Alcoholism and Psychiatric Disorders: Diagnostic Challenges.
Year: 2002
Type: article
Abstract: Clinicians working with alcohol-abusing or alcohol-dependent patients sometimes face a difficult task assessing their patient’s psychiatric complaints because heavy drinking associated with alcoholism can coexist with, contribute to, or result from several different psychiatric syndromes. In order to improve diagnostic accuracy, clinicians can follow an algorithm that distinguishes among alcohol-related psychiatric symptoms and signs, alcohol-induced psychiatric syndromes, and independent psychiatric disorders that are commonly associated with alcoholism. The patient’s gender, family history, and course of illness over time also should be considered to attain an accurate diagnosis. Moreover, clinicians need to remain flexible with their working diagnoses and revise them as needed while monitoring abstinence from alcohol. KEY WORDS: AODD (alcohol and other drug dependence); diagnostic algorithm; diagnostic criteria; screening and diagnostic method for potential AODD; patient assessment; AODR (AOD related) mental disorder; behavioral and mental disorder; symptom; comorbidity; major depression; manic-depressive psychosis; personality disorder; anxiety; patient family history; medical history The evaluation of psychiatric complaints in patients with alcohol use disorders (i.e., alcohol abuse or dependence, which hereafter are col
Source: Europe PMC (PubMed Central)
Institutions: Cincinnati VA Medical Center, University of Cincinnati
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1601172438