Anxiety and alcohol

Anxiety is a common complaint that invariably complicates addictive illnesses. Estimates of co-morbid anxiety and alcohol disorders range from 20% to 50%, with men more likely to self-medicate anxiety than women (453, 454 and 455). Some investigators have also found increased rates of alcoholism in family members of patients with anxiety disorders (456, 457). Patients with alcohol or drug dependence show a tendency for development of panic disorder earlier, and it has been suggested that repeated alcohol withdrawal may be the trigger for panic attacks in susceptible individuals ( 458, 459). Finally, BZDs, the primary pharmacological treatment for these disorders, are themselves addictive and sometimes associated with anxiety syndromes, especially on their discontinuation ( 460). 

HT3A-R KO Channeling Nociception, Anxiety, and Alcohol Through the Most Unique of 5-HT-Rs... 

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