Improving the retention rate for residential treatment of substance abuse by sequential intervention for social anxiety.

酒精和其他药物的使用是一个重大的社会和医疗问题，估计每年给澳大利亚社会造成76亿美元的损失。心理健康障碍与非法药物使用增加和身体健康问题密切相关。社交焦虑（SAD）在出现药物和酒精使用障碍的个体中非常普遍。有证据表明，社交焦虑症状可能是促进药物过度使用的原因，并且可能是治疗保持率低和促进复发的一个特别有影响的因素。因此，关注改善焦虑和药物使用障碍共病患者的治疗结果，在国内和国际上都是一个相当重要的领域。

Alcohol and other drug use is a major social and medical problem, costing the Australian community an estimated $7.6 billion annually. Mental health disorders have been closely linked with increased illicit drug use and physical health problems. Social anxiety (SAD) is highly prevalent amongst individuals presenting with drug and alcohol use disorders. Evidence suggests that social anxiety symptoms may be responsible for promoting excessive drug use and may be a particularly influential factor in poor treatment retention rates and promoting relapse. Thus, the focus on improving treatment outcomes for individuals with comorbid anxiety and drug use disorders represents an area of considerable importance both nationally and internationally.