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1.
J Subst Use ; 19(3): 225-228, 2014 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-24982593

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Drinking motives are thought to be important mediators of the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use. This project evaluates whether specific drinking motives accurately reflect alcohol dependence. If so, brief questions about drinking motives could serve as valuable alcohol screening tools with socially anxious patients. METHODS: This investigation was a secondary analysis of an existing data set of 83 subjects with social anxiety disorder and at-risk alcohol use. The relationship between Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ-R-5) subscales and alcohol dependence was evaluated. RESULTS: Coping-Depression was the only subscale that contributed to the unique prediction of a diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Additionally, two items (i.e. "to cheer up when you're in a bad mood" and "to forget painful memories") predicted a diagnosis of alcohol dependence above and beyond their association with each other. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with social anxiety, two specific questions on the DMQ-R-5 could provide a useful screen for health professionals to predict alcohol dependence. It may be fruitful to specifically target the motives of "to cheer up when you're in a bad mood" and "to forget painful memories" when providing advice during brief interventions.

2.
J Anxiety Disord ; 27(2): 252-8, 2013 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23523988

ABSTRACT

Paroxetine alone is not sufficient to decrease alcohol use in socially anxious alcoholics seeking anxiety treatment. We tested the hypothesis that adding a brief-alcohol-intervention (BI) to paroxetine would decrease alcohol use. All subjects (N=83) had a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder, endorsed drinking to cope with anxiety, were NIAAA-defined at-risk drinkers, and were randomized to either paroxetine alone, or paroxetine plus BI. Both groups showed significant improvement in both social anxiety severity (F(5,83)=61.5, p<0.0001) and drinking to cope (e.g. F(4,79)=23, p<0.0001) and these two constructs correlated with each other (B=3.39, SE=0.696, t(71)=4.88, p<0.001). BI was not effective at decreasing alcohol use (e.g. no main effect of group, all p values >0.3). Paroxetine decreased social anxiety severity in the face of heavy drinking and decreasing the anxiety was related to a concurrent decrease in coping related drinking. BI was not effective at decreasing drinking or drinking to cope.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/therapy , Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation/therapeutic use , Anxiety/drug therapy , Paroxetine/therapeutic use , Social Behavior Disorders/therapy , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Anxiety/psychology , Anxiety Disorders , Combined Modality Therapy/methods , Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) , Female , Humans , Male , Phobic Disorders/diagnosis
3.
Alcohol Res ; 34(4): 414-31, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23584108

ABSTRACT

The co-occurrence of anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is relatively common and is associated with a complex clinical presentation. Sound diagnosis and treatment planning requires that clinicians have an integrated understanding of the developmental pathways and course of this comorbidity. Moreover, standard interventions for anxiety disorders or AUDs may need to be modified and combined in targeted ways to accommodate the unique needs of people who have both disorders. Optimal combination of evidence-based treatments should be based on a comparative balance that considers the advantages and disadvantages of sequential, parallel, and integrated approaches.


Subject(s)
Alcohol-Related Disorders/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Alcohol Deterrents/therapeutic use , Alcohol-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Alcohol-Related Disorders/therapy , Anti-Anxiety Agents/therapeutic use , Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use , Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology , Anxiety Disorders/therapy , Benzodiazepines/therapeutic use , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Comorbidity , Humans , Models, Psychological , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/epidemiology , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/psychology , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/therapy , Panic Disorder/epidemiology , Panic Disorder/psychology , Panic Disorder/therapy , Phobic Disorders/epidemiology , Phobic Disorders/psychology , Phobic Disorders/therapy , Prevalence , Self Medication , Sex Factors , United States/epidemiology
4.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 34(10): 1803-12, 2010 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20645934

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Relatively few studies have examined gender differences in the effectiveness of specific behavioral or pharmacologic treatment of alcohol dependence. The aim of this study is to assess whether there were gender differences in treatment outcomes for specific behavioral and medication treatments singly or in combination by conducting a secondary analysis of public access data from the national, multisite NIAAA-sponsored COMBINE study. METHODS: The COMBINE study investigated alcohol treatment among 8 groups of patients (378 women, 848 men) who received medical management (MM) with 16 weeks of placebo, naltrexone (100 mg/day), acamprosate (3 g/day), or their combination with or without a specialist-delivered combined behavioral intervention. We examined efficacy measures separately for men and women, followed by an overall analysis that included gender and its interaction with treatment condition in the analyses. These analyses were performed to confirm whether the findings reported in the parent trial were also relevant to women, and to more closely examine secondary outcome variables that were not analyzed previously for gender effects. RESULTS: Compared to men, women reported a later age of onset of alcohol dependence by approximately 3 years, were significantly less likely to have had previous alcohol treatment, and drank fewer drinks per drinking day. Otherwise, there were no baseline gender differences in drinking measures. Outcome analyses of 2 primary (percent days abstinent and time to first heavy drinking day) and 2 secondary (good clinical response and percent heavy drinking days) drinking measures yielded the same overall pattern in each gender as that observed in the parent COMBINE study report. That is, only the naltrexone by behavioral intervention interaction reached or approached significance in women as well as in men. There was a naltrexone main effect that was significant in both men and women in reduction in alcohol craving scores with naltrexone-treated subjects reporting lower craving than placebo-treated subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This gender-focused analysis found that alcohol-dependent women responded to naltrexone with COMBINE's Medical Management, similar to the alcohol-dependent men, on a wide range of outcome measures. These results suggest that clinicians can feel comfortable prescribing naltrexone for alcohol dependence in both men and women. In this study, it is also notable that fewer women than men reported receiving any alcohol treatment prior to entry into the COMBINE study. Of note, women tend to go to primary health care more frequently than to specialty substance abuse programs for treatment, and so the benefit we confirm for women of the naltrexone and MM combination has practical implications for treating alcohol-dependent women.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Deterrents/therapeutic use , Alcoholism/drug therapy , Alcoholism/therapy , Behavior Therapy/statistics & numerical data , Naltrexone/therapeutic use , Narcotic Antagonists/therapeutic use , Taurine/analogs & derivatives , Acamprosate , Adult , Combined Modality Therapy/statistics & numerical data , Drug Therapy, Combination/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Male , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Sex Characteristics , Taurine/therapeutic use , Treatment Outcome
5.
Alcohol Treat Q ; 28(2): 151-162, 2010 Apr 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21423569

ABSTRACT

Alcoholism treatment often encourages involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Little provision is made for women with social phobia (SP), who have been reported to have worse outcomes in twelve-step-facilitation (TSF) relative to cognitive behavioral therapy. This study examined whether SP moderated the effects of gender for these women in TSF. 133 SP alcoholics assigned to TSF (35 females and 98 males) in Project MATCH were compared to a non-SP control group. SP women drank earlier and more intensely than non-SP women and all males, had equivalent AA attendance and completion of Step 5, and were less likely to acquire a sponsor during TSF.

6.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 33(9): 1582-8, 2009 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19485969

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Some anticonvulsants ameliorate signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, but have an unacceptable side effect burden. Among the advantages of using anticonvulsant agents in this capacity is their purported lack of interaction with alcohol that could increase psychomotor deficits, increase cognitive impairment, or increase intoxication. The aim of this study was to evaluate alcohol use and symptom reduction of gabapentin when compared with lorazepam in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal in a double-blinded randomized clinical trial. METHODS: One hundred individuals seeking outpatient treatment of alcohol withdrawal with Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised (CIWA-Ar) ratings > or =10 were randomized to double-blind treatment with 2 doses of gabapentin (900 mg tapering to 600 mg or 1200 tapering to 800 mg) or lorazepam (6 mg tapering to 4 mg) for 4 days. Severity of alcohol withdrawal was measured by the CIWA-Ar on days 1 to 4 of treatment and on days 5, 7, and 12 post-treatment and alcohol use monitored by verbal report and breath alcohol levels. RESULTS: CIWA-Ar scores decreased over time in all groups; high-dose gabapentin was statistically superior but clinically similar to lorazepam (p = 0.009). During treatment, lorazepam-treated participants had higher probabilities of drinking on the first day of dose decrease (day 2) and the second day off medication (day 6) compared to gabapentin-treated participants (p = 0.0002). Post-treatment, gabapentin-treated participants had less probability of drinking during the follow-up post-treatment period (p = 0.2 for 900 mg and p = 0.3 for 1200 mg) compared to the lorazepam-treated participants (p = 0.55). The gabapentin groups also had less craving, anxiety, and sedation compared to lorazepam. CONCLUSIONS: Gabapentin was well tolerated and effectively diminished the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal in our population especially at the higher target dose (1200 mg) used in this study. Gabapentin reduced the probability of drinking during alcohol withdrawal and in the immediate postwithdrawal week compared to lorazepam.


Subject(s)
Amines/therapeutic use , Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids/therapeutic use , Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists/therapeutic use , Hypnotics and Sedatives/therapeutic use , Lorazepam/therapeutic use , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/drug therapy , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/therapeutic use , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/drug therapy , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Amines/adverse effects , Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids/adverse effects , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Double-Blind Method , Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists/adverse effects , Female , Gabapentin , Humans , Hypnotics and Sedatives/adverse effects , Lorazepam/adverse effects , Male , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Recurrence , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/psychology , Substance Withdrawal Syndrome/rehabilitation , Treatment Outcome , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/adverse effects
7.
Addict Behav ; 34(5): 474-6, 2009 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19195794

ABSTRACT

Individuals with social anxiety have difficulty participating in group settings. Although it makes intuitive sense that social anxiety could present a challenge in addiction treatment settings, which often involve small groups and encouragement to participate in self-help groups like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), to our knowledge no study has yet assessed the impact of shyness on the treatment experience. Assessment surveys were given to 110 individuals seeking intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment at three community treatment programs. Established cut-offs for presence of clinically-significant social anxiety indicated a prevalence of 37%. Controlling for depression and worry, social anxiety was a unique predictor of endorsement that shyness interfered with willingness to talk to a therapist, speak up in group therapy, attend AA/NA, and ask somebody to be a sponsor. Socially anxious substance abusers were 4-8 times more likely to endorse that shyness interfered with addiction treatment activities. These findings have clinical and research implications.


Subject(s)
Anxiety/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Shyness , Substance-Related Disorders/prevention & control , Adult , Alcoholism/prevention & control , Alcoholism/psychology , Ambulatory Care , Female , Humans , Male , Patient Participation , Substance-Related Disorders/psychology
8.
Addict Behav ; 33(9): 1162-6, 2008 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18550293

ABSTRACT

Repeated use of alcohol as a coping strategy to reduce anxiety or discomfort increases one's risk of developing alcohol dependence. Previous studies have found alcohol outcome expectancies (AOE) strongly predict drinking behavior, in general, and also are related to drinking to cope. The purpose of the current study was to examine AOE that may be related to drinking to cope with discomfort in social situations. It was hypothesized that positive AOE, especially related to assertion and tension reduction, would be most associated with drinking to cope with social situations. Fifty-six community volunteers from a larger study on attentional bias and drinking to cope were divided into high (n=36) and low (n=20) drinking to cope groups following completion of a questionnaire battery. Findings indicated AOE were well able to classify drinking to cope status, with 91% of cases correctly classified. As hypothesized, assertion and tension reduction AOE uniquely contributed to the discriminant function in classifying drinking to cope groups. These findings have implications for the prevention and treatment of alcohol use disorders and suggest that AOE should be further investigated as potential moderators of the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol use disorders.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Alcohol-Related Disorders/psychology , Anxiety/prevention & control , Stress, Psychological/prevention & control , Adult , Anxiety/psychology , Anxiety Disorders , Defense Mechanisms , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Assessment , Social Adjustment , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult
9.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 32(1): 77-84, 2008 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18028529

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Individuals with social anxiety disorder and co-occurring alcohol problems report using alcohol to cope with anxiety symptoms. Interventions that reduce both social anxiety and drinking are needed. Paroxetine, an FDA-approved medication to treat social anxiety disorder, reduces anxiety in individuals with co-occurring alcohol problems. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether effective treatment of social anxiety with paroxetine reduces drinking in dual-diagnosed individuals who endorse using alcohol to cope. METHODS: A 16-week, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of paroxetine was conducted. Participants (placebo n = 22; paroxetine n = 20) met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse or dependence. Participants were seeking treatment for social anxiety, not for the alcohol problem. Alcohol use outcomes were measured with conventional quantity/frequency measures and novel measures of drinking to cope. RESULTS: Paroxetine improved social anxiety more than placebo. Paroxetine reduced self-reported reliance on alcohol for self-medication purposes, but was not different than placebo in changing quantity and frequency drinking or the proportion of drinking days that were identified as coping-related. Exploratory analyses revealed that for the placebo group, drinking during the trial was correlated with social anxiety severity, whereas for the paroxetine-treated group, drinking was uncoupled from social anxiety severity. CONCLUSIONS: Successfully treating social anxiety symptoms with paroxetine does not reduce drinking in dual-diagnosed individuals who are not seeking treatment for alcohol problems. Paroxetine does, however, reduce reliance on alcohol to engage in social situations, and may change the reasons why one drinks (such that drinking occurs for other reasons besides coping with anxiety). These results have implications for staging of social anxiety and alcohol treatment in individuals with the co-occurring disorders presenting to a mental health or primary care provider.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/drug therapy , Anxiety Disorders/drug therapy , Paroxetine/therapeutic use , Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Adult , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/complications , Double-Blind Method , Humans , Patient Compliance , Social Behavior
10.
J Anxiety Disord ; 22(2): 310-8, 2008.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17448631

ABSTRACT

Patients with social anxiety disorder who are seen in clinical practice commonly have additional psychiatric comorbidity, including alcohol use disorders. The first line treatment for social anxiety disorder is selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors (SSRIs), such as paroxetine. However, the efficacy of SSRIs has been determined with studies that excluded alcoholics. Forty two subjects with social anxiety and a co-occurring alcohol use disorder participated in a 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to determine the efficacy of paroxetine for social anxiety in patients with co-occurring alcohol problems. Paroxetine was superior to placebo in reducing social anxiety, as measured by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale total and subscale scores and additional measures of social anxiety. This study provides the first evidence-based recommendation for the use of an SSRI to treat social anxiety in this patient population.


Subject(s)
Alcohol-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Paroxetine/therapeutic use , Phobic Disorders/drug therapy , Phobic Disorders/epidemiology , Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Adult , Alcohol-Related Disorders/diagnosis , Alcohol-Related Disorders/psychology , Comorbidity , Depressive Disorder, Major/diagnosis , Depressive Disorder, Major/epidemiology , Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) , Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Phobic Disorders/diagnosis , Placebos , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Severity of Illness Index , Treatment Outcome
11.
JAMA ; 295(17): 2003-17, 2006 May 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16670409

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT: Alcohol dependence treatment may include medications, behavioral therapies, or both. It is unknown how combining these treatments may impact their effectiveness, especially in the context of primary care and other nonspecialty settings. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of medication, behavioral therapies, and their combinations for treatment of alcohol dependence and to evaluate placebo effect on overall outcome. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized controlled trial conducted January 2001-January 2004 among 1383 recently alcohol-abstinent volunteers (median age, 44 years) from 11 US academic sites with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, diagnoses of primary alcohol dependence. INTERVENTIONS: Eight groups of patients received medical management with 16 weeks of naltrexone (100 mg/d) or acamprosate (3 g/d), both, and/or both placebos, with or without a combined behavioral intervention (CBI). A ninth group received CBI only (no pills). Patients were also evaluated for up to 1 year after treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percent days abstinent from alcohol and time to first heavy drinking day. RESULTS: All groups showed substantial reduction in drinking. During treatment, patients receiving naltrexone plus medical management (n = 302), CBI plus medical management and placebos (n = 305), or both naltrexone and CBI plus medical management (n = 309) had higher percent days abstinent (80.6, 79.2, and 77.1, respectively) than the 75.1 in those receiving placebos and medical management only (n = 305), a significant naltrexone x behavioral intervention interaction (P = .009). Naltrexone also reduced risk of a heavy drinking day (hazard ratio, 0.72; 97.5% CI, 0.53-0.98; P = .02) over time, most evident in those receiving medical management but not CBI. Acamprosate showed no significant effect on drinking vs placebo, either by itself or with any combination of naltrexone, CBI, or both. During treatment, those receiving CBI without pills or medical management (n = 157) had lower percent days abstinent (66.6) than those receiving placebo plus medical management alone (n = 153) or placebo plus medical management and CBI (n = 156) (73.8 and 79.8, respectively; P<.001). One year after treatment, these between-group effects were similar but no longer significant. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving medical management with naltrexone, CBI, or both fared better on drinking outcomes, whereas acamprosate showed no evidence of efficacy, with or without CBI. No combination produced better efficacy than naltrexone or CBI alone in the presence of medical management. Placebo pills and meeting with a health care professional had a positive effect above that of CBI during treatment. Naltrexone with medical management could be delivered in health care settings, thus serving alcohol-dependent patients who might otherwise not receive treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00006206.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Deterrents/therapeutic use , Alcoholism/therapy , Behavior Therapy , Naltrexone/therapeutic use , Narcotic Antagonists/therapeutic use , Taurine/analogs & derivatives , Acamprosate , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Placebo Effect , Taurine/therapeutic use
12.
J Stud Alcohol Suppl ; (15): 104-9; discussion 92-3, 2005 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16223062

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The COMBINE Study, a federally funded multisite clinical trial, endeavored to choose drinking and related outcome variables that were scientifically sound and had both convergent validity with previously published studies and face validity for clinical meaning. This article describes these variables and the methods used to collect them. METHOD: In choosing the primary outcome drinking variables, the mechanisms of action of naltrexone and acamprosate were considered along with previously published results for them and the psychosocial therapies utilized (Project MATCH). In addition, enough previous data were required to abstract meaningful power calculations for sample size estimates. Attention was paid to methodological detail in collection of drinking data, and confirmatory biological variables (carbohydrate deficient transferrin and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase) were incorporated into the study design. RESULTS: Daily standard drinks were collected by calendar-based methods with a stated goal of 90% within-treatment drinking data to be collected. "Percentage of days abstinent" and "time to first heavy drinking day" were chosen as primary outcome variables. Standardized daily alcohol consumption data can be applied to various statistical approaches, including hierarchical linear modeling and multiple relapse event analyses, which can evaluate a progression of improvement or worsening over time. CONCLUSIONS: Trained individuals using calendar-based methods attempting to collect all daily drinking data, independent of treatment dropout, should enhance interpretive validity of treatment differences. Convergence of drinking data with biological marker changes, quality of life, craving and health services utilization will enhance the overall validity of both the within-treatment and the posttreatment results for the COMBINE Study.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism/therapy , Behavior Therapy/methods , Choice Behavior , Drug Therapy/methods , Alcoholism/drug therapy , Alcoholism/enzymology , Biomarkers , Carbohydrates/deficiency , Clinical Trials as Topic , Combined Modality Therapy , Humans , Transferrin/metabolism , Treatment Outcome , gamma-Glutamyltransferase/blood
13.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 29(3): 395-401, 2005 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15770115

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) frequently co-occurs with alcohol use disorders. This study investigated the use of sertraline, a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, in treating co-occurring symptoms of alcohol dependence and PTSD. METHODS: A total of 94 individuals with current alcohol dependence and PTSD were randomly assigned to receive sertraline (150 mg/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Post hoc cluster analysis of baseline characteristics was used to define subgroups of participants. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in alcohol use during the trial in both the sertraline and the placebo groups. Cluster analysis revealed significant medication group by cluster interactions for alcohol-related outcomes. Sertraline-treated participants with less severe alcohol dependence and early-onset PTSD had significantly fewer drinks per drinking day (p < 0.001). For participants with more severe alcohol dependence and later onset PTSD, the placebo group had significantly greater decreases in drinks per drinking day (p < 0.01) and average number of drinks consumed per day (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There may be subtypes of alcohol-dependent individuals who respond differently to serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Further investigation of differential responders may lead to improvements in the pharmacological treatment of co-occurring alcohol dependence and PTSD.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism/complications , Alcoholism/drug therapy , Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Sertraline/therapeutic use , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/complications , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/drug therapy , Adult , Cluster Analysis , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Treatment Outcome
14.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 28(2): 302-12, 2004 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15112938

ABSTRACT

This article represents the proceedings of a symposium at the 2003 annual meeting RSA in Fort Lauderdale, FL. It was organized and cochaired by Charlene E. Le Fauve and Carrie L. Randall. The presentations were (1) Introduction, by Charlene E. Le Fauve and Raye Z. Litten; (2) Treatment of co-occurring alcohol use and anxiety disorders, by Carrie L. Randall and Sarah W. Book; (3) Pharmacological treatment of alcohol dependent patients with comorbid depression, by Darlene H. Moak; (4) Efficacy of valproate in bipolar alcoholics: a double blind, placebo-controlled study, by Ihsan M. Salloum, Jack R. Cornelius, Dennis C. Daley, Levent Kirisci, Johnathan Himmelhoch, and Michael E. Thase; (5) Alcoholism and schizophrenia: effects of antipsychotics, by Alan I. Green, Robert E. Drake, Suzannah V. Zimmet, Rael D. Strous, Melinda Salomon, and Mark Brenner; and (6) Conclusions, by Charlene E. Le Fauve; discussant, Raye Z. Litten. Alcohol-dependent individuals have exceptionally high rates of co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Although this population is more likely to seek alcoholism treatment than noncomorbid alcoholics, the prognosis for treatment is often poor, particularly among patients with more severe psychiatric illnesses. Development of effective interventions to treat this population is in the early stages of research. Although the interaction between the psychiatric condition and alcoholism is complex, progress has been made. The NIAAA has supported a number of state-of-the-art pharmacological and behavioral trials in a variety of comorbid psychiatric disorders. Some of these trials have been completed and are presented here. The symposium presented some new research findings from clinical studies with the aim of facilitating the development of treatments that improve alcohol and psychiatric outcomes among individuals with alcohol-use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. The panel focused on social anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism/drug therapy , Alcoholism/psychology , Mental Disorders/drug therapy , Mental Disorders/psychology , Alcoholism/epidemiology , Animals , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Comorbidity , Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry)/methods , Humans , Mental Disorders/epidemiology , Societies, Medical , United States , Valproic Acid/therapeutic use
15.
Psychol Addict Behav ; 18(4): 374-80, 2004 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15631610

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the sensitivity of the emotional Stroop test for identifying individuals who reported drinking to cope with social fears. Community volunteers completed a modified Stroop task during which social threat, alcohol-related, and control words were presented. High scores on drinking-to-cope measures were hypothesized to be associated with longer response latencies to both social threat and alcohol-related words. Consistent with previous studies, alcohol dependence was correlated with latencies for alcohol-related words, and level of social anxiety was correlated with response latency to social threat words. As expected, drinking-to-cope measures predicted response latency to alcohol-related and social threat words. These results suggest that the emotional Stroop test is useful in studying the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol consumption.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Anxiety/psychology , Attention , Social Behavior , Adult , Cognition , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Psychological Tests , Semantics
16.
Alcohol Clin Exp Res ; 27(12): 1937-43, 2003 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-14691381

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Several hypotheses exist to account for the higher than normal rate of alcoholism in individuals with high trait anxiety (or anxiety disorders). Most of these suggest that the practice of drinking alcohol to reduce anxiety leads to an increased risk of alcoholism in vulnerable individuals. The first assumption of the hypothesis is that anxious individuals use alcohol to cope with their anxiety. Few studies have examined this issue systematically, and none have used a nonanxious matched control group. METHODS: Twenty-three individuals with high social anxiety and 23 nonsocially anxious matched controls were included in the study. Groups were similar on demographic variables and alcohol use. All participants were queried regarding the use of alcohol to cope, the practice of avoiding social situations if alcohol was not available, and the degree of relief attained by alcohol. Participants also were asked about using alcohol in 11 specific situations. RESULTS: The socially anxious group was significantly more likely than controls to report using alcohol to feel more comfortable in social situations and to avoid social situations if alcohol was unavailable. They also reported a greater degree of relief of anxiety from alcohol. Exploratory analyses revealed that socially anxious individuals reported using alcohol more to cope with social interactions than with social performance situations. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals high in social anxiety deliberately drink alcohol to cope with their social fears. They report that alcohol is moderately effective at reducing their anxiety, which is seemingly sufficient to allow them to endure social situations. The data support the first assumption of the self-medication hypothesis-that alcohol is used to reduce social discomfort in socially anxious individuals; however, the study was not designed to address the veracity of the self-medication hypothesis as a whole. Results can help guide future studies that examine the relationship between social anxiety and alcohol.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Social Behavior , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Chi-Square Distribution , Female , Humans , Male
17.
Am J Addict ; 12(5): 412-23, 2003.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-14660155

ABSTRACT

This study investigated gender differences in a sample of outpatient, treatment-seeking individuals (N=84) with comorbid alcohol dependence and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Assessments included substance use severity, trauma history, PTSD symptomatology, and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Men reported an earlier age of onset of alcohol dependence, greater alcohol use intensity and craving, and more severe legal problems due to alcohol use. Women reported greater exposure to sexually related traumas, greater frequency and intensity of avoidance of trauma-related thoughts and feelings, and greater social impairment due to PTSD. Women were more likely than men to demonstrate higher rates of other anxiety disorders and test positive for cocaine at treatment entry. PTSD more often preceded alcohol dependence in women than in men. The results illustrate a number of gender differences that may shed light on etiologic models of comorbid alcohol dependence and PTSD.


Subject(s)
Alcoholism/epidemiology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Adult , Alcoholism/psychology , Alcoholism/rehabilitation , Ambulatory Care , Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation/therapeutic use , Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/rehabilitation , Cocaine-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Cocaine-Related Disorders/psychology , Cocaine-Related Disorders/rehabilitation , Comorbidity , Defense Mechanisms , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Sertraline/therapeutic use , Sex Factors , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/rehabilitation
18.
Addict Behav ; 28(2): 269-84, 2003 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12573678

ABSTRACT

It is well documented that many individuals endorse the belief that alcohol reduces social anxiety. Individuals with social phobia, therefore, might be expected to use alcohol as a coping strategy in an attempt at self-medication. The purpose of the present paper was to review the published literature on the relationship between alcohol use and social phobia to test the self-medication hypothesis (SMH). Support for one aspect of the SMH was found; individuals with social phobia use alcohol to reduce anxiety. Support for the second premise, that alcohol actually reduces social anxiety, was less conclusive.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Alcoholism/psychology , Phobic Disorders/psychology , Self Medication/psychology , Adaptation, Psychological , Forecasting , Humans , Phobic Disorders/prevention & control , Research
19.
J Natl Med Assoc ; 94(10): 879-87, 2002 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12408692

ABSTRACT

The A-OCDS was modeled after the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) to establish an instrument appropriate for use in adolescent/young adult populations. Initial exploratory analysis of the A-OCDS revealed two factors, namely "irresistibility" and "interference," which were specific and sensitive to identifying problematic drinking. The study objective was to administer the A-OCDS to obtain data for confirmatory analyses regarding the dimensionality of the scale, its reliability and its sensitivity and specificity in identifying problem drinkers. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the two previously identified factors. Using logistic regression to predict drinking classifications, the predictive value of the subscale scores for predicting problem drinking was statistically significant (irresistibility p = 0.0001, and interference p = 0.0001). We concluded that the A-OCDS was confirmed as a scale for identifying certain dimensions of "craving" and problematic drinking in adolescents/young adults. This scale may be useful as a screening tool, as well as monitoring change over time.


Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/diagnosis , Surveys and Questionnaires/standards , Adolescent , Adult , Behavior, Addictive , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Female , Humans , Logistic Models , Male , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Sensitivity and Specificity
20.
Exp Clin Psychopharmacol ; 10(3): 276-85, 2002 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12233988

ABSTRACT

Studies investigating carbamazepine (CBZ) in the treatment of cocaine dependence have been inconsistent. In this study, cocaine-dependent individuals with (n = 57) and without (n = 82) affective disorder were compared in a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Urine drug screens (UDS) and self-report of drug use were collected weekly. Affective symptoms were measured monthly. Subjects receiving CBZ attended more medication sessions (p = .03). The CBZ-treated affective group had a trend toward fewer cocaine-positive UDS (p = .08) and a significantly longer time to first cocaine use (p = .06). CBZ treatment did not have any impact on cocaine use in individuals without affective disorders.


Subject(s)
Anticonvulsants/therapeutic use , Carbamazepine/therapeutic use , Cocaine-Related Disorders/drug therapy , Mood Disorders/drug therapy , Adolescent , Adult , Cocaine-Related Disorders/psychology , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Mood Disorders/psychology , Psychiatric Status Rating Scales , Survival Analysis
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