Anxiety and substance use disorders are prevalent and frequently co-occur, with prior evidence suggesting anxiety precedes and often predicts substance use disorders (SUD). In this study, researchers examined the prevalence of substance use in a follow-up study of the Child/Adolescent Anxiety Multimodal Study (CAMS), in which youth were randomized to medication, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), combination, or placebo for anxiety treatment. Participants were assessed annually over 4 years, starting on average 6.5 years after CAMS study. In all 4 follow-ups, the study participants had significantly lower rates of SUD than the overall population. In addition, alcohol use was significantly lower than the general population.

Read more: https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.13926