title: Substance use and non-clinical panic attacks in a young adult sample.
abstract: This study examines panic attacks and substance use in a non-clinical, young adult sample. Two hundred seventy-nine college students completed questionnaires that assessed non-clinical panic attacks, alcohol and drug use behavior, and anxiety and depression symptoms. Non-clinical panickers (n = 25) were significantly more likely than non-panickers (N = 222) to report using sedatives, but not alcohol, cocaine, stimulants, or other drugs. Among non-clinical panickers, sedative use was not associated with distress about panic attacks, panic attack frequency, the occurrence of unexpected attacks, or general anxiety or depression symptoms. Coping-motivated alcohol use, though not associated with non-clinical panic, was significantly associated with anxiety and depression symptoms. These results are discussed in terms of theories of the co-morbidity between substance use and panic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb 60115, USA.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Deacon
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Valentiner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology