What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard: what's the difference?

Alcoholism is the greatest problem of all times and peoples. Every year, the number of people who abuse alcohol increases. This is due not only to a deterioration in the standard of living of the population, but also to changes in the mentality of the younger generation. Modern children are brought up in an atmosphere of permissiveness, and it becomes more and more difficult to surprise them with something. Therefore, they try to get new sensations themselves, using alcohol-containing drinks.

The Problem of Our Time

Each of us almost daily comes across a drunk man in an entrance, on the street, in the metro, in a cafe, in shops and in other public places. People in a state of intoxication cause disgust and irritation, which sometimes it is impossible to conceal. Passers-by, when they see drunk people, they often throw after them such abusive words as "drunkard" and "alcoholic". At the same time, many of them consider them synonymous, but this is a big mistake.

What is the difference between a drunkard and an alcoholic? What is the difference? This is a very urgent issue for today. Despite the fact that the main characteristic of drunkards and alcoholics is the systematic use of alcoholic beverages, there are differences between them, and quite significant. In order to properly understand them, it is necessary to consider each definition in more detail.

To begin with, the concept of "drunkard" is the common name of a person addicted to alcohol. While the "alcoholic" is a medical term. It defines the same category of people.

Drunkards

What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? The difference of concepts in the following: a drunkard is a person who systematically consumes alcoholic beverages, he often remains in a drunken state. While an alcoholic is called a person for whom the use of alcohol grows into a need and becomes a way of life.

The latter suffer from a latent or pronounced form of alcohol dependence. It, in turn, is considered a disease requiring serious and long-term treatment. Drinking is of a social nature. It is the main stage on the road to alcoholism.

For drunkards, the presence of an excuse is optional. They drink alcohol just to raise their spirits. A pile of vodka after a hard working day for them is a tradition. Drunkards like to spend time in a noisy company, where alcohol is poured by a river, or in a narrow circle, over a mug of cold beer. However, they always rely on themselves and can stop in time. They can drink even in the middle of the week, with neat and tidy jobs coming to work.

Drunkards from alcoholics are distinguished by the fact that they can stop and not drink at any time. At the same time, they will not feel any discomfort. This addiction - this is nothing like a bad habit, which you can cope with if you take the will into a fist.

Alcoholics

The alcoholic is a person dependent on strong spirits. Using them does not give him any pleasure, but he does not represent life without this addiction. Here's another answer to the question of how an alcoholic is different from a drunkard.

The alcoholic is indiscriminate in choosing hot drinks. He is ready to drink everything "that burns." Without a daily dose of alcohol, he simply can not normally exist. This dependence is somewhat similar to the drug. In medical terminology, there is even such a thing as "alcohol withdrawal". What does it represent? This is a condition of an alcohol dependent who has not received another dose of alcohol.

The alcoholic needs a new portion of alcohol within a couple of hours after the previous use. If time is running out, and there is nothing for them to improve their health, then the so-called breaking comes. Its manifestations can be different: uncontrolled attacks of aggression, headache, vomiting, fever. In order for everything to stop, you need a drink.

White fever develops in alcoholics

What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? The difference is that the first, unlike the second, can not independently fight its dependence. Attempting to give up alcohol can turn into a person for the development of white fever. What it is?

White fever is one of the acute forms of alcoholic psychosis. She worried mostly alcoholics with experience. Appears in the evening in the form of auditory and visual hallucinations. It requires immediate medical intervention. This is because the body of an addicted person simply can not function without a regular dose of alcohol.

Alcoholic drinks without reason

In order to drink, he does not need a company or an occasion. That is how an alcoholic is different from a drunkard. For a bottle he is able to give everything. Therefore, most often such people remain without a family and without work. They perfectly understand that all this was due to their addiction, but they can not get rid of it on their own.

A fine line

Before I say how the alcoholic differs from a drunkard, I would like to note that there is a fine line between these two states. It can collapse if the drunkard fails to give up his bad habit on time.

The manifestation of weakness in this case can lead to alcoholism, which in the absence of treatment can lead to death. After all, the constant presence of a large amount of alcohol in the blood triggers a mechanism of destruction of the body. The consequences of alcohol abuse in this case may be irreversible.

Control

What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? What is the difference? The fact that a drunkard is able to control himself and knows the norm. His brain can still signal the body that it is worth stopping. It is impossible not to feel this. When a drunkard's state of health deteriorates sharply, then he stops drinking and tries to put himself in order in all possible ways. He can go to sleep, go out into the fresh air, take a contrast shower or drink a cup of strong coffee.

The brain of an alcoholic to signal the body is simply not capable. Therefore, a person can pour himself an unlimited amount of alcoholic beverages. He will not get any pleasure from this procedure, but he will not be able to stop. He will drink until he turns off. To achieve this effect, alcoholics need to constantly increase the dose of alcohol. Therefore, every year he begins to drink more and more and can not stop, even if he feels a threat to life.

Damage by alcoholic beverages of the cerebral cortex can lead to alcoholic epilepsy. With her, there is a loss of consciousness and memory.

A drunkard can refuse alcohol or reduce the amount of his consumption, as soon as he feels that something is amiss with his body. He also does not need an increase in dosage. He has a strictly fixed maximum, which he does not intend to exceed. That is how an alcoholic is different from a drunkard. Symptoms of dependence in a drunkard are absent. And their manifestation will be considered his transition to the category of alcoholics.

The root of evil

Drunkards flatly refuse to admit to themselves and others that alcohol occupies an important place in their lives. Denial of this fact is the root of evil, because their opinion that they can refuse to drink alcohol at any time is erroneous. They are inconspicuous for themselves can begin to abuse alcohol in greater quantities.

What is the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard? No one can immediately answer this question. This is due to the fact that these two terms are two sides of the same coin. The alcoholic and the drunkard have so much in common that it is not so easy to find differences in this diversity. At present, there is even an opinion that these are equivalent concepts. Because both of them disgust the surrounding people with their appearance. The very word "drunkard" sounds much more humiliating than "alcoholic". After all, the last word is a medical term. It means having a problem with a particular person.

Conclusion

Now you know the difference between an alcoholic and a drunkard. What is the difference between them, we hope, it became clear to you. Because of the lack of pronounced differences in these definitions, the people are usually called people who are addicted to alcohol and alcoholics. However, we should not forget that both alcoholics and drunkards are people with serious problems. They need help, and the sooner they are provided, the more chances they have for a full and happy life.