1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Generalized Anxiety

Alcohol and Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Comorbidity, self-medicating, and treatment

by William Meek
for About.com

Updated March 19, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

A new report in the American Journal of Psychiatry details the frequent coexistence of alcohol abuse/dependency and anxiety disorders like generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The following is a brief overview of the report and information about using alcohol to “self-medicate.”

Bidirectional Relationship

Research in this area has shown a “bidirectional influence” between alcohol use and anxiety problems, meaning that anxiety can lead people to drink alcohol, and alcohol problems and withdrawal can increase anxiety. Research has shown that alcohol problems and GAD often develop around the same time, making it difficult to capture the severity of each problem. The authors concluded that “Alcohol consumption may be motivated by short-term relief of anxiety, but it ultimately leads to increased anxiety.”

Self-Medication

People with GAD are challenged to develop sophisticated coping strategies to deal with their fears and worries. Some people who have not done this turn to self-medicating, which is the process of finding relief through a substance like alcohol. Other forms of self-medicating can be drug use (e.g. marijuana) or other compulsive activities that are a temporary escape from anxiety (overeating, shopping, etc). Obviously these are not ideal options, and they can lead to more complications than just GAD.

Solutions

Becoming aware of how you are using alcohol is the first step in understanding how alcohol and anxiety may be entangled. Do you drink more (frequency and quantity) when you are anxious? Do you have any other ways to cope? Working with a treatment professional on both issues is a great way to get some help, some of which will likely be geared toward developing new coping strategies for anxiety that can replace alcohol use.

Sources:

Brady, K.T., Tolliver, B.K., & Verduin, M.L. (2007). Alcohol use and anxiety: Diagnostic and management issues. American Journal of Psychiatry, 164(2), 217-221.

Explore Generalized Anxiety
About.com Special Features

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Generalized Anxiety
  4. Research Reports
  5. Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Alcohol>

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.