Alcohol dependence, relapse and self-identity.

This study explores the extent to which psychological dependence can be understood in terms of one single concept. This concept is that drinking behavior is personally functional, and that a major determinant of whether people drink is whether they want to do so. It is proposed that much of the motive for drinking is to alter self-identity and that drinking will be more likely if the individual attributes a positive evaluation to that version of his self-concept that he anticipates will result from drinking than if he has negative expectations of alcohol.