TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2014//
TI  - Influence of alcohol on social anxiety: An investigation of attentional, physiological and behavioral effects
JO  - Biological psychology
A1  - Stevens, Stephan
A1  - Cludius, Barbara
A1  - Bantin, Trisha
A1  - Hermann, Christiane
A1  - Gerlach, Alexander L.
SP  - 126
EP  - 133
VL  - 96
IS  - 
N2  - Social anxiety disorder and alcohol use disorders are highly comorbid. It remains unclear, however, if and how alcohol influences attentional processes and physical symptoms in social anxiety. In a balanced-placebo-design, high and normally socially anxious participants gave a speech while performing a task, which simultaneously measures internal and external attention. Only high anxious participants showed a preferential processing of external probes, which was eliminated by alcohol or the mere expectation of drinking alcohol. Furthermore, alcohol reduced facial blushing as well as self-reported social anxiety during public speaking. Decreases in anxiety were significantly associated with a reduction of the external focus in the high anxious group. Understanding alcohol as a substance influencing cognitive processes as well as physiological symptoms of anxiety further contributes to our understanding of alcohol use as a safety behavior in social anxiety disorder.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0301-0511
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2013.12.004
ID  - ref1
ER  -