Relationship between substance abuse and panic attacks

This study was done to determine the strength of association between substance abuse and panic states, including subsyndromal panic, its temporal relationship, and self-medication for panic using abusable substances. A community-based sample was screened for panic using DSM-III-R criteria. Panic and matched control groups participated in a structured interview concerning the presence of substance abuse, use of substances to treat panic symptoms, and the age-of-onset of panic and substance abuse. Of 97 individuals with panic, 39% had abused at least one substance. None of the panic disorder-subsyndromal panic differences reached significance. Only 10% of subjects reported using alcohol and 6% reported ever using illicit drugs to treat their panic. The majority (63%) of those abusing alcohol reported that alcohol use began prior to onset of panic, and the majority (59%) of those abusing illicit drugs reported that drug use began first. This study documents the panic-substance abuse relationship even in those with subsyndromal panic. Substance abuse began prior to onset of panic and substances were used to self-medicate for panic attacks by only a few subjects.