title: TRENDS AND ISSUES IN RELATION TO ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE IN THE ARMED FORCES.
abstract: Alcohol dependence syndrome has an estimated prevalence of 1533% of all psychiatric hospitalizations in a year. There is an increasing trend in incidence among JCOs/ORs. The index of admission was highest in Armoured Corps, Mechanized Infantry and Army Medical Corps (AMC). Generally a service personnel becomes dependent at 35 years of age after about 11 years of drinking. The average consumption of alcohol dependent individuals was 6-7 pegs/day. A family history of alcohol abuse/dependence was found in 31 % cases. Alcoholics had high anxiety, depression, extroversion, neuroticism and psychopathic deviate traits. Alcoholism was associated with significantly low self esteem. Significantly more alcoholics were alexithymic as compared to non-alcoholics. The γ glutamyl transferase (GGT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were found to be useful diagnostic aids for alcoholism. Almost a third of alcoholics have potentially serious physical problems, 20% suffer from various degrees of psychotic phenomena, 40-55% have significant marital, occupational and disciplinary problems, while 3-6.93% attempted deliberate self-harm. Despite wide variations in mode of disposal, after diagnosis only a small percentage of alcoholics remain in service beyond three years. There is need for concerted investigations into the precipitating and perpetuating factors, co-morbidity, the process of change towards betterment and the long-term outcome of alcoholism in service personnel.
authors.affiliation: Senior Advisor (Psychiatry), Base Hospital, Delhi Cantt-110 010.
authors.forename: Msvk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raju
authors.affiliation: Reader (Psychiatry), Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune - 411 040.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chaudhury
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune - 411 040.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sudarsanan
authors.affiliation: Reader (Psychiatry), Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune - 411 040.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Salujha
authors.affiliation: Scientist 'D' (Psychiatry), Department of Psychiatry, Armed Forces Medical College, Pune - 411 040.
authors.forename: Kalpana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Srivastava
keywords: Alcohol dependence syndrome; Outcome; Personality; Prevalence