Anxiety disorders. Relationships to other psychiatric illness

Considerable evidence suggests that patients with anxiety disorders have secondary depression, and somewhat less evidence suggests that secondary alcoholism is seen in anxiety disorder. Such illnesses as manic-depressive disorder, schizophrenia, and hysteria are likely to be associated with secondary anxiety syndromes. Considerable data support the idea that within families of anxiety disorder patients alcoholism is seen more frequently than would be expected by chance and that within families of alcoholics anxiety disorders are seen more frequently than would be expected by chance. These findings suggest a difference in expressivity for the same familial propensity.