Alcoholism as a Psychiatric and Medical Disorder

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Major Psychiatric Disorder(s): Alcoholism (Alcohol use disorder) 303.90 (FI 0.20) Moderate

Kamron meets criteria A because he has been showing the propensity toward developing alcoholism since the age of 14. He first committed a misdemeanor by stealing his father’s money to buy an alcoholic drink. His desire to drink defines his current behavior and his choices, compelling him to engage in criminal activities. Furthermore, alcohol seems to be the driving force behind his alienation from his family and friends. The identified behavior aligns with the definition of alcoholism provided in DSM-5: “A problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by at least two of the following, occurring within a 12-month period” (American Psychiatric Association, 2013, p. 490).

Developmental Disorder(s): Alcohol use disorder 303.90 (FI 0.20) Moderate

The client is a 27-year-old male, who has been convicted of DUI several times and enjoys drinking alcoholic beverages, yet is in complete denial about his problem. He meets criteria A (alcohol withdrawal) since he is unwilling to admit that he needs help to fight his dependence, which means that he requires the assistance of an expert to recognize the issue and, therefore, manage it accordingly (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). The fact that Kamron’s drinking history goes back to him being 14 and stealing his father’s beer shows that the issue has been escalated to chronic levels.

Personality Disorder(s): Adult antisocial personality disorder V71.01 (Z72.811)

The patient has been experiencing significant difficulties socializing with his friends and relatives due to the alcohol issue. Since he cannot control his addiction and, therefore, is prone to changes in his behavior, his friends have been alienating themselves from him. However, Kamron does not display any signs of feeling lonely; instead, he distances himself from his friends and family to an even greater degree. Furthermore, Kamron meets criteria A since he seems to fail to understand the wrongfulness of his actions and the fact that they affect other people negatively. The specified phenomenon can be characterized as an adult antisocial personality disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). While the patient does not display the tendency to be aggressive, he is deliberately breaking the bonds between him and his friends.

Medical Disorder(s): Alcoholism (Alcohol use disorder) 303.90 (FI 0.20) Moderate

The case under analysis shows clearly that drinking interferes with Kamron’s relationships with his family members and friends. Indeed, the patient is getting increasingly less socially active as he continues consuming alcohol. The specified tendency indicates that he has an alcohol use problem (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Furthermore, Kamron meets criteria A since he seems to be out of control of his drinking since it leads him to misdemeanors such as DUI. The fact that Kamron’s friends are judgmental about his drinking points to the need for the patient to acknowledge the presence of the alcohol use disorder.

Client Strengths

The patient is young, smart, resourceful, aware of his problem, independent, emotionally stable, capable of enjoying his job, and has supportive friends.

Comments/Differential Diagnosis

Apart from having issues with his alcohol dependence and facing the threat of developing an antisocial personality disorder, the patient may also need to consider the issues associated with his digestion system and sleep patterns. He has had a regular stomach ache, which points to the necessity to carry out several tests for a possible stomach ulcer or a similar gastrointestinal disorder (Barclay, 2015). Furthermore, the patient seems to suffer from sleep deprivation since his sleep patterns have been disrupted (Salardini & Biller, 2016). Consequently, there is a threat of Kamron developing comorbid issues apart from the current alcohol-related problem. The patient must be tested to diagnose a gastrointestinal disorder and the possible cause of his current sleep concerns.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association.

Barclay, A. E. (2015). The digestive tract. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

Salardini, A., & Biller, J. (2016). The hospital neurology book. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional.

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