ABSTRACT
Introduction: Alcohol dependence syndrome has been fraught with significant biopsychosocial problems. Early age of onset of initiation has been seen to complicate the issues further. Method: Clinico-psycho-social profile of all patient of alcohol dependence syndrome admitted to a general hospital psychiatric unit was assessed. Results: Ment age of onset was 25.42 years and that of first medical contact was 38.29 years. Age of onset had significant association with increased amount of alcohol consumption, early age of medical consulation, Presence of delirium, coexisting depression and deranged liver enzymes. Conclusion: Early onset of alcohol consumption had significant impact on course and outcome of the alcohol dependence syndrome. Effective strategies be formulated for early referral and targeted management.