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Directional Effects of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders with Substance Use: a Review of Recent Prospective Research

  • Emotion and Addiction (K Morie, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Anxiety and depressive disorders are highly prevalent, frequently comorbid, and contribute to high rates of disability and death globally. They also commonly co-occur with substance use, including alcohol, cigarettes, and cannabis. Yet, the directionality for the onset and progression of these conditions is not fully understood. The present review highlights key findings from recent longitudinal studies on the prospective associations between anxiety and depressive disorders and the most commonly used substances (alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis). Additionally, this article reviews the potential of each condition to affect the outcome, course, and treatment of the other.

Recent Findings

The current literature remains mostly inconclusive on the temporal associations between anxiety and depressive disorders and substance use and reverse causality, with some studies supporting the self-medication hypothesis and other work supporting the substance-induced hypothesis or the shared-vulnerability hypothesis.

Summary

Future prospective work that utilizes sophisticated research designs to test proposed causality is crucial to inform treatment of comorbid anxiety/depressive disorders and substance use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, 3695 Cullen Blvd., Room 126 Heyne Building, Houston, TX, 77204, USA

    Lorra Garey, Hannah Olofsson, Tatyana Garza, Andrew H. Rogers, Brooke Y. Kauffman & Michael J. Zvolensky

  2. Department of Behavioral Science, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

  3. HEALTH Institute, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204, USA

    Michael J. Zvolensky

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  1. Lorra Garey
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Garey, L., Olofsson, H., Garza, T. et al. Directional Effects of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders with Substance Use: a Review of Recent Prospective Research. Curr Addict Rep 7, 344–355 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429-020-00321-z

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