ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE AND MOOD DISORDERS

This article explores the complex relationships between alcohol depend ence and mood disorders. Although many alcoholics present with substan ce-induced depressions, once appropriate methodological controls are u sed, there does not appear to be a significant relationship between in dependent unipolar depression and alcohol dependence. However, the dat a support a small, but significant, relationship between bipolar manic -depressive disease and alcoholism. The literature does not support th e relevance of self-medication ar a course of alcoholism unless one in cludes the use of alcohol to alleviate alcohol-induced psychological a nd neurochemical perturbations. The clinical importance of distinguish ing between substance-induced and independent mood disorders is review ed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.