A hangover is often referred to as an "illness." "I'm sick today," a sufferer tells their coworkers in the morning, and everyone nods knowingly. Alcohol affects serotonin and dopamine levels — neurotransmitters responsible for mood and pleasure. Once their levels drop sharply the next morning, a feeling of depression, anxiety, and even guilt sets in. So a hangover isn't just a physical reaction of the body — it's a kind of "sickness of the soul." Interestingly, ancient texts already described hangovers as an illness. Ancient Greek sources mention "kraipale" — the illness that comes from yesterday's feast. The Romans used the term "crapula," also denoting a sickly state after drinking.
These expressions aren't mere euphemisms — they're an accurate description of a person's physical and mental state after excessive drinking. A hangover is the body's reaction to the previous night's heavy alcohol consumption. Alcohol is a toxic substance, and when its level in the blood drops sharply, the body begins a process of detoxification. This can produce various symptoms — headache, nausea, vomiting, weakness, irritability, and so on. In a hangover state, a person can feel physically and mentally poor. They may experience guilt, shame, or even depression. A hangover can become a genuine ordeal, especially for someone unaccustomed to drinking.
From a medical standpoint, a hangover really is a temporary sickly state of the body. Ethanol and its breakdown products cause a whole cluster of negative effects:
- Dehydration
- Disrupted electrolyte balance
- Intoxication from alcohol breakdown products
- Inflammation of the mucous membranes
- Disrupted nervous-system function
It's interesting to trace how different cultures describe the hangover state through language. In Russian, besides "being sick," there's a whole range of euphemisms:
- "Not in shape,"
- "A rough morning,"
- "My head's not working,"
- "Got up on the wrong foot,"
- "Feeling poorly,"
"A moral-and-technical malaise"
English is also rich in similar expressions:
- "Hair of the dog" (a drink to cure a hangover).
- "Nursing a hangover."
- "Under the weather."
- "Feeling rough."
- "Hit by a truck."
What's distinctive about the hangover state is that it affects not just the physical, but also the emotional condition. Hence the article's other name — "sickness of the soul." Its characteristic signs:
- a feeling of guilt,
- anxiety,
- a depressed mood,
- social apathy,
- "hangover pangs of conscience" ("hangxiety" — from hangover + anxiety)
Beyond the physical state, a hangover can be accompanied by regret and even an inner crisis. This "inner virus" reflects just how tightly our emotional nature is bound to the physical. Nature leaves no doubt: excess leads to a painful return to reality.