Background: Alcohol dependent patients have significantly higher rates of depressive symptoms and suicide compared to the general population. Detoxification and ongoing abstinence or reduction in alcohol consumption is the most effective intervention.
Aims: This simple study provides the opportunity to examine rates and severity of depressive symptoms of alcohol dependent patients presenting for admission to a private drug and alcohol unit and the effectiveness of detoxification alone as an intervention.
Methods: Forty patients admitted to Pinelodge clinic were interviewed with the Montgomery Asberg depression rating scale [MADRs] at admission and one-week post admission after medical detoxification to examine the severity of depressive symptoms in alcohol dependent patients and change in scores in response to detoxification.
Results: Alcohol dependent patients had high rates of depressive symptoms and showed clinically significant reduction in depressive symptoms post detoxification.
Conclusions: This study is still in progress but early data indicates that patients show clinically significant reduction in MADRs scores.
