[Characteristics of chronic alcoholism in patients with sensitive premorbid states].

Overall 69 patients with sensitive traits of character not reaching the degree of psychopathy, suffering from stage II chronic alcoholism were examined on a clinical basis. In the given patients' group, alcoholism manifested itself atypically. The initial lack of the protective nauseous and vomiting reflex and high tolerance, relative preservation of the quantitative control, no amnesia during drunkenness, temporal break between the formation of compulsive addiction and the abstinent syndrome, manifestation of compulsive addiction only in a state of alcoholic intoxication were recorded. At the same time attention should be drawn to the frequently occurring depressive forms of drunkenness, early appearance of the asthenic state, the lack of marked personality changes by the alcoholic type, relative preservation of a critical attitude towards the disease, and to the abortive abstinent syndrome, characterized sometimes by an elevated attitude of mind resembling the hypomaniacal state. Alcoholism tends towards a moderate progredient course, which is often not realized because of the influence of psychic trauma and in that case alcoholism takes a malignant course.