Impressions of Jewish alcoholics.

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Abstract
During a 10 yr period 6000 alcoholics were admitted to 1 private and 1 public alcoholism clinic in Toronto [Canada]; 29 were Jews (1 woman). They did not differ from the non-Jewish patients in age (mean, 43 years) or marital status (15 were married); slightly more Jews than non-Jews had a college education, only 7 were skilled or unskilled laborers (compared with 55% of all patients) and 11 were small-business proprietors. The patient records indicated that 4 patients observed the orthodox religious laws and were active in the religious life in their community, and that 12 were inactive or attended synagogue on High Holy Days only. None of the clinical records indicated evidence of psychopathology; the diagnostic term most frequently found was anxiety. Three patterns were discernible in the way the patients perceived themselves as alcoholics and as Jews: those with an orthodox background denied that they were alcoholics; those with a nonorthodox background accepted their alcoholism but denied their "Jewishness"; and 3 patients denied the notion of Jewish sobriety.

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