Co-Occurrence of Psychiatric Diseases in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorders and Psychiatric Treatment Discontinuation
Abstract
Eugjen Sotiri, SonilaTivari Bitri, Fatime Elezi and Ariel Como
Background: Alcohol addiction is a chronic and relapsing disease that has affected many patients throughout the world. As alcohol interferes in brain neurotransmitters, it can cause mood and behavior changes.
Aim: Through this study we wanted to examine the prevalence of comorbidity between alcohol dependence and psychiatric disorders in patients hospitalized for alcohol detoxification. We also evaluated the effect of alcohol in the discontinuation of treatment for these psychiatric diagnoses.
Method: In our study, we included 92 male patients (mean age 41.4 years old), hospitalized in American Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center “Mother Theresa”, Tirana, Albania , June 2015-October 2016, with the diagnosis of alcohol use disorders (AUD), DSM-IV TR. Any female patient was presented to our service with the diagnosis of AUD. We analyzed the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in these patients.
Result: After the psychiatric evaluation, we found comorbidity in 39% of the patients. About 31% of patients with comorbidity referred that they have found alcohol consumption as a “self-treatment” for their anxiety and 90% of the latter ones, had Anxiety disorders as a comorbidity.
Discussion: Alcohol addiction and concomitant psychiatric disorders are found very often between our patients. The psychological evaluation and the appropriate treatment is crucial leading to a better health outcome, a lower risk of alcohol relapse and healthier patients.