Patients with anxiety disorders who are being treated for alcohol dependence are vulnerable to relapse in the first 3 months of treatment, according to Dr. Arnt F.A. Schellekens and his associates.
Of 41 patients who relapsed early in the study, 24 had an anxiety disorder. Patients who abstained from alcohol the entire year of the study were more likely to have stable relationships and have fewer legal issues than those who relapsed. No difference was found with respect to personality between those who abstained and those who relapsed.
Alcohol dependent patients with anxiety disorders might need additional medical and psychological attention when applying for detoxification in order to improve long-term outcomes, the researchers recommend.
Read the full article at European Psychiatry 2015;30:128-36 (dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2013.08.006).