Is a veteran with anxiety disorder more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol?

There appears to be a strong link between substance abuse and anxiety disorders. Twenty percent of Americans with anxiety disorders also have substance abuse problems, and vice versa. Alcoholism in women has been associated with panic disorder in particular. If you are a veteran with anxiety disorder, you will find that alcohol use makes your symptoms worse, and, conversely, having anxiety disorder may make you want to drink more to relieve the anxiety. It is not always clear in individual patients who have both substance abuse and anxiety problems which condition came first.

Some people who experience anxiety often attempt to relieve their symptoms through the use of alcohol or other drugs. This is often called "self-medicating."  If, while using drugs and/or alcohol you experience relief of anxiety or related symptoms, the use of the drugs and/or alcohol may be reinforced. This essentially results in a vicious cycle, which often leads to increased anxiety.