Panic disorder or social phobia: which is worse?

Twenty-eight patients with panic disorder (PD) and 30 with social phobia (SP) were compared on demographic and psychopathology measures. The demographic comparisons showed that, although people with SP were better educated, they were more likely to be single, living alone, and unemployed. The comparisons of psychopathology showed that the proportion of people with PD and SP with a life time major affective disorder did not differ, nor did the two groups differ on the proportion of Ss reporting past suicide attempts. However, a greater proportion of patients with SP had Brief Michigan Alcohol Screening Test scores above 5, indicating alcohol abuse problems. The implications of these findings are discussed.