Clinical conditions in alcoholics during long-term abstinence: a descriptive, longitudinal treatment study

After inpatient treatment for acute withdrawal during 1-2 weeks, twelve male alcoholics were treated as outpatients and received disulfiram per os. clinical ratings using a scale with 14 items were performed three times a week during six months. After acute withdrawal had ceased, all patients had positive ratings for anxiety, sleeping problems and autonomic disturbances lasting for 4-8 weeks. They also scored for depressive symptoms, concentration difficulties and failing memory during this period. The following 8-12 weeks all patients but one had periods of mood changes with a duration of 1-3 weeks. During periods with low mood changes several other symptoms appeared, while other psychiatric symptoms were absent during periods with elevated mood. All relapses occurred in connection with periods of mood changes. To conclude, this rating scale made it possible to identify a protracted subacute withdrawal phase and phases characterized by changes of mood, depressive-astenic as well as hyperactive, during long-term abstinence. These clinical phases are suggested to be of importance for clinical treatment and research.