorders.

Forms of psychosis on the form of abuse of alcohol

Physicians distinguish three main forms of alcoholic psychosis by the criterion of severity:

• acute , which lasts for a month after consuming alcoholic beverages;
• protracted , lasting up to 6 months;
• chronic , which lasts more than six months.

Depending on the prevailing symptoms, the following types of alcoholic psychotic conditions are distinguished:

1. Alcohol delirium, or white fever is the most common manifestation of psychosis caused by alcohol abuse. Develops delirium usually on the 2-7th day after stopping the intake of alcohol. Characteristic for this variety of symptoms - sharp mood swings, sleep disturbances, a sense of anxiety, at later stages - the confusion of consciousness. The most common delirium is observed in men.
2. Paranoid is a psychosis of acute or chronic course, in the clinical picture of which the ideas of jealousy, persecution, poisoning dominate. Alcoholic paranoid arises as a primary nonsense, not associated with hallucinations. The delusion of persecution is of limited concrete nature.
3. Alcoholic hallucinosis .This form of alcoholic psychosis is often observed in women drinking. There is a hallucinosis, unlike a white fever, against a background of clear consciousness and preservation of orientation. Hearing hallucinations predominate - the sounds of voices can comment on the patient's actions, praise or condemn him. On the basis of auditory hallucinations, delusions of persecution are formed.
4. Alcoholic encephalopathy .This kind of alcohol poisoning of the psyche combines a variety of somatic and neurological disorders. In women, encephalopathy develops much faster than in men. In patients, there is an increase in body temperature, pronounced tachycardia, muscle tone is disturbed. By the end of the second week, a fatal outcome may occur.
5. Dipsomania, or pathological intoxication of .This variety is characterized by irrepressible craving for drinking alcoholic drinks. The main symptomatology is complemented by a complete lack of appetite, insomnia, a slight tremor of the extremities.
6. Delusional psychosis .It occurs against the background of severe intoxication, especially if the situation is exacerbated by the presence in the anamnesis of a craniocerebral injury, overexertion, the finding of the patient in unfamiliar terrain. Delirium in this case is usually of the nature of persecution.

Characteristic symptoms and consequences of the white fever

Alcoholic delirium usually occurs in the 7-10 year of regular alcohol use. Its duration is from 2 to 8 days.

Delirium usually begins with a background of forced abstinence from alcohol or with a hangover syndrome. White fever can develop as a result of parallel weakening of the body caused by various diseases, exhaustion of the body, mental or physical overload. These factors exacerbate the course of the disease and can lead to a lethal outcome of the patient.

Delirium is a hallucinatory obscuration of consciousness, which is characterized by:

• visual hallucinations, illusions that are awesome. So, the patient can see aliens, devils, insects and animals. There may also be tactile hallucinations of an unpleasant nature: a person feels as if his hair is growing on his tongue or there are a lot of small needles in his mouth. The patient is frightened, tries to escape from the terrible creatures that pursue him, at the same time he is disoriented in time and space;
• is a tremor of the whole body;
• sweating;
• pallor of the skin;
• sleep disturbance.

Although the average duration of the disorder usually does not exceed 5 days, chronic delirium can also be observed, which lasts for several months.

"Squirrel" is a threatening condition, therefore it is important to stop it as soon as possible. Treatment, depending on the severity of the case, is carried out in the intensive care unit, a psychiatric hospital or a narcological dispensary. Treatment of this form of alcoholic psychosis consists of sanitary supervision, the use of medications to stop psychotic stimulation, the use of funds to support the work of the heart.

Paranoid: manifestations and effects of

Alcoholic paranoid is acute or chronic. A characteristic feature of the state is a systematic nonsense. This type of psychosis develops under the influence of a constant sense of anxiety and against the background of regular insomnia, provoked by the use of large doses of alcohol.

Paranoid develops like a normal delirium. The patient is obsessed with the idea that they want to kill him, poison him, which predetermines his attitude towards those around him. Also, the violation can be expressed in the delusion of jealousy - the patient suspects the wife of infidelity and in every way tries to prove it. His behavior becomes dangerous.

Paranoid can be acute - in this case it lasts from several days to several weeks, or chronic.

In chronic conditions, the disease develops very slowly, it can last several months. In this case, the patient at first sight gives the impression of a normal person, but with closer communication, his exceptional suspicion and desire to limit his social circle become noticeable.

For paranoid are characterized by a rise in body temperature, sleep disturbance, inability to tolerate heat.

After an attack of psychosis in patients, the emotional sphere is restored, they often with humor refer to their delusional ideas.

Paranoid treatment is performed in a hospital, with the use of neuroleptics, antidepressants, tranquilizers.

This type of psychotic disorder usually has no serious consequences and does not provoke a change in personality, provided that the course of treatment was passed to the patient in full and he refused to take alcohol.

Clinical picture of the hallucinosis

Hallucinosis occurs in the last days of a long drinking-bout or after a sharp stopping of alcohol intake. Psychosis can be acute and protracted. Alcoholics remember everything that happened to them in this state.

Alcohol hallucinosis is characterized by the following symptoms:

• presence of auditory hallucinations;
• development of visual and tactile deceptive sensations;
• decreased mood and emotional status;
• search for sick means to protect against imaginary danger.

All of these manifestations are characteristic of the acute form of psychosis, which can last from a few days to a week or more.

For the subacute form, the following characteristics are characteristic:

• the patient spends most of his time in bed;
• physical activity is practically absent;
• the patient begins to listen to voices, stiffening for this purpose on the spot, sometimes even responding to them;
• pursuit mania.

Psychosis in subacute form lasts a month or more.

Manifestations of alcoholic encephalopathy

This kind of mental disorder can occur in acute or chronic form.

At the heart of the development of encephalopathy is a violation of metabolic processes, lack of vitamins and nutrients, impaired liver function, pathology of carbohydrate metabolism.

The clinical picture of alcoholic encephalopathy combines the following symptoms:

• digestive system disorder;
• sleep and memory disturbances;
• aggression;
• heart palpitations;
• delirious states;
• vague hallucinations.

The acute form of this disorder is called the Gaye-Wernick syndrome, which manifests itself in a sharp deterioration in the patient's condition. In this case, neurologic changes have a pronounced character. The acute phase often leads to disability of the patient or his death.

Chronic forms of encephalopathy are:

• Korsakov psychosis, in which there are false memories, disorientation in space, amnesia;
• pseudoparachy, in which delusional and manic conditions are observed, limb tremor, facial expression facial expression.

With adequate treatment, chronic forms of encephalopathy are curable.

Characteristic features of dipsoomania

When dipsohomanii attacks develop on level ground. This form of alcoholic psychosis is rare.

Dipsomania is called a prolonged, sudden onset of drinking, which lasts about a month. In the remission phase, the patient feels disgust for alcohol, but with a new attack returns to the addiction. The main cause of pathological intoxication is unfavorable heredity.

When dipsomania, the patient feels an irresistible attraction to alcohol. Drinking is usually preceded by depression, depression, a feeling of worthlessness.

During the drinking-out period, the emotional and mental state of the patient worsens, the depression worsens. There are frightening hallucinations - hideous grimaces, dead men, huge snakes and spiders.

The alcoholic loses appetite, the body is exhausted, manifestations of disorders of the digestive system develop.

The treatment of dipsoomania is aimed at eliminating the consequences of intoxication of the body. Manipulation is carried out in a hospital. The prognosis is favorable when patients complete the course of treatment, including hypnotherapy sessions.

Delusional disorder and its distinctive characteristics

This form of mental disorder is characterized by the delusional state of the patient, which is based on the idea of ​​persecution.

The patient believes that all the people around him are plotting against him. He may attempt to attack people or commit suicide. Under the influence of crazy ideas, a person loses the ability to adequately perceive reality.

In this case, treatment, as with other forms of psychosis, is carried out in a hospital.

Treatment procedure and consequences

Treatment of alcoholic psychoses of any form is based on carrying out specific activities exclusively in a hospital. Treatment is complex and includes:

• measures to remove from the body of toxic products of alcohol breakdown;
• taking medications to suppress psychomotor agitation;
• maintenance of vital body functions;
• measures for correction of metabolic processes;
• correction of fluid in the body.

If the patient is in serious condition, then the treatment is carried out in the intensive care unit.

Consequences of mental disorders on the background of alcohol intake are quite severe: the patient has difficulties in memorizing and learning new information, he forgets even what he knew well before. This is due to disorders that occur under the influence of alcohol metabolites in the brain structures.

Another dangerous consequence of intoxication with alcoholic metabolites is that important internal organs are affected - the heart, liver, gastrointestinal tract.

In order for the patient to return to normal life, it is necessary to convince him of the complete course of treatment, including the need to visit hypnotic sessions. Refusal to drink alcohol is not discussed: only leaving this addiction, a person is able to once again become a full member of society.