Abstract
Objective: To identify the prevalence of anxiety disorders among substance users at a Psychosocial Care Center for alcohol and drugs (CAPSad), with an emphasis on the severity of dependence. Methods: Cross sectional study with 60 users of a CAPSad. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to assess the prevalence of anxiety disorders and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) scale to assess the severity of addiction. Descriptive statistics and comparison tests were performed (p <0.05). The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results: The participants were mostly men, with an average age of 38 years. Most of them identified cocaine/crack as the main substance that motivated them to seek treatment. The prevalence of current anxiety disorders was 50%, with panic and generalized anxiety disorders being the most prevalent with 31.7% and 28.3% respectively. Participants with anxiety disorders showed greater severity of dependency, especially in the psychiatric, alcohol and family social problems. Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety disorders is high in users of substances being treated and is related to greater severity of dependence. Studies are needed to enable a more detailed analysis of this type of comorbidity.