The vast majority of alcoholics consumes coffee as well as tobacco in addition to alcohol. The present study investigated the effects of these two psychotropic substances on the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Therefore, personal structured interviews were performed in 128 alcohol-dependent women and men who were admitted to hospital for alcohol detoxification. They all regularly consumed tobacco and caffeinated coffee. Quantity and frequency of their consumption patterns were recorded. The severity of their alcohol withdrawal syndrome was measured using a validated scale.

A multiple regression analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between quantity of alcohol and the severity of alcohol withdrawal. In addition, we could demonstrate that not only the quantity of alcohol consumed, but also tobacco and coffee consumption influenced the severity of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. The more the patients smoked and the more coffee they drank, the less they suffered from withdrawal symptoms during alcohol detoxification.