Alcoholism in the modern world remains one of the most pressing and urgent problems of mankind. Addiction to alcoholic drinks is detrimental not only to physical health, but also to the moral character of a person. For the coveted alcohol, he is able to exchange his good name, family, friends, career, hobbies, dreams and goals. Alcoholism is a disease that needs to be helped to cope. And one of the most effective “antidotes” to date is alcohol sensitization. What kind of treatment is this, how it is going on, what are the contraindications to it and possible complications, we will tell you further.
What is sensitization?
To determine what the word "sensitization to alcohol" means, we will first of all be helped by acquaintance with the general concept.
Sensitization is a certain hypersensitivity of a living being to a substance of foreign origin. To the latter, his body will respond with an allergic reaction. The higher the concentration of the substance, the stronger it is. If you watched the famous film A Clockwork Orange, you can imagine how artificial sensitization manifests itself in humans.
What can cause a sensitized phenomenon? It is usually provoked by the following:
- Infections and bacterial agents.
- Artificial substances of a chemical nature. The latter may be special medicines, alcohols, industrial toxins, etc.
What is the difference between a sensitized organism and all others? His immune system will always respond to an interaction with a certain substance by an allergic reaction. It can be anaphylaxis, urticaria, and so on.
It is important to know what a sensitization period is. This is a time period that is fixed between the exposure to an allergenic substance and the development of hypersensitivity to it. This period can last from several days to several years.
Varieties of Phenomenon
The following types of sensitization are distinguished:
- Autoimmune. It will be characteristic of all diseases and pathologies of an immune nature. This is the name for hypersensitivity to an abnormal type of proteins of your own body, which is caused by autoimmune allergens.
- Monovalent. This is called the increased sensitivity of a living creature to one allergen substance.
- Polyvalent. Allergic reactions of the body to several irritants at once.
- Active. This sensitization can occur with the introduction of (artificial or natural) allergen substances.
- Passive. What is observed here? The introduction of a healthy body blood serum from a living creature that is actively sensitized.
Sensitization to alcohol - what does it mean?
Hypersensitivity to alcohol-containing drinks, dishes, drugs can be congenital. That is, a person does not stimulate sensitization to this substance in any way - it will be natural for him. As an allergy to dairy products, plant pollen, animal hair and so on.
But we will continue to talk about artificial sensitization to alcohol. That is, about taking, administering certain drugs, conducting treatment, which causes hypersensitivity to alcohol in an unnatural way.
Why is a procedure necessary?
Why do we need such sensitization? Adults know that a certain dose of alcohol improves mood, helps to relax, feel lightness, and forget about problems. Someone is so fond of this nonchalant state that with the help of alcoholic drinks it returns itself to it again and again. Addictiveness develops, a person needs more and more alcohol in order to achieve the desired state of carelessness. It is already impossible to abandon a bad habit on their own, a psychological dependence arises.
At the same time, large doses of alcohol cause malfunctions in all organs of the living system. Especially dangerous is the abnormal use of ethyl alcohol for the liver, brain, central nervous system. Alcohol actually destroys these vital systems.
Therefore, sensitization to alcohol is, at times, the way not only to get rid of a bad habit, but, in the literal sense of the word, to save a person from death, moral and physical. What distinguishes this method above all is its effectiveness in relation to the most inveterate alcoholics. The main minus is only a temporary effect.
How is the procedure performed?
The sensitization of the body to alcohol is the introduction of special drugs to the patient, which will cause him aversion to alcohol for a long time.
We describe the mechanism of standard sensitizing therapy:
- Before the procedure, the patient should refrain from taking any alcohol-containing products for three days.
- A small capsule is inserted under the skin in the treatment room of a clinic suffering from alcoholism. It contains a substance that will cause an acute allergic reaction to ethyl, methyl alcohol. The medicine is completely harmless to the patient. Until he again wants to turn to a drink.
- How will alcohol sensitization manifest itself? Only a person will try even a small portion of an alcoholic drink, his general state of health will immediately worsen, the gag reflex will work. Some sensitizing agents are so strong in effect that a similar effect is observed even when taking alcohol-containing drugs. Moreover, the patient feels lightheaded even from alcoholic vapors! He only gets better when he goes out into the fresh air.
Sensitization to alcohol, it should be noted, is a rather risky treatment. If alcohol is not removed from the body (vomiting, cleansing of the stomach), then even a fatal outcome can result from an allergic reaction. Therefore, before stitching the capsule with the drug, the patient always writes a receipt that he is aware of the consequences of such treatment.
What drugs are used?
A tool that causes sensitization to alcohol - what is it? In modern times, not only subcutaneous capsules are used (already a traditional method of therapy). Subcutaneous, intramuscular injections, special tablets, etc. are successfully used. To date, the list of drugs is so extensive that it is possible for each patient to choose an individually suitable option.
The following tools are considered the most popular:
- Esperal.
- Antabuse.
- Espenal.
- "Lidevin."
- Disulfiram.
- Tetradin.
- "Counterpot".
- "Stopped" and so on.
Features of taking sensitizing drugs
Once again, we note that the funds listed above are completely harmless to the patient’s body. However, only before ethanol is consumed even in the smallest doses (up to inhalation of alcoholic vapors). In this case, an allergic reaction develops, the severity of which can sometimes reach a coma or even death of the patient. That is why self-medication, the use of sensitizing agents without the supervision of a specialist is prohibited.
Sensitization to alcohol intake is caused by two drug groups:
- Substances based on disulfiram.
- Substances whose action is based on nicotinic acid.
Which treatment is better to choose? Nicotinic acid therapy is thought to be more benign. This is due to the fact that this element simultaneously refers to the vitamins of groups B and PP.
The psychological attitude of the patient
Almost all experts note that the main thing in curing alcoholism is the mood of the person himself. If he wants to get rid of his addiction, admits that he is sick with alcoholism, that this condition is abnormal, then he is already half cured.
However, to independently realize all of the above, sometimes it is beyond the power of those suffering from addiction. Hence, in addition to medication, psychotherapeutic sensitization is also required. This treatment has the following main objectives:
- Recognizing that alcohol abuse is a serious problem.
- Understanding and accepting the fact that drug sensitization is necessary, the help of a psychotherapist is impossible to get rid of addiction on your own.
Psychotherapeutic treatment
Psychotherapy is most effective for people who are diagnosed with alcoholism of the first and second stages. If a person has a third-stage dependence, then the effectiveness of psychotherapy is reduced. These patients are more suitable not for individual, but for group sessions.
All psychotherapeutic assistance for this case can be divided into three stages:
- Before drug sensitizing therapy. It is important for the patient to get an attitude from a specialist on the necessity and success of treatment.
- During the action of the drug. A person breaks down at this moment - you need to dramatically get rid of your favorite long-term habit. Here, he needs the help of a doctor especially urgently.
- After the action of the medicine. It is necessary to consolidate the formed aversion to alcohol in order to avoid relapse in the future.
Possible complications
Among the possible unpleasant consequences from the administration of sensitizing drugs, the following can be distinguished:
- Psychoses (most often this is a consequence of the excess dosage of the drug).
- Mental disorders.
- Collapse.
- Hearing problems.
- Seizures resembling an epileptic seizure.
- Somatic disorders - bad breath, upset stool, lack of appetite.
Contraindications to the procedure
Sensitizing medication is contraindicated in the following:
- Dementia.
- Epilepsy.
- Polyneuritis.
- Pathologies affecting the brain.
- Somatic complications.
- Patient's age - drugs are not administered to people over 60 years old.
Thus, sensitizing therapy is possible only after a comprehensive examination of the patient for contraindications. Treatment is carried out only with strict medical supervision. It is also advisable to combine the introduction of medications with courses of psychotherapy.