Current Problems of Psychiatry

Abstract

Addiction are not only problems of psychological and sociological nature but also psychiatric problems. Alcohol is the cause of marital crisis, health crisis, or professional crisis. The amount of alcohol drank by women is also increasing, which results in miscarriages and birth defects. A person with alcohol problems in the family has a negative impact on relationships between its members. Alcoholism is a chronic and progressive psychobiological disease. We distinguish four phases of alcoholism and each of them can be complication of depressive disorder. The relation between alcohol and depression can be regarded as either symptomatic alcoholism (secondary), in which depression is a problem of alcohol abuse, or depression as a consequence of alcoholism (alcoholic depression). People diagnosed with alcoholic depression are particular issue of therapeutic procedure and require both medical and psychotherapeutic help. With support of caring and loving ones, the process of therapy and recovery is much more faster.