Premium
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE DRINKING PROBLEM
Author(s) -
POLS R.G.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
australian alcohol/drug review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0726-4550
DOI - 10.1080/09595238480000271
Subject(s) - alcohol consumption , disease , medicine , natural history , outcome (game theory) , presentation (obstetrics) , psychiatry , clinical psychology , alcohol , psychology , surgery , pathology , biochemistry , chemistry , mathematics , mathematical economics
Alcoholism is discussed as a chronic relapsing lifestyle syndrome against the background of its prevalence in general medical settings. Recent outcome studies are reviewed, highlighting the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion in all patients with alcohol‐related disease. This should lead to full assessment of alcohol intake related to that patient's lifestyle, so that adequate confrontation of the patient can occur. The importance of the diagnosis of the alcohol dependence syndrome, if present, and the relationship of outcome to marital involvement, support and other specific individualised management strategies is also discussed. The difficulty of engaging patients with alcohol‐related disease in a management programme, is examined critically, taking into account the natural history of the syndrome, doctor treatment behaviour and cultural attitudes to the consumption of alcohol. The indirect presentation of alcohol‐related problems is also briefly commented on.