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A Follow-up Study on Alcoholics with and without Co-existing Affective Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

K. O'Sullivan*
Affiliation:
St Patrick's Hospital, Dublin, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity College, Dublin
V. Fitzpatrick
Affiliation:
St. Patrick's Hospital, Dublin
M. Hux
Affiliation:
Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
J. Cooney
Affiliation:
St Patrick's Hospital
A. Clare
Affiliation:
St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London
*
St Patrick's Hospital, PO Box No. 136, James's Street, Dublin 8, Ireland

Abstract

Three-hundred male alcoholics were selected from consecutive admissions to hospital. They were divided into three diagnostic sub-groups: primary alcoholics; alcoholics with unipolar affective disorder; and alcoholics with bipolar affective disorder. After three follow-up interviews over a 2-year period after hospital discharge, the three sub-groups reported differences in frequency of mood change, amount of treatment received, and hospital attendance, although there were no clear-cut differences in items associated with their alcoholism. There were, however, some indications that bipolar patients functioned at a better level during the follow-up period, particularly those who were older, had a previous history of longer periods of abstinence, and maintained more frequent contact with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and their family doctor.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1988 

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