D. Vijayanand 1, S. Dhanya Dedeepya2, L. Lavanya3
BACKGROUND
Alcohol dependence is a psychiatric diagnosis in which an individual is physically
or psychologically dependent on alcohol. It includes the presence of alcohol
tolerance, physical dependence, and an inability to control alcohol intake. Alcohol
dependence is a severe mental health problem associated with health issues, social
and financial burden not only for the patient but also for the family members. The
purpose of this study was to analyse the psychiatric complications in patients with
alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS) admitted in psychiatry ward.
METHODS
A retrospective review of records of patients admitted in male psychiatry ward at
a tertiary care center was done. The data was collected among 200 male patients
admitted in the psychiatry ward from January 2019 to December 2019. Patient's'
demographic details like their age, gender, socioeconomic status, locality, religion,
marital status, and psychiatry comorbidity were noted.
RESULTS
Secondary data was collected from 200 patients admitted in the psychiatry ward.
Percentage analysis was done. The patient's demographic details like their age,
gender, socioeconomic status, locality, religion, marital status and their psychiatry
complications were considered. Complications like sleep disturbances, tremors and
seizures were mainly observed in this study. Major findings of the study were
anxiety, depression, psychosis, cognitive impairment, cravings and relapses which
were common symptoms among alcohol dependence patients admitted in
psychiatric ward.
CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol dependence can lead to severe psychiatric disorders. Heavy consumption
of alcohol can affect brain function and alter various chemical and hormonal
systems in brain known to be involved in the development of many common
mental disorders. The intoxicating effects which result due to intake of alcohol can
result in temporary impairment of judgment and motor skills.1 Alcohol addiction
can lead to development of tolerance and dependence, as well as abnormal social
and occupational functioning.2 People who are married in the age group between
(30 to 49) years from rural areas with low socioeconomic status are mostly found
to be dependent on alcohol.
