Alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders

In today's society, with the accelerated pace of life and increased work pressure, alcohol has become a medium for many people to release their emotions. However, long-term excessive drinking not only damages the liver, but may also cause a series of mental disorders. This article aims to popularize the relevant knowledge of alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders, help everyone understand its harm, and take effective countermeasures.

1. The harm of alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease is a liver disease caused by long-term heavy drinking, and its harm cannot be ignored. In the early stage, it may manifest as fatty liver. As the disease progresses, it gradually evolves into alcoholic hepatitis, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and may even lead to liver cancer.

(1) Fatty liver: After drinking a lot of alcohol, the alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde by the liver, which interferes with the normal metabolism of fat, causing fat to accumulate in the liver and form fatty liver.

(2) Alcoholic hepatitis: When fatty liver develops further, liver cells will be damaged and inflammation will occur, which is alcoholic hepatitis. Patients may experience symptoms such as jaundice, fatigue, and loss of appetite.

(3) Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis: Long-term alcoholic hepatitis can lead to the proliferation of liver fibrosis, which in turn develops into liver fibrosis and may eventually lead to cirrhosis. The liver function of patients with cirrhosis will be severely impaired, and complications such as ascites and varicose veins may occur.

(4) Liver cancer: Cirrhosis is one of the high-risk factors for liver cancer. People who drink alcohol for a long time will have a greatly increased risk of liver cancer.

2. Manifestations and hazards of mental disorders

Long-term heavy drinking not only damages the liver, but also has a negative impact on the brain, leading to a series of mental disorders. Common mental disorders include alcohol dependence, alcoholism, and alcoholic dementia.

(1) Alcohol dependence: Alcohol dependence refers to a patient's strong desire and dependence on alcohol and inability to control the desire to drink. Alcohol-dependent patients may experience withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, hand tremors, etc.

(2) Alcoholic mental disorder: Alcoholic mental disorder refers to transient mental abnormalities that occur after drinking a lot of alcohol, manifested as emotional instability, hallucinations, delusions, etc. This state may have a serious impact on the patient's life and work.

(3) Alcoholic dementia: Long-term heavy drinking can also lead to damage and death of brain nerve cells, which in turn causes dementia. Alcoholic dementia patients may experience symptoms such as memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and personality changes, which seriously affect their quality of life.

3. Association between alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders

There is an intricate relationship between alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders, and the two influence each other, forming a vicious cycle. First of all, the liver is the main organ for alcohol metabolism. Long-term and heavy drinking will undoubtedly increase the burden on the liver and lead to the occurrence of alcoholic liver disease. After the liver is damaged, its detoxification function decreases, further aggravating the damage of alcohol to the brain and nervous system, thereby causing mental disorders. At the same time, after alcohol enters the brain, it interferes with the balance of neurotransmitters, leading to mental symptoms such as emotional instability and cognitive impairment. These mental symptoms may further prompt patients to rely on alcohol as a means of escaping reality, thereby aggravating liver damage and forming a vicious cycle. Therefore, when treating alcoholic liver disease, it is necessary to pay attention to the patient's mental health at the same time, achieve physical and mental treatment, and break this vicious cycle.

IV. Response Strategies and Suggestions

To prevent and treat alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders, we can adopt the following strategies and suggestions:

(1) Control your alcohol intake: Avoid long-term heavy drinking. Moderate drinking is good for your health, but excessive drinking is harmful. It is recommended that men should not drink more than 50 grams of alcohol per day, and women should not drink more than 30 grams per day.

(2) Establish a healthy lifestyle: Maintaining a regular schedule, a healthy diet, and moderate exercise will help improve physical condition and enhance resistance.

(3) Early detection and treatment: Patients who have developed alcoholic liver disease should seek medical attention as soon as possible and receive professional treatment and management. At the same time, patients with alcohol dependence and mental disorders also need to seek help from psychologists and receive psychotherapy and drug treatment.

(4) Social support and family care: Social and family support is very important for the recovery of patients with alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders. We should pay attention to the psychological needs of patients, give them care and encouragement, and help them build confidence in overcoming the disease.

In short, alcoholic liver disease and mental disorders are diseases that seriously threaten people's physical and mental health. We should raise awareness of these two diseases, strengthen prevention and treatment, and take responsibility for the health of ourselves and others. At the same time, we also hope that readers can pay attention to their own health, cherish life, and stay away from the harm of alcohol.

Author: Zhang Yinghua, Yibin Sixth People's Hospital