Comorbidity of chronic tinnitus and mental disorders.

OBJECTIVE Complaining of psychiatric symptoms is more common among individuals suffering from tinnitus. The aim of this study is to determine the psychiatric diagnosis and symptoms of patients with chronic tinnitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four hundred patients with chronic tinnitus from the registry of Otorhinolaryngology Research Center of Rasoul General Hospital, Tehran, Iran were enrolled. The study instruments were Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, axis I psychiatric disorders, Tinnitus Handicap Index (THI) and Symptom Check List-90-Revised. RESULTS The lifetime and current psychiatric disorders among patients with chronic tinnitus were 60% and 55% respectively. Depressive and anxiety disorders were the most common type. Females with severe THI were 75.6% versus 63.9% in men. DISCUSSION The comorbidity of chronic tinnitus with depressive and anxiety disorders is more common. This may have treatment implication to alleviate the stress and dysfunction resulted from chronic tinnitus.