FAMILY HISTORY OF ALCOHOLISM IN WOMEN WITH GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER WHO HAVE PREMENSTRUAL-SYNDROME - PATIENT REPORTS OF PREMENSTRUAL ALCOHOL-CONSUMPTION AND SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY

This study sought to determine whether family history of alcoholism is related to patient reports of premenstrual alcohol consumption and wh ether family history of alcoholism is related to severity of anxiety-r elated symptoms, in women who suffer simultaneously from both premenst rual syndrome and generalized anxiety disorder. Fifty-four women with generalized anxiety disorder and prospectively demonstrated premenstru al syndrome were questioned about family history of alcoholism and alc ohol consumption patterns across the menstrual cycle. Seventy six perc ent of the sample reported having an alcoholic first- or second-degree relative. Furthermore, 74% of those women having a paternal side fami ly history of alcoholism, but only 22% of those without such a family history, reported increased alcohol consumption premenstrually. Forty- one of these women were assessed by means of psychiatric rating scales during both the premenstrual and follicular phases of the menstrual c ycle. During the premenstrual, but not the follicular, phase of the me nstrual cycle, women with a paternal-side family history of alcoholism experienced more severe anxiety-related somatic, but not psychic, sym ptoms of anxiety, than those without such a family history. These find ings suggest that family history of alcoholism may be related to preme nstrual alcohol consumption patterns and to the severity of premenstru ally experienced somatic symptoms of anxiety in women with premenstrua l syndrome, and that these women may be self-medicating with alcohol.