Anxiety and depression are showed as more frequent in alcoholics in both epidemiological surveys and clinical samples. Affective and mood disorder in alcohol-dependent patients may have a negative impact on Quality of Life (QoL) and than on relapse.

To evaluate the course of alcohol use, anxiety, depression and QoL during alcohol detoxification.

126 patients entering alcohol detoxification were evaluated at the beginning, at the end and 6 month later of treatment for frequency of alcohol intake, quality of life, anxiety and depression using Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), World Health Organization Quality of Life - Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), State Trait Anxiety Inventor (STAI-Y) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

At the admission 78% (n = 98) and 94% (n = 118) of the sample presented an anxiety score above the threshold on states and traits scale respectively, 92% (n = 116) showed depression ranged from mild to severe and QoL score was lower than normative levels in all domains. At the discharge, depression and state anxiety significantly decreased to normative level (p = < 0.0001), otherwise half part of the sample showed trait anxiety score above threshold. After 6 month, state anxiety was also decreased, whereas trait anxiety and depression levels increased again. QoL was significantly improved at follow-up except for psychological domain.

The negative effect of anxiety, depression and alcohol abuse on quality of life was confirmed. Follow-up results suggest that trait anxiety should maintain low levels in psychological domain of WHOQoL in alcoholdependent patients.