Alcohol dependence
hideAlcohol dependence, as described in the DSM-IV, is a psychiatric diagnosis describing an entity in which an individual uses alcohol despite significant areas of dysfunction, evidence of physical dependence, and/or related hardship. For a person to meet criteria for Alcohol Dependence (303.90) within the criteria listed in the DSM-IV, they must meet 3 of a total 7 possible criteria within a 12 month period.
The first 2 criteria are related to physiological dependence: tolerance and withdrawal. The 3rd and 4th criteria establish a pattern of losing control of drinking by breaking drinking rules or failing at attempts to quit or cut back. The 5th and 6th criteria are indicative of a progression of addiction as more and more time is spent on drinking and lifestyle changes result. The seventh criteria for Alcohol Dependence is met when a person continues to drink despite being aware that their drinking is causing or excacerbating some psychological or physiological problem(s).
It is important to note that because only 3 criteria of 7 are required in order to be diagnosed with Alcohol Dependence, not all meet the same criteria and therefore not all have the same symptoms and problems related to drinking. Not everyone with Alcohol Dependence, therefore, experiences physiological dependence. Alcohol Dependence is differentiated from alcohol abuse by the presence of symptoms such as tolerance and withdrawal. Both alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse are sometimes referred to by the less specific term alcoholism. However, many definitions of alcoholism exist, and only some are compatible with alcohol abuse.
There are two major differences between alcohol dependence and alcoholism as generally accepted by the medical community.
About 12% of American adults have had an alcohol dependence problem at some time in their life. Alcohol dependence is acknowledged by the American Medical Association as a disease because it has a characteristic set of signs and symptoms and a progressive course.
The contemporary definition of alcohol dependence is still based upon early research. There has been considerable scientific effort over the past three decades to identify and understand the core features of alcohol dependence. This work began in 1976 when the British psychiatrist Griffith Edwards and his American colleague Milton M. Gross collaborated to produce a formulation of what had previously been understood as ‘alcoholism’ – the alcohol dependence syndrome.
The alcohol dependence syndrome was seen as a cluster of seven elements that concur. It was argued that not all elements may be present in every case, but the picture is sufficiently regular and coherent to permit clinical recognition. The syndrome was also considered to exist in degrees of severity rather than as a categorical absolute. Thus, the proper question is not ‘whether a person is dependent on alcohol’, but ‘how far along the path of dependence has a person progressed’.
The following elements are the template for which the degree of dependence is judged:
The CAGE questionnaire is a tool used to assess individuals for potential alcohol problems, including dependence. It is useful because it involves 4 simple questions, of which only 2 need to be answered positively for the individual to be indicated as possibly alcohol dependent.
The SAD-Q is a more specific 20 item inventory for assessing the presence and severity of alcohol dependence.
For more information about Alcohol dependence, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with alcohol dependence
Older problem drinkers use more alcohol than do their younger counterparts
Nov 20, 2009 |
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Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found.
Packages of care for alcohol use disorders in low- and middle-income countries
Oct 27, 2009 |
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In the latest article in PLoS Medicine's series proposing the delivery of "packages of care" for mental, neurological and substance-use disorders in low- and middle-income countries, Vivek Benegal and colleagues discuss the tr ...
Genes that drive you to drink (but don't make you an alcoholic)
Oct 26, 2009 |
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Your genetic make up may predispose you to drink more but may not increase your genetic risk for alcoholism (alcohol dependence). Research published in the open access journal, BMC Biology, pinpoints genetic pathways and ge ...
Childhood risk factors for developing substance dependence
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Oct 21, 2009 |
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There is ample evidence for the genetic influence of alcohol dependence, and ongoing studies are actively looking for specific genes that may confer this increased susceptibility. In addition, while it is well-known that ...
Too many bars in rural America linked to high suicide rates instead of idyllic life
Sep 18, 2009 |
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There is a strong relationship between drinking and taking one's own life. In any given year, people with alcohol dependence (AD) commit more than 20 percent of suicides in the general population; some 80 to 90 percent of ...
Young age at first drink may affect genes and risk for alcoholism
Sep 18, 2009 |
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The age at which a person takes a first drink may influence genes linked to alcoholism, making the youngest drinkers the most susceptible to severe problems.
Polymorphisms of the interleukin-1 gene complex may influence alcohol dependence
Sep 18, 2009 |
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Cytokines are small proteins secreted by cells that serve as molecular messengers between cells. Pro-inflammatory cytokines - which function in the immune system - may be involved in alcohol dependence (AD). A study of ...
Study finds US prison system falls short in treating drug addiction
Sep 08, 2009 |
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Almost a quarter of a million individuals addicted to heroin are incarcerated in the United States each year. However, many prison systems across the country still do not offer medical treatment for heroin and opiate addiction, ...
Researchers pioneer new treatment for social phobia and alcohol abuse
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Jul 20, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- For many people, drinking is an essential part of a night out with friends. Alcohol is widely considered to be a social lubricant, so it's not surprising that social phobia, or extreme shyness, ...
Family history predicts presence and course of psychiatric disorders
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Jul 06, 2009 |
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A family history of depression, anxiety, alcohol dependence or drug dependence is associated with the presence of each condition and also may predict its course and prognosis, according to a report in the July issue of Archives of ...
Discovery may provide new treatments for alcohol dependence
Jun 30, 2009 |
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Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered a new brain mechanism involved in alcohol addiction involving the stomach hormone ghrelin. When ghrelin's actions in the brain are ...
People with parents who fight are more likely to have mental health problems in later life
May 27, 2009 |
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People with parents who were violent to each other are more likely to have mental health problems when they grow up, reveals research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Negative mood-related drinking may mean vulnerability for major depression and alcohol dependence
May 12, 2009 |
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Major depression (MD) and alcohol dependence (AD) co-occur in individuals and within families at higher rates than expected by chance. This study looked at how mood-related drinking motives may explain the overlapping familial ...
Study finds gene bringing together animal and human research in alcoholism
Apr 23, 2009 |
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An important genetic study conducted through Mayo Clinic has identified vital new information concerning alcoholism in subjects with European ancestry, according to a recent issue of Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Re ...
High novelty-seeking and low avoidance of harm contribute to alcohol dependence
Mar 03, 2009 |
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Personality factors can influence the development of alcohol dependence (AD). Researchers examined a group of AD individuals with the inactive form of aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) - persons who would normally have a ...
