Anxiety and Depression in Alcohol Dependence Syndrome

The average alcohol dependent person decreases his life span by 10 to 15 years. Alcohol dependent individuals are significantly more emotional, frequently more anxious and/ or depressed, more moody and tense. The evidences suggest that the presence of increased levels of depression and anxiety in these patients is likely to influence treatment process and outcomes. The objectives were to measure and correlate the level of anxiety and depression among the newly diagnosed alcohol dependent individuals and to identify the relationship of anxiety and depression with the selected bio psychosocial factors. Materials and Methods A Cross sectional descriptive survey was done from Sep to Nov 2014, among 60 newly diagnosed alcohol dependent patients, who were admitted at a tertiary care centre in Kolkata. Data collected using a semi structured interview schedule for assessing the Bio psychosocial variables and standardized scales for identifying the Level of anxiety (STAI -Y1& 2), depression (MADRS) and alcohol abuse or dependence (AUDIT). Purposive sampling technique was adopted, and the data was analysed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Result Mean age of the subjects was 36.53 (SD 7.63). Half (55 %) of the group gave the family history of alcoholism and 48 % were drinking alcohol for more than 10 years. Physiological complications and co-morbidity were present in 63 %. Most of the subjects had moderate level of state (66.7 %) and trait (62 %) anxiety with a mean score of 43.67 (SD 6.68) and 40.88 (SD 5.675) respectively. Majority (80 %) of them experienced mild depression with mean score of 11.23 (SD5.398). There was significant correlation between the level of anxiety and depression (pless than 0.001). However, most of the bio-psychosocial variables did not show significant relationship with level of anxiety and depression. Duration of alcohol drinking was related with moderate level of trait anxiety (pless than0.05). The subjects with physiological complication of alcohol abuse or with a co morbidity showed increased level of state anxiety (pless than 0.05). It was also noted that family members chronic illness contributed to increased depression in them (pless than 0.05). Conclusion The study findings indicate that the newly diagnosed alcohol dependent subjects experience an increased level of anxiety and depression with a significant correlation between the two disorders. Few bio psychosocial factors, such as duration of alcohol consumption, physiological complications and co morbidity and family members illness may contribute towards increased levels of anxiety and or depression