ALCOHOL-ABUSE AMONG CLINICALLY ANXIOUS PATIENTS

Of 156 patients meeting DSM-III criteria for either agoraphobia with panic attacks, panic disorder, simple or social phobia, or generalized anxiety disorder, 27 (17.3%) were found to score in the alcoholic range (.gtoreq. 5) on the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test. This pattern of alcohol abuse was primarily associated with the diagnosis of agoraphobia. Agoraphobic patients with a concurrent affective disorder were especially prone to abuse alcohol.