Drinking patterns and effects: alcoholics in treatment compared to medical outpatients

Alcoholics in treatment were compared to medical outpatients with regard to their stated drinking patterns and the effects and attractions of drinking. Nineteen percent of the medical outpatients were found to have serious drinking problems and were not included. The alcoholics drank considerably more, were more likely to be daily drinkers, and mainly drank combinations of alcoholic beverages. The controls most frequently drank beer. In all areas of family, vocation, health, and legal difficulties, the alcoholics reported a much higher rate of problems. The alcoholics in high frequencies reported the attractions of drink to be relaxation, forgetting, taste, and mind enhancement; while the controls reported little attraction in any area, but taste most frequently. These findings cross-validated on a second sample.