Ageing and recovery from alcoholism.

Fifty-five dependent (DSM-III) male alcoholics, chosen for good social adjustment, were personally followed up about 20 years after their first admission to hospital. The conditions of all the alcoholics were evaluated with a multidimensional diagnostic schedule when first admitted. At the follow-up, 11 were abstainers, 11 reported a change to social drinking via abstinence, and 10 reported a change to social drinking by gradual stages. Improvement after the age of 45 was mainly due to gradual change to social drinking. This type of improvement was in half of the cases attributed to a decreased tolerance for alcohol. In the present sample, there were no indications of any relationship between premature ageing and gradual change to social drinking. It is hypothesised that physiological processes of normal ageing with concomitant changes in reactions to alcohol may be of importance for remission from alcoholism in middle-aged and older alcoholics. The relationships of personality, social factors and the degree of alcohol-dependence to patterns of successful long-term adjustment are discussed.