Alcohol Dependence in Women / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

This report presents five serial cases of female alcohol dependence treated at neuropsychiatric division of the Saku Central Hospital for the past two years, with special references on descriptive and clinical features.<BR>1) In rural communities, alcohol dependence in women appears to be detected and treated in their earlier stage than men. This may be ascribable to a fewer number of female drinker and closer interpersonal relationship as compared with large cities.<BR>2) All five cases in this clinical study were secondary alcoholism which had an affective disorder antedating the onset of alcoholism. Of them, three (64, 63 and 49 years of age) were with depression and two (35 and 33 years of age) were with psychoneurosis.<BR>3) Suicide attempt was made by a 35-year-old woman, who had experienced loss of a close interpersonal relationship and had been conflicting with her husband. This may suggest that female alcoholics are more likely to commit suicide.<BR>4) No significant relationship was found between drinking pattern and menstrual cycles in two cases with menstruation.<BR>5) Although we have never experienced fetal alcohol syndrome up to present at our hospital, there are several foreign literatures on that subject. It must be required to let female alcoholics aware of this syndrome.