Affective disorders & "chemical dependence": lithium for alcohol and drug addiction? A clinical note.

The author presents a working hypothesis for the treatment of some types of "chemical dependence," based on the following data: alcoholism and/or chemical dependence (and for that matter, other disorders like sociopathy) are heterogeneous syndromes. The literature is suggestive that some types of alcoholism may be genetically related to affective disorders, and that alcoholism and other related disorders could be "parapsychiatric" manifestation of subpsychotic mood swings. There has been increased evidence that selected cases of depressive disorders respond to prophylactic administration of Lithium Carbonate; further, that Lithium seems to be beneficial in disorders other than affective ones. It is suggested here that Lithium could be of benefit in the prophylaxis of these types of parapsychiatric disorders. The characteristics of this "Syndrome" are described in the text, and this paper is presented as a suggestion for the need of controlled studies in the area.