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Mahendra Dave, MD
Upstate Medical Center Syracuse, NY

Bick Wanck, MD
Addiction Recovery Services Carrier Foundation Belle Mead, NJ New Jersey University of Dentistry and Medicine Newark

JAMA. 1985;254(2):231.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

Patients who are chronic alcoholics, who are in alcohol withdrawal, or who have recently consumed excessive amounts of alcohol often complain of depressed mood, anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness and decreased self-worth. They have insomnia, nightmares, anorexia, decreased interest in sex, and suicidal ideation. Keller et al¹ have advocated that treatment for depression accompanying alcoholism "should begin as soon as possible after the onset of depression symptoms." Keeler et al² pointed out that the occurrence of symptoms of depression in the alcoholic has, in the past, "led to the use of antidepressant drugs as treatment for alcoholism independent of any specific evidence of depression."

Other writers give convincing evidence that the use of antidepressants in alcoholics should not be undertaken until the patient has been evaluated after a period of abstinence and that such treatment is often unnecessary. Weingold et al³ noted in their . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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