Yolanda has been consuming excess amounts of alcohol for the past 5 years. She has stated she wants to stop but can't. She states that when she has tried to stop she gets withdrawal symptoms that are intolerable and she has to take a drink to alleviate the symptoms. Her family reports that she has difficulty keeping a job and her parenting skills have been negatively impacted. Yolanda has received two citations for driving while intoxicated but continues to drink. Which of the following diagnoses best represents Yolanda's situation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Yolanda meets criteria for substance use disorder, specifically alcohol use disorder, as she meets at least three of the criteria in the DSM-5 such as persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down on alcohol use, withdrawal symptoms when she tries to stop, and negative impact on her work and parenting. Co-occurring disorder refers to the presence of both a substance use disorder and another mental disorder, and there is no information given about Yolanda having another mental disorder. Multi-substance disorder refers to the use of multiple substances, and there is no information given suggesting that Yolanda uses substances other than alcohol. Mood disorder refers to a group of mental disorders characterized by disturbances in mood, and there is no information given to suggest that Yolanda has any mood disorder.

Yolanda Has Been Consuming Excess Amounts of Alcohol for the Past