Anxiety Disorders and Substance Use Disorder Comorbidity

This chapter on comorbid anxiety disorders (ADs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) reviews the literature on the epidemiology, theories of comorbidity, and recent treatment approaches for these concurrent problems. It reviews research on the comorbidity of SUDs within the context of the following five ADs: panic disorder (PD), social phobia (SP), obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The term SUDs include both abuse and dependence, and though this review often focuses on alcohol use disorders, other less commonly studied SUDs in relation to AD comorbidity are also covered. Each section of the chapter ends with a concise summary of the issues that are most salient to that specific area.