This study assessed differences in alcohol treatment-seeking, treatment settings and providers accessed, perceived unmet need for treatment and barriers to alcohol treatment among individuals with AUD with and without a comorbid mood or anxiety disorder. We found that individuals with AUD and a comorbid mood or anxiety disorder were more likely to seek alcohol treatment. This finding is consistent with past research [17, 33] and suggests that individuals with comorbid AUD and common mood or anxiety disorders may experience a more severe form of AUD, a possibility that is borne by the finding of a higher prevalence of alcohol dependence vs. abuse, comorbid non-alcohol drug use disorders and personality disorders in individuals with comorbid AUD and mood or anxiety disorder compared with the AUD group without such comorbidity.
