As chronic relapsing disorders, addictions seem to mirror the relatively enduring
characteristics of a personality disorder. Indeed, the two readily co-occur. In particular,
antisocial and borderline personality disorders (ASPD and BPD, respectively) and the
adult antisocial behavior syndrome (AABS) (which is ASPD minus a history of conduct
disorder) are frequent concomitants with addictions. Consistently, epidemiologic surveys
have linked these disorders, with the most recent specific to alcohol problems, the
National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions being illustrative.
In a U.S. representative sample of individuals with a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol
use disorders, ASPD was found in 10.4% of men and 6.6% of women, and AABS was found
in 30.3% of men and 26.4% of women (
1
). Regarding BPD, almost half the individuals with this diagnosis have been reported
to display an alcohol use disorder at some time in their life (
2
). Not only are these co-occurring disorders relatively prevalent but they also signify
increased severity and, in the case of BPD, increased risk for suicide. Greater comorbidity,
of course, exists for other addictions, particularly illegal drugs, but as alcohol
problems are the most prevalent, they are the primary focus of this commentary.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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References
- Antisocial behavioral syndromes and DSM-IV alcohol use disorders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007; 31: 814-828
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 14,
2007
Received:
June 8,
2007
Identification
Copyright
© 2007 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
