title: Evaluating depression in alcoholics.
abstract: The persistence of untreated depression was evaluated in 49 severely depressed alcoholics. After 2 weeks of sobriety, 80% of patients with initial major depression by Research Diagnostic Criteria were no longer depressed. These patients improved without antidepressant medications, suggesting the need for a 2-week period of sobriety before psychopharmacotherapy for depression is instituted. Many severe depressions in actively drinking or recently sober alcoholics may represent alcohol-induced organic affective syndromes which, unlike major depressive illness, remit spontaneously with sobriety.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D002707:Chlordiazepoxide