title: Relationship between substance abuse and panic attacks.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7795, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Katerndahl
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Realini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012651:Self Medication; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs