Abstract
This study was done to determine the strength of association between substance abuse and panic states, including subsyndromal panic, its temporal relationship, and self-medication for panic using abusable substances. A community-based sample was screened for panic using DSM-III-R criteria. Panic and matched control groups participated in a structured interview concerning the presence of substance abuse, use of substances to treat panic symptoms, and the age-of-onset of panic and substance abuse. Of 97 individuals with panic, 39% had abused at least one substance. None of the panic disorder-subsyndromal panic differences reached significance. Only 10% of subjects reported using alcohol and 6% reported ever using illicit drugs to treat their panic. The majority (63%) of those abusing alcohol reported that alcohol use began prior to onset of panic, and the majority (59%) of those abusing illicit drugs reported that drug use began first. This study documents the panic-substance abuse relationship even in those with subsyndromal panic. Substance abuse began prior to onset of panic and substances were used to self-medicate for panic attacks by only a few subjects. Copyright (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 731-736 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Addictive Behaviors |
Volume | 24 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 1 1999 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
- Clinical Psychology
- Toxicology
- Psychiatry and Mental health