Psychological Defenses in Patients with Comorbid Panic Disorder and Alcoholism

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine psychological differences between various groups of patients with comorbid panic disorder and alcoholism (n = 214). We investigated the use of defense mechanisms by life style index of R. Plutchik. Patients of first group (who experienced there first panic attack during withdrawal of alcohol and then has stopped use of alcohol) significantly higher used projection, displacement and repression. Patients, who have originally suffered from panic attacks which they tried to release with the alcohol (second group), significantly higher used projection. Patients who experienced panic attacks only during ingestion of alcohol (third group), significantly higher used denial and repression. Patients with panic attacks during clinical remission of alcohol addiction, who used alcohol to weaken the panic symptoms, which resulted in the heavy alcoholism recurrence (fourth group), significantly higher used repression, projection and denial. So, there were differences between groups on preferred defense mechanisms. the results of the study can help in understanding the pathogenesis of comorbid panic disorder and alcoholism.

The study is supported by the President's grant ÌÊ-2670.