Alcoholism

ALCOHOLISM may not be a single disease.1A recent study by Pitts and Winokur2points to the close relationship of alcoholism and affective disorder while other studies have shown the possible tie between alcoholism and schizophrenia,3-5psychoneurosis,5and sociopathy.6In addition, it has been suggested that alcoholism may not be the same disease in the two sexes.4A workable definition of alcoholism has emerged from Jellinek and the World Health Organization,7,8but such a definition allows assemblage of a heterogeneous group of alcoholics with other associated psychiatric illnesses.5An examination of alcoholism both as a primary disease entity and as a secondary complication of other psychiatric illnesses is lacking. The purpose of this paper is to describe an attempt to delineate alcoholism into nosologically homogeneous groups. We shall limit our present discussion to alcoholism in the female.