Depression and social phobia secondary to alcohol dependence

Background: According to the self-medication hypothesis, individuals with depression and anxiety disorders use alcohol to control their symptoms and subsequently become dependent. Conversely, alcohol dependence disorder ( ADD) can cause or exacerbate psychiatric disorders. This study analyzed the characteristics of depression and social phobia secondary to ADD. ( 1) What is their functional impact? ( 2) Are they independent or associated conditions? ( 3) Do they completely remit in abstinent individuals? ( 4) Is the remission of one disorder associated with the remission of the other disorder? Methods: Sixty-four inpatients with ADD were evaluated with depression and anxiety disorder scales upon admission to hospital and after 5 weeks of detoxification. Results: Baseline comparisons differentiated patients with a Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HDRS) score 1 35 (n = 50; 78%) from those with an HDRS score