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Drugs for the Treatment of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Alcoholics: Recent Developments

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The Pharmacology of Alcohol Abuse

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 114))

Abstract

Alcoholism has long been associated with other psychiatric symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and hallucinations. Hippocrates advised that “wine drunk with an equal quantity of water puts away anxiety and terrors.” As distinct syndromes, coexisting psychiatric disorders are also common among alcoholics. Anxiety disorders, affective disorders, antisocial personality disorder (ASP), and drug use disorders are particularly prevalent comorbid disorders. These coexisting psychiatric conditions generally confer a poor prognosis following psychosocial treatment of the alcoholic (MCLELLAN et al. 1983a; ROUNSAVILLE et al. 1987; HELZER and PRYZBECK 1988).

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  1. M. J. Bohn
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  2. D. Hersh
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  1. Division of Addictive Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, MC2103, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, 06030, Farmington, CT, USA

    Henry R. Kranzler M.D. (Associate Professor and Director) (Associate Professor and Director)

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Bohn, M.J., Hersh, D. (1995). Drugs for the Treatment of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Alcoholics: Recent Developments. In: Kranzler, H.R. (eds) The Pharmacology of Alcohol Abuse. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 114. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78435-4_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-78435-4_17

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