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Sobriety as a Symptom of Alcohol Intoxication: A Clinical Commentary on Intoxication and Drunkenness
Author(s) -
Paredes Alfonso,
Hood William R.,
Seymour Harry
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
british journal of addiction to alcohol and other drugs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0007-0890
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1975.tb00033.x
Subject(s) - sobriety , psychology , alcohol intoxication , alcoholic intoxication , poison control , injury prevention , psychiatry , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , social psychology , medicine , medical emergency
Summary Intoxication and drunken behavior are related but not identical phenomena. Certain biological, psychomotor and psychological effects define intoxication. On the other hand, drunken behavior is to a great extent culturally defined and is related to variables such as time, place, environmental cues, social atmosphere, role expectations, attitudes and psychological needs. A common denominator for both is alcohol imbibition. The behavior of an intoxicated alcoholic does not have to be drunken. In support of this position, a case is presented showing that an alcoholic–whose drinking behavior is characteristically maladaptive–was able to display socially integrative behavior while exposed to substantial amounts of alcohol. This finding was not fortuitous. Twenty‐nine other alcoholics received alcohol according to a two‐day drinking schedule. The men initiated and stopped drinking on request and did not display provocative behavior while drinking. The study demonstrates that it is possible to initiate and easily terminate periods of drinking in alcoholics. This may represent a first step in the process of teaching alcoholics to drink without exhibiting socially disruptive behavior.