14th June 2021

A 45-year-old woman attends a GP appointment, concerned about her alcohol use

A 45-year-old woman attends a GP appointment, concerned about her alcohol use. She tells you that she drinks two bottles of vodka a day and has done so for the past eighteen months since she was made redundant from her job. She used to enjoy red wine and fruit ciders too, but now only drinks vodka. She hides her alcohol consumption from her two children, aged 15 and 17, saying she feels “embarrassed” by it. When she wakes up in the morning, she feels shaky and nauseous until she is able to have a drink. She says that she “never gets drunk” and instead drinks “just to feel okay” – she knows it is bad for her but cannot stop. The GP suspects she is dependent.

Which THREE of the following features are part of the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence syndrome? Select THREE options only.