Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

P atients who are seen in clinical practice commonly have multiple problems, yet efficacy data often reflect treatment of a single illness. Thus, it is useful to know how standard treatment approaches need to be modified for comorbid disorders. This article briefly describes prevalence, assessment, clinical features, and treatment of comorbid major depression and alcohol dependence. Comorbid is characterised by symptoms of both depression and anxiety. Patients who have comorbid depression and anxiety have higher severity of illness, higher chronicity and significantly greater impairment in work functioning, psychosocial functioning and quality of life than patients only suffering from single disease like depression or anxiety. One of the most important clinical reasons to screen for comorbidity is that unrecognized depression/anxiety comorbidity is associated with an increased rate of psychiatric hospitalization and an increased rate of suicide attempts. Sometimes physicians are not exactly aware of the comorbidity because the symptoms of depression and anxiety are common pathophysiologically. Both major depression and alcohol dependence carry a significant risk for the development of the other. Severity in one disorder is associated with severity in the other. Moreover, alcohol dependence prolongs the course of depression, and persistent depression during abstinence from alcohol is a risk factor for relapse to heavy drinking. Thus, logic dictates that both disorders be identified and managed concurrently and aggressively. Integrated psychosocial outpatient treatment programs and the ability to treat alcohol and depression simultaneously have reinforced the need to revisit the traditional management of comorbid major depression and alcohol dependence more formally

Biography

Souravh Bais has completed his M. Pharmacy at the age of 23 years from RGPV University. He is the Assit. Prof. of Pharmacology, at Rayat College of Pharmacy, Railmajra, Near Ropar, Nawanshahr-144533, Punjab, India. He has published papers in both national and international reputed journals.