Craving can be understood as an intense desire for substance consumption. This study intends to check craving characteristics in alcoholics during the first three days of abstinence syndrome, compare its intensity to the one during the alcohol consumption period, and verify if craving is associated with the degree of alcohol dependence. The sample is formed by 77 male alcoholics interned for detoxication. Scale for Craving Evaluation and a Short-Form Alcohol Dependence Data were applied. 58.2% of the participants never will to drink alcoholic beverages on the first three days of abstinence. Concerning the time before hospitalization, 90.9% stated feeling craving and during consumption stage it was more intense than during abstinence. There was positive correlation between craving and degree of alcohol dependence. Knowing about the craving characteristics in alcoholics makes possible to enhance techniques of relapse prevention.
Alcohol; craving; Detoxication
