Palm Trees

Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Alcohol Abuse

The connection between general anxiety disorder (GAD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD), though generally acknowledged, has received relatively little attention in scientific research. In previous studies, GAD has been shown to cause significant problems (Kessler, Mickelson, Barber & Wang, 2001), but lack of adequate treatment sometimes leads to self-medication with alcohol.

In the past there has been no specifically focused study on the comorbidity of GAD and AUD. A new study by Smith and Book, strives to fill the gap and provide information about the prevalence and nature of GAD and AUD among individuals receiving treatment at outpatient substance abuse facilities.

The researchers administered assessment batteries to 110 patients involved in one of three four-week intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment programs.

The assessment involved self-report method, but in addition, structured psychiatric interviews were conducted at two of the three study sites. The result is that 56 of the 110 participants received both self-report and diagnostic data.

To establish the existence of GAD, researchers used measures from multiple assessments, including the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, the Anxiety Sensitivity Index, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory.

The results of the study show that GAD was indicated in higher rates among the participants of the study. Nearly half (46 percent) of the participants with AUD also met the criteria for GAD.

The study also showed specificity in symptoms differentiating AUD individuals with and without GAD. The groups differed in severity levels of worry, but the results for anxiety sensitivity, social anxiety and depression were consistent.

An important finding of the study is that suicidality among those with AUD is significant. Greater than half (55.6 percent) of individuals with co-occurring GAD and AUD had attempted suicide, showing that the combination of these two disorders could be especially dangerous.

There are limitations to the study. The small sample size of only 110 participants suggests that the results of the study should be viewed as a preliminary insight into the effects of co-occurring GAD and AUD.

In addition, the study data was cross-sectional, and it would be beneficial to view the same data within a longitudinal framework to add missing facets of information about follow-up data.

The findings of this study are an important introduction to understanding the connection and dangers of co-occurrence of GAD and AUD. Further research is required to understand the risks involved with GAD and AUD in a longitudinal framework.