Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for anxiety and depression: results from the longitudinal follow-up of the National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey.
BACKGROUND
Longitudinal studies have been in conclusive in identifying alcohol as a risk factor for anxiety and depression.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether excessive alcohol consumption is a risk factor for anxiety and depression in the general population, and whether anxiety and depression are risk factors for excessive alcohol consumption.


METHODS
Data were analysed from the 18-month follow-up of the Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000 survey.


RESULTS
Hazardous and dependent drinking were not associated with onset of anxiety and depression at follow-up. Binge-drinking was non-significantly associated with incident anxiety and depression (adjusted OR=1.36, 95% CI 0.74-2.50). Abstainers were less likely to have new-onset anxiety and depression at follow-up. Anxiety and depression or sub-threshold symptoms at baseline were not associated with incident hazardous or binge-drinking at follow-up, but there was weak evidence linking sub-threshold symptoms with onset of alcohol dependence (adjusted OR=2.04, 95% CI 0.84-4.97).


CONCLUSIONS
Excessive alcohol consumption was not associated with the onset of anxiety and depression but abstinence was associated with a lower risk. Sub-threshold symptoms were weakly associated with new-onset alcohol dependence.
Haynes
Jonathan C
JC
Academic Unit of Psychiatry, Department of Community Based Medicine, University of Bristol, Cotham House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JL,UK. jon.haynes@awp.nhs.uk
Farrell
Michael
M
Singleton
Nicola
N
Meltzer
Howard
H
Araya
Ricardo
R
Lewis
Glyn
G
Wiles
Nicola J
NJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged