Motivational interviewing-based interventions with patients with comorbid anxiety and substance use disorders

Individuals with substance misuse and substance use disorder (SUD) experience especially high rates of elevated anxiety, including anxiety disorders, and the co-occurrence of these conditions is related to worse treatment outcomes. Given that these patients may have little motivation to change their substance misuse if they use substances to cope with their chronically elevated anxiety, interventions that include components that target motivation may be especially useful. Thus, this paper reviews the recent extant literature on treatments developed specifically for these high-risk patients that include motivational interviewing (MI) techniques to increase motivation for behavioral change. Results indicate that two modalities have been tested – in-person therapies and online interventions. The majority use MI techniques to change substance use and some to change anxiety-related behaviors. The majority also incorporate cognitive-behavioral skills to manage substance use and anxiety. Data indicate that MI techniques can be administered in-person and online to decrease substance misuse and anxiety among patients with elevated anxiety and substance misuse.