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Alcohol use disorders (DSM-5), which in ICD-10 are divided into alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, are among the most common psychiatric disorders. In terms of 12-month prevalence, alcohol use is already the most frequent mental health disorder among men and among women the most frequent after anxiety disorders (Wittchen, H.-U., & Jacobi, F. (2012). Studie zur Gesundheit Erwachsener in Deutschland. DEGS im Auftrag des BMG vom Robert Koch-Institut, Berlin durchgeführt. Die Zusatzuntersuchung "Psychische Gesundheit" wird zusammen mit dem RKI (Dr. Ulfert Hapke) durch das BMG und die Stiftung der DGPPN gefördert. Studienleiter, zusammen mit der Prof. Dr. W. Gaebel (Düsseldorf), und Prof. Dr. W. Maier (Bonn). http://www.degs-studie.de/deutsch/ergebnisse/degs1/symposium-2012.html).50 % of individuals suffering from substance use disorder develop symptoms of alcohol withdrawal when they reduce the quantity or frequency of their alcohol consumption. In approx. 3–5 % of cases, severe withdrawal symptoms such as grand-mal convulsions or delirium occur (Schuckit, M. A. The New England Journal of Medicine 371(22): 2109-2113, 2014). Despite the prevalence of the underlying dependence disorder, alcohol psychoses are relatively rare, but very severe, and frequently life-threatening phenomena.Strictly speaking, acute intoxication already constitutes a "reversible exogenous psychosis with impaired self-control and self-criticism, stimulation and disinhibition as well as euphoria or also depression" (Bergmann, L., Ferbert, A. (2012) Alkoholfolgeerkrankungen. In: Berlit, P. (Hrsg.). Klinische Neurologie. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer).

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-29945-7_8

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