title: [Alcohol dependence and depression].
abstract: The relationship between alcoholism and depressive disorder is complex. Nevertheless it is necessary to analyse this relationship in order to take in charge properly the patients with such a comorbidity. Firstly, some alcoholic patients may develop a major depressive disorder in their life without any relationship with their alcoholism (accidental co-occurrence). Secondly, the vast majority of alcoholic patients have experienced depressive symptoms, specially during withdrawal. Finally, some alcoholics may present a severe depressive episode that require a specific treatment, the alcoholism being explained (secondary alcoholism) or not (primary alcoholism) by the depressive disorder. The alcoholism/depression comorbidity majors the consequences of alcoholism, increases the frequency of hospitalisation, and worsens the prognostic. It is thus important to detect such a comorbidity, although the evaluation of mood is complex in alcohol-dependent patients. The age at onset of each disorder, and the modification of one disorder during partial remission of the other, help to distinguish primary and secondary alcoholism. Antidepressive drugs are mainly limited to severe depression, primary depression, and depression with a high risk of suicide.
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors