Approaching the problem drinker: Clinical case study

Clinical case study

Interview and follow-up

The video is called re-admission – this is not the first time she had an in-patient detox, but what will help it to be the last?

This case presentation illustrates most of the clinical signs that accompany the diagnosis of alcoholism. It also shows how a questionnaire, in this case the CAGE, can be helpful in guiding your assessment. What were the risk factors for relapse? What is the evidence for a commitment to recovery?

This video starts with the “re-admission” sequence and concludes with a follow-up at the end of the programme. What do you think of the quality of her recovery? She has faced a number of serious set-backs in her life but did not relapse, why was that?

Alcoholism can be a relapsing and challenging condition to manage. Here we see the importance of not giving up and learning from each crisis.