“The Covid crisis has accentuated the problem”
“People suffering from alcohol dependence are still just as numerous; the Covid crisis has only accentuated the problem.” On the other hand, their identification would have improved and it reveals new realities of alcoholism. “The first consumption of alcohol is at an ever younger age; it is not uncommon for young people as young as 14 to arrive in a situation of alcoholic coma.” These facts are all the more worrying as the risk of dependence increases with the number of drunken episodes per month and the precocity of the first contact with alcohol. “Moreover, completes Dr. Gelsi, cases of polyaddiction, either to several substances, tobacco, alcohol, etc., are increasing”. Another striking phenomenon: “The number of women dependent on alcohol continues to increase.” Are they consuming more than in the past? Or, thanks to a certain freedom of speech, do they consult more often when they are affected? It is likely that the increase in the number of women among the patients admitted to the dedicated centers results from a combination of the two aspects. “The fact remains that if the taboo of female alcoholism begins to break, the feeling of shame is still very present”notes Dr Gelsi.
Most people don’t tell anyone
A shame that silences. “Patients who reach dedicated structures are only the tip of the iceberg”regrets the specialist. The majority of people addicted to alcohol do not speak to anyone, and have never even consulted. Only a few open up to their attending physician who therefore finds himself alone to have to manage everything. And it is sometimes a huge task that awaits him: alcoholism is the first cause of high blood pressure, sleep disorders, consultation for digestive pain, or even psychiatric decompensation.
Also, Dr. Gelsi wants, in conclusion, to address the greatest number: “In units like ours, all people are taken care of who, at some point in their life, feel that they have a problem with alcohol, of any kind. ‘a simple need, for example, to get drunk every weekend, without the phenomenon of addiction strictly speaking.
Quality of life in the foreground
The objective, then, of the specialized teams that will follow these people, is to allow them to feel better. Without having necessarily “eliminated” the product in question. “Abstinence is no longer the gold standard (benchmark test, editor’s note) of weaning. What we judge is the quality of life. Rather, we speak of Risk and Harm Reduction (RDRD) (1); this is typically the case of the patient who consumes alcohol excessively and wishes to return to reasonable consumption.
1. A concept which, without denying the illicit nature of certain uses, allows addiction to be considered as a chronic disease. It is also intended for non-dependent people whose practices are particularly dangerous.