Substance Induced Anxiety Disorder - Types Of Anxiety Disorders: Mental Health

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Substance-induced anxiety disorder

The experience: A college student, age 20, goes to the university health center after suddenly developing anxiety symptoms. He has no family history of anxiety disorders or depression, and his grades are consistently good. Still, his anxiety symptoms are becoming intolerable.

The physician at the health center notices that the symptoms began just before finals. She asks if the young man has been taking any medication or illicit drugs. He admits that he took some of his friend's Ritalin, a prescription medication used for attention deficit disorder, to help him concentrate and stay awake. He also drank lots of coffee to keep him awake during all-night study sessions. The doctor recognizes that the medication and the caffeine, both stimulants, are causing his anxiety. She tells the student to avoid coffee and to stop taking his friend's, or anyone else's, medication. The young man's symptoms disappear in two days.

Symptoms: This form of anxiety disorder is defined by panic, nervousness, restlessness, and elevated heart rate and blood pressure caused by a medication, an illegal drug, a toxic chemical, or other substances.

Cause: Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, and over-the-counter diet aids and decongestants can provoke anxiety symptoms. So can many prescription drugs, including Ritalin, other stimulants such as amphetamines, and, less frequently, cardiovascular medications, corticosteroids, and anticonvulsants. Benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety, can actually cause it when they are overused or when they are stopped abruptly. Withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin, can also cause anxiety. Occasionally, taking tricyclic antidepressants and SSRIs can precipitate anxiety symptoms. In rare cases, heavy metals and other toxins can also cause an anxiety disorder; these include gasoline, paint, certain pesticides, and carbon monoxide.

Prevalence: There are few studies, but the incidence varies according to the substance used. We do know that substance abuse and anxiety often go hand in hand; about 18% of people with substance abuse disorders have at least one anxiety disorder.

Who's at risk: People taking drugs or who have been exposed to other substances known to induce anxiety symptoms can develop this problem.

Effective treatments: Stopping the use of these medications or avoiding exposure to these substances eliminates symptoms within a few days.

Last updated:	September 05, 2008