PANIC DISORDER AND ADDICTION - THE CLINICAL ISSUES OF COMORBIDITY

Panic disorder and addiction are occasionally comorbid-4.5% of addicte d patients have panic disorder, and 16% of panic disorder patients are comorbid for addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Despite these rela tively low rates of comorbidity, the treatment of these two disorders is commonly confounded by issues of comorbidity, as many physicians av oid using benzodiazepines to treat panic disorder out of inappropriate fear of addiction, and not a few physicians treat panic disorder thin king that they will thereby end comorbid addiction. Sound clinical pra ctice calls for clear identification of both panic disorder and addict ion and fully effective treatments of the diseases from which the pati ents suffer.