The associations between self-consciousness, depressive state and craving to drink among alcohol dependent patients undergoing protracted withdrawal.

Context: In order to understand how certain personality traits influence the relation between depression symptoms and craving for alcohol, trait self-consciousness (trait SC) was examined during a withdrawal and detoxification program.

Methods: Craving (Obsessive and Compulsive Drinking Scale), depressive state (Beck Depression Inventory) and trait SC (Revised Self-Consciousness Scale) were assessed in alcohol-dependent inpatients (DSM-IV, N = 30) both at the beginning (T1: day 1 or 2) and at the end (T2: day 14 to18) of protracted withdrawal during rehabilitation.

Results: A significant decrease in craving and depressive symptoms was observed from T1 to T2, while SC scores remained stable.