26

This article presents the second part of a research project on alcoholism. Recognised as a major public health problem, alcoholism entails specific behavior meeting several definitions. The currently suggested alcohol-dependence concept does not differentiate alcohol specificities. This study studies two types of alcohol-dependence, chronic alcoholism and binge alcoholism and compares them on two levels: internal reality (intrapsychic organization and behaviour) – subject of this contribution –, and perceived external reality (alcohol expectancies, coping, life events...) – subject of another contribution. Do these behaviors belong to the same psychopathologic unit, or are they different? Collected data common elements (alcohol dependence characteristics) and differences in internal reality. Binge alcoholics (who globally present less fragility), in particular, tend to fluctuate between different registers, suggesting the hypothesis of “eclipse” behaviour, and involving therapeutic perspectives.