Execute, cannot be pardoned: why does alcohol cause feelings of guilt?

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Why does a person feel guilty after drinking alcohol, even if he didn’t do anything reprehensible in a drunken stupor - didn’t break furniture, didn’t break dishes or fight with anyone? It turns out that a similar condition occurs in many who drink strong drinks quite often.

Let's figure out why wild fun ends in a bad mood, and a person reproaches himself for what he has done.

Where do legs come from: reasons for feelings of guilt after drinking

According to psychologists, the feeling of guilt after alcohol has various prerequisites. However, the first thing a person should understand is that such a phenomenon should not be considered something out of the ordinary. What happened is not as scary as it seems, especially if no illegal actions were committed.

It is noteworthy that people suffering from alcohol addiction never feel guilty after drinking too much or after binge drinking. This suggests a conclusion: a depressive state indicates that the individual does not suffer from alcoholism, and he does not need the help of doctors, but rather, psychologists.

enough for inquisitive minds , and there will be a desire to find out what the essence of the problem is - why does the wild fun the day before cause despondency and shame? Experts use their own ranking and identify 3 groups of reasons that can influence changes in a person’s condition:

• objective;
• subjective;
• psychological.

When remorse torments you, but there are no obvious reasons for it

The described method of healing consciousness is ideal only for those who experience feelings of guilt and shame after drinking, which are not confirmed by any facts. In the described situation, it may be a consequence of a hangover, which overtakes the insides of all those who had a very fun evening.

In a situation where, after drinking, a person begins to experience remorse for no apparent reason, he should do one very simple procedure recommended by psychologists. To do this, you should get under the shower and stand for about three minutes, dousing yourself first with the warmest possible water, and then with cold water (alternating procedures, spending 30 seconds on each). It is very important to ensure that the final flow of water is cold.

After a shower, you should take a tablet of Ibuprofen, Paracetamol, Spazmalgon or any other analgesic, the action of which is aimed at relieving the painful symptoms that occur after a hangover.

In order to restore your body and completely eliminate all unnecessary thoughts, after taking the pill you need to carry out a rehydration process, which consists of drinking a large amount of healthy liquid throughout the day. Mineral water, which contains a large number of useful elements needed to restore the body after a hangover (calcium, magnesium, chlorine, potassium, sodium), is suitable as such.

Throughout the day, a person suffering from a hangover needs to eat properly. Preference should be given to natural chicken broth, vegetables, fruits and light soups.

In the process of healing the body, one must remember that drunken antics did not cause harm to anyone, no one was offended by them. However, experts assure that if within 48 hours the feeling of remorse has not been eliminated, then it is still worth contacting a psychologist for qualified help. In fact, this specialist will be able to not only help you look at the act with a sober look and help remove the depressing feeling of guilt, but also prevent its possible manifestation in the future.

Objective reasons

Usually, shame arises after a person realizes that while intoxicated he committed some actions that were unusual for himself, behaved differently than usual, and was more relaxed and frank. For example, under the influence of alcohol, your seemingly calm and balanced acquaintance becomes intractable, conflictual, begins to argue or even wave his arms and swear. It’s even worse if such metamorphoses occur not in the company of friends, but at a corporate party. For any unnecessary word spoken, one becomes ashamed not only in front of colleagues, but also in front of superiors.

In such a situation, it is quite natural that a bad mood arises after drinking alcohol, confusion and a lack of understanding of what to do next, how to correct the situation. The degree of intensity of the sensation varies only depending on the level of responsibility of the person.

Guilt is a feeling that comes to a person after realizing that recent behavior did not correspond to norms or personal attitudes.

Peculiarities:

• one is ashamed not always in front of others (friends, colleagues, family members), but also in front of oneself if a person has personal responsibility for what happened;
• guilt appears when discovering that deviant behavior causes discomfort to other people (external phenomena), when realizing that a person thought and acted badly (internal phenomena);
• Confession or forgiveness helps to get rid of guilt.

In some cases, people are so ashamed of their behavior the day before that they may even leave their family, quit their job, or stop contacting their friends who were drinking together. In addition to psychological discomfort, some also experience physical symptoms:

• weakness;
• fever or chills;
• pressure change;
• excessive sweating.

Impact on the psyche

Ethyl alcohol changes human consciousness. Even a small amount of alcohol can turn a cultured citizen into an uncontrollable creature with signs of mental inferiority. After drinking alcohol, people:

• do not take care of their appearance;
• do not behave tactfully, sometimes vulgarly;
• become aggressive;
• may undeservedly offend the interlocutor and even a random passer-by;
• spend money unwisely.

This causes many problems. As some drinkers say, alcohol is to blame for about 90% of their problems.

Over time, if a person unwisely drinks alcohol on a regular basis, personality degradation begins. Selfishness and deceit develop, and the intellectual level falls. This is alcoholism, which requires treatment. The feeling of shame remains, but in a dull form. It is insincere and often occurs while intoxicated.

Subjective reasons

This point is even more difficult to understand when you need to find a question to answer: why do you feel guilty after drinking alcohol? The problem is that there are no reasons for shame as such. insult anyone , did not swear, did not get into fights and did not do anything that could be punishable by law. Some people, even after a couple of drinks that do not lead to intoxication, may feel anxiety and psychological discomfort.

From the point of view of narcology, such phenomena can be explained based on the following judgments:

1. Stormy fun gives way to a hangover. The effects of alcohol do not go unnoticed, and certain chemical and biological reactions in the body make you feel bad.
2. The onset of certain symptoms indicates a hangover: a person feels unwell on a physical level and is haunted by fear, anxiety or depression.
3. One of the key signs of a hangover is feelings of shame and guilt. Doctors call this “adrenaline melancholy,” and it is caused by changes in hormonal levels under the influence of chemicals.

Hangover mechanics

To generally understand the nature of shamover, you need to know about the action of two substances - acetaldehyde and serotonin, which is often called the “happiness hormone”.

Let us briefly remind you: all alcohol that enters your body is converted first into acetaldehyde and then into acetic acid. This process occurs in two stages.

Alcohol is first broken down by an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which is produced by liver cells. As a result, acetaldehyde is formed. This is an extremely toxic substance and a strong carcinogen, which, among other things, is produced industrially as a precursor to acetic acid.

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Acetaldehyde breaks down further into acetic acid, then into water and carbon dioxide. However, this does not happen immediately, and the toxin remains in our blood for some time. At the same time, several other processes occur that distort the normal functions of the body, says Alexander Terentyev, director of the Medical Center in Maryino, narcologist.

“Blood thickening occurs due to red blood cell aggregation. Red blood cells stick to each other, forming something like columns of coins, says Terentyev. - The blood thickens in this way, increasing the load on the heart. This also happens in the capillaries of the brain.”

Red blood cells, clumped together, carry less oxygen and take less carbon dioxide from the tissues. This means that the tissues do not receive enough oxygen and excess carbon dioxide is formed in them.

All this makes us physically ill, but shame and paranoia are explained rather differently.

Image caption

Timid, shy people are predisposed to shamover, says narcologist

Psychological reasons

If a state where a person is haunted by a feeling of guilt after drinking alcohol appears every time a glass of champagne or beer is drunk, then it’s time to consult a psychotherapist. Experts believe that people themselves form a certain attitude, rules for themselves, and then seem to change them.

For example, a person who thinks about his every step, does not take any actions without calculating what they could lead to, suddenly loses his composure after drinking. As a result, he will feel guilty and will be extremely dissatisfied with his own behavior. In addition, the patterns accepted in society begin to put pressure on the individual. He believes that being drunk is bad, and anyone who is unable to control himself and does not know the limits when drinking alcohol should definitely be ashamed.

The situation is even worse when a person turns out to be a believer. He feels guilty not only before himself and others, but also before God. He did something that the Almighty would not approve of. The deepest repentance can also occur in the case when a person previously swore to one of his loved ones or relatives to no longer take alcoholic beverages into his mouth.

Alcoholism is a disease based on addiction to toxic substances, namely ethyl alcohol (alcohol), characterized by dependence on it at the mental and physical levels.

Typical signs are: loss of control over the dose taken, development of resistance, the emergence of the need to constantly increase the volume to achieve pleasure, the presence of a hangover, damage to internal organs by chemical components, partial loss of memory during the period of intoxication.

There are cases when people began to suffer from amnesia after the end of wild parties and drinking. In this way, there was a release on a subconscious level from the feeling of shame that oppresses a person.

What to do if a person is guilty

Special attention should be paid to the situation when a person actually has a certain degree of guilt towards friends and colleagues with whom he drank. Psychologists note that when there is a serious situation in memory that can be used as a starting point for self-analysis, then this is already very good.

At the moment when a person begins to realize the extent of what he has done, he must ask himself for forgiveness for the act, saying mentally: “I forgive myself for everything I said and did yesterday.” The main factor in this case is unauthorized forgiveness, therefore the indicated or any other phrase close to it must be repeated until the feeling of shame begins to fade.

Psychologists say that admitting your own guilt is another step towards forgiving yourself. It is important to accept that this situation can happen to anyone, and anyone has every right to make a mistake. After all, only those who do nothing make mistakes.

The practice of psychologists shows that you can get rid of the feeling of shame using some other methods, depending on the situation. Let us consider them further in more detail.

Feelings of guilt after drinking alcohol - how to get rid of them if you have wrongdoings

In cases where a person has something to be ashamed of in front of friends and colleagues, psychologists suggest following a working scheme to get rid of a depressive state:

1. Admit guilt. It may be unpleasant to find out in detail what exactly you did in a drunken stupor, but it is better to immediately question witnesses and recreate the full picture.
2. Forgive yourself. You need to realize that you won’t be able to live your life without making mistakes. It is likely that your “drinking buddies” behaved no better than you.
3. Ask others for forgiveness. If you find out that someone has been harmed by your behavior, then you need to personally approach these people and apologize. Your appeal should be natural, without artificiality or play.
4. Continue to live as before. After receiving forgiveness and establishing relationships with the people you offended, you need to move on to your usual behavior.
5. Draw conclusions. Record what happened in your memory and always reproduce it as soon as you realize that the next glass will be unnecessary. Then you won’t feel guilty after drinking alcohol, and you won’t have to look for ways to get rid of it again.

Of course, this scheme is not a panacea at all, but in most cases it turns out to be extremely useful.

How to eliminate feelings of unreasonable guilt

On the one hand, everything is much simpler here - you haven’t offended anyone, which means you don’t have to apologize. However, it is worth admitting that you are suffering from a hangover and the so-called “adrenaline melancholy.” All this is the body’s reaction to processed alcohol, so you need to buy the syndrome on a physical level.

It is forbidden to drink strong coffee, tea or alcoholic drinks if you have a hangover.

Advice for the Innocent

Everyone is wondering how to remove the feeling of guilt after drinking if there is no reason. If you experience pangs of conscience for no specific reason, then this is simply the influence of a hangover and adrenaline melancholy. To quickly relieve and eliminate this feeling, you need:

• remove alcohol from the body as quickly as possible;
• perform some useful act.

There are many ways to quickly recover from a hangover:

• cold shower;
• consumption of large amounts of fluid;
• hangover pills;
• rosehip decoction;
• low-fat foods that give strength to the body: broth, oatmeal, boiled eggs, vegetable salad;
• green tea with honey and without sugar.

After performing all these steps, the body will feel much better in a few hours.

When a person is ashamed just like that, there can be a variety of reasons in the subconscious. In this case, it is recommended to visit a psychologist who will help you understand your worries and problems. In addition to contacting a psychologist, you can do the following:

• quickly get rid of a hangover;
• do necessary and useful things that give you a feeling of satisfaction;
• don’t lie on the couch all day, killing yourself with agony;
• Spend an active day playing sports, cleaning the house or walking with your family and dog;
• think positively and switch your attention to some positive actions;
• prepare tea from herbs that will calm the nervous system: mint, lemon balm, valerian, chamomile, etc.;
• Believers will be helped by prayer or going to church and turning to God.

These are temporary methods that will help alleviate the body’s condition, but will not eliminate the problem. To solve this problem, you need to consult a specialist.

Help from professionals

Modern psychology has at least 500 methods of dealing with this problem. The main ones are: rational, cognitive, suggestive and existential therapies, as well as psychoanalysis and behavioral influence.

1. Suggestive therapy is a therapeutic method based on suggestion. They affect various psychological or physical disorders. This type of therapy can be implemented during hypnotic sleep, wakefulness, or narcopsychotherapy. Hypnosis also applies to this method. The most popular and effective techniques are considered to be self-hypnosis according to Coue, biofeedback and autogenic training.
2. The goal of existential therapy is for the patient to make sense of his life and change his path based on the meaning. It is based on the fact that various circumstances interrupt the individual’s contact with his own existence. This therapy helps to re-create this contact or restore the old one. It is not used separately and is an excellent addition to other psychology methods. The therapist gradually reveals to the patient his main problems and awakens him to awareness of them. After this method, a person must take responsibility for his choices and actions.
3. Cognitive psychotherapy is based on methods where the patient solves problems that previously seemed insurmountable to him. During the classes, there is a struggle with incorrect and negative thoughts, bad memories and situations in life. There is mental training and a lot of talking going on. Beck's cognitive psychotherapy is the most popular in this section of psychology.
4. Behavioral influence is also called behavioral psychotherapy - this is the idea that mental disorders occur due to improperly formed skills. This technique is aimed at eliminating inappropriate behavior and developing positive behavior skills. Often used in conjunction with cognitive psychology. Methods include biofeedback, simulation training, self-instruction and desensitization.
5. Rational therapy uses methods of persuasion, clarification and reorientation. The problem and its causes are explained to the patient. Analyze mistakes and thoughts using psychogogy. It is one of the most effective therapies in the treatment of many disorders and problems.
6. Psychoanalysis is a theory developed by Sigmund Freud that is based on two main questions: “What is going on?” and “Why is this happening?” The purpose of this practice is to find the answer “What to do?” A psychologist must be able to dive into the unconscious state of his patient and find the cause of the problem there. After this, he turns the unconscious into the conscious and develops a treatment plan.

Available Methods

The following will help you improve your physical condition after intoxication:

• cold and hot shower;
• Drinking plenty of fluids (mineral water, sour fruit drinks, juices, green tea);
• pharmaceutical hangover medications (for example, Alka-Seltzer, Antipohmelin and their analogues);
• a hearty meal (eating oatmeal, boiled eggs, vegetable salads is encouraged).

Sound sleep and a distraction method (go for a walk, clean the house, visit the theater) also work well in eliminating feelings of guilt. But it’s better to hold off on intense physical activity.

Symptoms of post-alcohol depression

The main signs of post-alcohol depression include:

• feeling of depression, shame;
• gloominess;
• outbursts of aggressiveness and nervousness;
• hypochondria, tearfulness;
• ennui;
• mental and physical inhibition.

A person suffering from alcoholism for a long time does not perceive what is happening clearly and adequately, his individual personality traits are gradually erased.

Alexander Melnikov, author of the book “Alcoholism”

In prolonged alcoholic depression, the symptoms are quite pronounced:

• insomnia;
• loss of appetite;
• decreased memory and concentration;
• sad facial expressions;
• the desire to isolate yourself from the rest of the world;
• loss of the ability to rejoice and have fun without “doping”;
• slowness of gait and movements;
• inhibited thinking;
• lack of motivation to action;
• a feeling of despair, hopelessness, melancholy.

It is the harmful effects of alcohol that cause such symptoms. Symptoms and treatment of alcoholic depression depend on the severity of the patient's condition. In contrast to depression, an alcoholic may develop delirium, accompanied by panic attacks, hallucinations, and severe psychosis.

Contact a psychologist

At an appointment with a specialist, you can find out why you are in a bad mood after drinking alcohol, how to get rid of shame and what to do about it. It is possible that a psychotherapist will help you discover other problems that are driving you to drink alcohol. It is important that your behavior in a drunken stupor does not become the norm for you, so you need to start acting in advance.

If you are suffering from a hangover, then before visiting a psychologist you need to come to your senses, try to calm down, drink sedatives: mint tea, valerian.

Adviсe

If your loved one is in a difficult situation, drinks a lot and feels guilty after drinking alcohol, and is also prone to depression, then he needs support. You should periodically talk to your loved one, explaining the need to see a doctor, but you need to follow some rules:

• all conversations must take place only in a sober state;
• do not put pressure on him and, especially, do not shout;
• defend all arguments in favor of giving up alcohol and undergoing a rehabilitation course confidently and firmly, but without rudeness;
• motivate the drunkard by improving his financial situation immediately after giving up regular drinking;
• remove all alcohol from the house, and also stop drinking alcohol yourself.

Such methods will allow a person to realize his problem and understand the need for treatment.

How long does an alcoholic depressed mood last?

It is difficult to say how long the depressed mood lasts after alcoholic euphoria. It can last for several days, weeks, months and even last for years.

How long post-alcohol depression lasts depends on age, weight, mental health, volume of alcohol consumed, and duration of abuse. Often, unpleasant symptoms decrease significantly after cleansing the body of ethanol residues - within a few days.

The vicious circle of alcohol consumption

Medicines for recovery

How long it takes to come to your senses depends on the duration of the binge. If we talk about how to restore the body after binge drinking, this can be done at home using products that will help cleanse the body of toxins and normalize the functioning of internal organs.

It is better to check with your doctor how much and in what doses to take medications:

Activated carbon and its analogues (white carbon, pancreatin, filtrum and other sorbents) can normalize the functioning of the digestive system after a binge, when the stomach hurts, hiccups are observed.

The liver, which is signaled by pain in the right side in the lower part of the rib, will be helped by hepabene, essentiale forte, and holosas. They will help cleanse the organ of toxins. Among the folk remedies, rosehip decoction, grape and birch sap will help relieve pain. If a person stops drinking in time, the liver, although it takes a long time, recovers.

To normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system after heavy drinking: validol, valocordin. Such measures will not only improve the functioning of the heart by removing pain from the left side of the sternum, but will also help restore the face by removing swelling caused by disruption of the heart due to alcohol abuse.

A sedative will help normalize sleep and improve the functioning of the immune system.

For allergies, in which the face becomes covered with spots, the body itches, the stomach hurts, and the eyes water, the doctor will prescribe antiallergic drugs, as well as drugs to remove toxins.

Vitamin and mineral complexes will help strengthen your health, improve immunity, metabolism, and the functioning of the central nervous system after binge drinking. First of all, vitamins B6 (thiamine), C (ascorbic acid), glycine. Medicinal herbs and decoctions will be useful.

The procedure for taking medications does not include combining medications with alcohol, since you can achieve the opposite effect and further undermine your health. This also applies to validol if the alcoholic has problems with the heart.

If you take validol and alcohol at the same time, then alcohol, which is an stimulating drink, completely neutralizes the effect of validol. That's why the medicine won't do any good. In addition, after some time after drinking alcohol, the body relaxes. Validol enhances this effect, reduces blood pressure, and slows down the reaction. Side effects such as dizziness, nausea, lacrimation, and increased salivation are also possible.

But with the help of validol, recovery of the cardiovascular system after binge drinking is possible. At the same time, you should not swallow Validol in packs in order to come to your senses and normalize your heart function: the dosage must be specified by the doctor, otherwise you can harm yourself.

Treatment of depression

For persistent depression and obsessive suicidal thoughts, complex therapy is used. The patient must want to get better by abstaining from further alcohol consumption. Symptoms and treatment of alcoholic depression in women and men should be monitored by a specialist. The correction scheme for post-alcohol depression consists of several stages:

• detoxification, which eliminates the effects of withdrawal symptoms;
• taking medications that have minimal side effects and are not addictive;
• individual lessons with a specialist.