Types of mental disorders due to alcohol abuse

Psychosis occurs not only due to alcohol poisoning when the alcohol concentration in the body is high, but also when the amount of alcohol in the blood is absent or very low.

1. Drunkenness

Delirium tremens is an acute alcohol-induced psychosis that occurs in chronic alcoholics after they stop drinking. This is considered a psychiatric emergency. If left untreated, the mortality rate is 20%, mainly due to physical diseases such as pneumonia, kidney failure, liver failure, heart failure, etc.

Delirium tremens usually occurs in stage 2 of chronic alcoholics, who suddenly stop drinking for 1-3 days. About 1/3 of cases with alcohol withdrawal syndrome will progress to delirium tremens. The symptoms of delirium tremens are very diverse and rich but mainly concentrated in 3 groups:

Complete insomnia lasts for several days, even weeks.

Paranoid syndrome in alcoholism. The patient has delusions of persecution and visual hallucinations: seeing small animals such as birds, mice, insects, ants, etc. The patient may also have auditory hallucinations, very clear voices that are someone's voice, the content is often threats and curses.

Disorders of consciousness in delirium tremens often increase at night or early in the morning. In addition, there are also autonomic nervous system disorders such as: tremor, decreased muscle tone, increased tendon reflexes, skin congestion, increased sweating, tachycardia, fluctuating arterial blood pressure, possible epileptic seizures and suicidal behavior.

2. Alcoholic hallucinations

The prominent manifestation of alcoholic hallucinations is dominant auditory hallucinations. The content of auditory hallucinations is often threats or curses, insults to the patient while consciousness is not disturbed, time-space orientation, and the self is still clear.

This auditory hallucination is very dangerous for the patient and those around them such as: suicide, vandalism, arson, murder.

3. Alcoholic paranoia

Alcoholic paranoia is a psychotic disorder. Clinically, delusions of jealousy and persecutory delusions are the main symptoms.

The content of the delusions is related to real things around the patient such as: wife, children, neighbors, colleagues and friends. The patient is very emotional, they are always panic, the delusions always control their behavior and often attack others.

4. Chronic brain damage due to alcohol

Korsakov's psychosis: This is one of the organic brain diseases caused by alcohol, mainly manifested by amnesia and polyneuropathy syndrome, appearing in the final stage of alcoholism. The patient completely loses memory and cannot receive new information.

Alcoholic pseudoparalysis: Patients have decreased attention, decreased memory, exaggerated delusions, and focal neurological damage (weakness of extremities, difficulty speaking, and reflex disturbances).

Gayet-Wernicke organic encephalopathy: Manifested by confusion, language and motor excitement, epileptic seizures, Korsakov-type memory disorders...

What to do?

The treatment principle is a combination of pharmacotherapy and psychology, and community rehabilitation:

If it is alcohol withdrawal syndrome (hydration and electrolytes, high-dose B vitamins, sedatives, neuroleptics). If it is alcoholic psychosis (sedatives, sedatives, hydration and electrolytes, high-dose B vitamins). If it is alcohol-induced depression (antidepressants, hydration and electrolytes, high-dose B vitamins).

In addition, it is necessary to combine with psychological therapy and community rehabilitation to help re-adapt to society. Treat accompanying physical diseases such as liver, stomach, respiratory diseases, etc.