The psychopathology of alcoholism

Abstract

The psychopathological symptoms occurring in the course of alcohol addiction, which probably have a very complex pathogenesis, call for a thorough examination. Jellinek's description of the autonomous course of this disease includes various mechanisms and behaviour abnormalities which do not only refer to the psychopathology of alcoholism, but which do also include reactive and environmental elements and personality-specific factors. The psychopathology of ‘uncomplicated’ alcoholism develops in the course of dependence and lasts for a shorter or longer period of time and persists even during abstinence. Symptoms appearing under the acute influence of alcohol may be totally different when observed in sober periods. On the whole the psychopathology of alcohol addiction contributes to a great extent to personality changes in alcoholics which play an important role in the perpetuation of the process. This study deals with the appearance of cognitive deficits, amnestic episodes, and affective and paranoid syndromes, leaving psychiatric complications of alcoholism, e.g. alcoholic psychoses, out of consideration.