Current review of the comorbidity of affective, anxiety, and substance use disorders

Purpose of review This review will provide an update on the diagnoses treatment of co-occurring mood/anxiety and substance use disorders. Interest in co-occurring disorders is growing because of the prevalence and negative impact of comorbidity on course, treatment outcomes and prognoses of both disorders. Recent findings There have been a number of recent studies exploring psychotherapeutic and pharmacotherapeutic treatment of co-occurring disorders. In particular, serotonin reuptake inhibitors and/or buspirone have demonstrated efficacy in decreasing consumption and improving psychiatric symptons in individuals with depression, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder. There have been promising pilot studies exploring manual-guided psychotherapeutic interventions specifically targeting individuals with co-occurring substance use and post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and bipolar disorder. Summary The co-occurrence of substance abuse and mood and anxiety disorders is common and has important treatment implications. Recent investigations of pharmacotherapeutic and psychotherapeutic strategies specifically targeting individuals with comorbidity provide cause for optimism, but much work remains to be done.