Originally Posted by
torquemax777 
I wanted to add that most doctors refuse to even try to diagnose an alcoholic that even only binge drinks on the weekend because a lot of alcoholic behaviors mimic mental disorders like bipolar or schizophrenia; how could they tell which was which?
So if trained medical professionals can't and won't tell the difference, how can we? And probably even dangerous and unhealthy for those in the alcoholic's life.
What the above poster said about them "having to get sober first" as in long term sobriety, we t can't know.
My AH has had multiple head injuries as a result of his drunken behavior which could be a part of his problem. That being said he was drinking and partipating in risk taking behavior when he GOT the had injuries; so it's one of those "which came first? The chicken or the egg" type things.
Lying is the cornerstone of Alcoholism IMO.
While there may be some cross over in exhibition of behavior, a good doctor would bring in a mental health specialist to assess.
An emergency room visitation may not diagnose alcoholism until the patient is in later stages presenting physical symptoms (elevated enzymes liver and pancreatic etc). Of course many A's also have underlying mental illness too which they are self medicating for. Mental health issues are often misdiagnosed.
IME the core behavior traits of a schizophrenic and a Bipolar are not the same as a drunk person. While a schizophrenic might talk about things that did not happen, or have beliefs that are not there which would be similar to lying, their delusions are pretty obvious as opposed to an A that my reek of alcohol and be obviously drunk and deny they have been drinking. Bipolars type 2 are difficult as their symptoms present and are most often diagnosed as depression. Type 1 delusion can certainly be psychotic and definitely a red flag that something is going on more so than being drunk.
The bottom line is a general practitioner or an emergency room doctor is unlikely to diagnose a mental illness presented along with alcoholism.