Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

Abstract

Alcohol abuse is a growing problem globally and is not a necessary obvious clinical illness lo diagnosis, majority of people with alcohol dependency are usually in denial aboul alcohol use. As clinicians using simple screening tool can aid diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Each individual have different reasons for starting to drink heavily and have varying degrees of health problems attributed alcohol abuse. For example a patient with alcoholic hepatitis and malnutrition suffering from depression as result of loss of parents al a young age will require input from various professionals. A medical clinician will be required to manage patient's hepatitis A dietician input for malnutrition. A psychiatrist review would be appropriate to assess patient depression who may suggest counseling and antidepressants. The patient may require a social worker if there are problems with housing, unemployment, and family. It is important to use a holistic approach to manage patients with alcohol dependency as when they present to you will only be seeing the tip of the iceberg of the problem. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)(chapter)