Alcohol and Substance Abuse in Panic Disorder

The relationship between panic disorder and alcohol and substance abuse is well known but notclearly understood. Various theories have been proposed to explain the increased comorbidity of thesetwo disorders. Patients may be self-medicating for anxiety symptoms or be genetically predisposed tothis dual diagnosis. Whatever the cause, patients with panic disorder who abuse alcohol or other substancesrequire careful attention from the clinician. To effectively treat the patient, both conditionsmust be taken into account when formulating a treatment plan.