McGregor syndrome - death for a drug addict
Addiction is a problem of modern society. Every year more and more cases of mental dependence on drugs are registered. This is harmful to society as a whole, since this category of people, even after treatment, is recognized as mentally traumatized. Individuals who choose to give up drugs will at first suffer an irresistible desire to take a new "dose", a phenomenon called MacGregor's disease. The syndrome is named after the author, who first described the clinical signs after the withdrawal of the drug. McGregor's syndrome - what is it, a mental desire to take a drug or a physically conditioned body requirement?
Why does the syndrome occur?
Prolonged exposure to drugsleads to the fact that the cells of the body adapt to it, changing their internal biochemical processes. This does not happen immediately, but after a long period of time, when a person uses drugs in a larger dosage. If there is no chemical input, then cells require its receipt, because of this, the functions of all body systems are violated. MacGregor's syndrome begins to manifest after 4 hours of the absence of a drug in the blood.
Alcoholism: features of McGregor's syndrome
The syndrome has different clinical manifestations, alldepends on the use of a particular drug. In alcoholics, withdrawal is manifested as a hangover the next morning after drinking. Cells require the ingestion of ethyl alcohol. However, in this case, a spontaneous improvement is possible without taking ethyl alcohol, which can not be said with cocaine or heroin dependence.
If McGregor's disease (syndrome is, however,more precise term) is not self-controlled after a large-scale binge, then a person is able to help himself. It is necessary to take the optimal dose of alcohol, to eliminate headaches, nausea. The syndrome lasts, as a rule, about three days in the absence of ethanol intake into the body. Every day you need to reduce the dose so that toxic substances are gradually eliminated by the kidneys and liver.
What are the symptoms of drug addicts?
Drug addicts from heroin and cocaine experiencesevere MacGregor syndrome. Symptoms will have a vivid clinical picture right after the concentration of the drug in the blood begins to decrease. How does the McGregor syndrome manifest itself in this case? The syndrome has the following clinical manifestations:
- anxiety, smoothly turning into a psychomotor agitation (patients are worried, looking for a drug, in order to accept, hallucinations may occur);
- catarrhal phenomena (runny nose, lacrimation, cough);
- fever with chills;
- increased blood pressure;
- dyspeptic disorders (diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain);
- loss of fluid.
If the abstinence syndrome lasts 5 days or more,then a person begins to lose weight, a degeneration of muscle fibers occurs. Objectively, it is possible to detect skin entrainment in the rib spaces, as well as on the limbs. The patient becomes an asthenic.
Due to conduction disorders in the smooth muscles and pelvic organs, uncontrolled ejaculation and an act of defecation are observed.
The duration of the syndrome depends on the qualitymedical care and drugs that the patient takes. For example, with heroin, the duration of withdrawal is 10 days, but after the cancellation of marijuana or spice - 5-6 days.
How to fight?
At the present stage of the development of medicine, it became possible to suppress McGregor's syndrome. The disease requires the help of an expert in narcology or a psychiatrist to eliminate all symptoms.
To get rid of the syndrome, you need to completelyto overcome drug addiction. Unfortunately, for the time being this is not possible, because the addiction is conditioned both from the psychological side, and physical. Nevertheless, controlling the doses of drugs and reducing them became completely possible. This is done by specialized narcological dispensaries.
In a hospital, the doctor appoints analogsdrugs that are not so detrimental to the human body. The drugs are administered in an individual order according to a certain scheme, the task of which is to reduce the dosage of the drug, and also to fight with the euphoria that occurs after taking the drug.
In addition to medicines, an important partis psychological help. Psychiatrists conduct interviews with patients whose main task is to recognize themselves as addicted. If a person confesses to himself that he has an addiction, he can be cured. It will be important to have support from close people so that the patient can distract and replace the usual occupation, with some games.
How to prevent the development of the syndrome?
The syndrome can be prevented only one way -never try drugs. Any harmless substance causes instant addiction (nicotine is no exception). Do not test the willpower, remember that no one has ever managed to deliberately abandon narcotic substances.
