PANIC DISORDER OR SOCIAL PHOBIA - WHICH IS WORSE

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