title: The position of psychiatry in alcohol dependence.
abstract: It is important to discriminate psychiatric syndromes from transient psychiatric symptoms in alcohol dependent persons in order to reduce their morbidity. This can be difficult because of ambiguous criteria used for assessment. Accurate diagnosis is important because of the inherent dangers in a population at high risk of abusing psychotropic medication if incorrectly prescribed. The converse problem is present when alcohol use is symptomatic of an untreated psychiatric condition. A technique for more incisive clinical evaluation is outlined. Contemporary treatment units are often overspecialized; potential demarcation disputes must be guarded against in treatment of patients with double pathology and provision must be made for their management. Explanations for the relationship of the two conditions are advanced. Psychiatric disorder can co-exist with alcoholism either by chance, or because a family history of alcoholism increases the risk of its occurrence in the psychiatrically ill as in this sample. In addition, a skewed sample of the more severely ill person presents for treatment and creates an illusion of frequency.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012306:Risk; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology