engleski

Alcohol use and physical damage in young population

Dependence is one of the consequences of alcohol abuse. Harmful consequences of alcohol use on the human body can be the result of acute, heavy alcohol consuption (acute alcohol intoxication) as well as long-term , continuous heavy drinking (alcohol dependence). Physical and psychological damage and social problems commonly occur in the more developed stage of alcohol dependence syndrome. There is a growing trend of drinking, especially among youth, who are much more sensitive to harmful effects of alcohol than older adults. Due to the occurrence of physical damage among young people after a relatively short period of excessive alcohol consumption, along with prevention, early diagnosis and treatment are very important, whether it's alcohol abuse or dependence syndrome has developed, in order to prevent physical damage or to start medical treatment at early stage. In this paper we shall present the case of a 23-year-old male patient who was treated at the Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Rijeka for the first time, because of dependence on alcohol, after epileptic seizure, with the development of withdrawal syndrome. We were intrigued by the high level of his physical damage which is uncommon in that age. Standard psychiatric treatment were performed during hospitalizaton ( psychiatric interview, clinical assessment of mental status, EEG, psychological testing ) as well as additional diagnostics ( hematologic and biochemical analyzes, thyroid hormones, X-ray of the right hemothorax, left ankle, the LS spine, CT Th / L transitions, CT of the brain ). Drinking in young population cannot be viewed only in the context of the harmful use of alcohol. It is evident in clinical pratice that alcohol dependence syndrome may be developed among young population with all its complications. It is important to investigate which risk factors lead to early physical damage. It remains an open question how much alcohol abuse in young population, except presenting a socialy risky behavior, affects their psychological functioning and physical health.

alcoholism; young population; physical damage

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