PTSD is a psychological disease that develops as a result of a reaction to a traumatic stimulus that is thought to endanger one’s life. Alcohol/Drug dependency is the use of legal substances such as alcohol or drugs in a way that is again undesirable by the body. From the gathered literature, more authors have suggested that PTSD is directly related to substance abuse. Alcohol and drugs also emerged as an escape many of the PTSD victims used to address their memories and actual experiences of trauma. But, when PTSD exists, it contributes to the worsening of the symptoms of substance abuse. It can guarantee that the victim will never bury the hatchet on the traumatized event that led to the effect on him or her.
In this article, the author offers the reader information on the correlation between PTSD and addiction, defining both conditions and the basic knowledge of why these disorders go hand in hand. There are treatment options that can provide PTSD and drug dependence to complement each other in treatment. Knowledge of this relation is useful for the enhancement of care.
Understanding PTSD
PTSD is what you get once you go through a traumatic event. Possible causing factors of PTSD symptoms may be attributed to several other traumatic circumstances that may, among other things, include combat status, physical or sexual abuse during childhood or adulthood, rape, violence, or even nature calamities. The identified risk factors that increase PTSD development include the prior trauma experience, the prior diagnosed anxiety disorder, and the absence of social support.
The main symptoms of PTSD fall into four categories:
- Reliving the event through intrusive thoughts, nightmares, or flashbacks
- Avoiding reminders of the trauma
- Negative changes in thinking and mood, like depression, anxiety, or distorted feelings like guilt
- Feeling on edge, having difficulty sleeping or concentrating
It is estimated that about 8 out of every 100 people have experienced PTSD at some point. Rates are higher for combat veterans and people who have suffered repeated traumas.
PTSD for Various Reasons
The table below shows the percentage of people estimated to develop PTSD after different trauma types:
| Group | PTSD Rate |
| General population | 8% |
| Veterans | 11-30% |
| Adult survivors of childhood abuse | 25% |
| Sexual assault victims | 94% |
Understanding Substance Abuse and Addiction
Society will come across individuals who suffer from PTSD and, at the same time, are also addicts. PTSD develops after the event has taken place. Substance use and trauma disorders include not only opioid addiction and substance abuse but also PTSD.
There are several types of substances that those with PTSD commonly abuse, including:
- Alcohol
- Marijuana
- Prescription opioids like OxyContin and Vicodin
- Illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine
The signs and symptoms of addiction may include:
- Strong cravings for the substance
- Continuing to use despite negative consequences
- Issues with work, relationships, health, or the law
- Building up a tolerance and needing more of the substance to get the same effect
The table below shows the percentage of people with PTSD substance abuse or addiction disorder:
| Substance | % with Comorbid Substance Abuse/Addiction Disorder |
| Alcohol | 30-50% |
| Marijuana | 34-36% |
| Cocaine | 25% |
Alcohol and drugs are a way to try to control the symptoms of PTSD for many individuals. However, PTSD symptoms might worsen if the sufferer is involved in substance abuse. This indicates that when the patients take the two conditions together, the result is much better. It is easier for several individuals to find the focus on recovery once the link between substance abuse and PTSD is well understood.
The Link Between PTSD and Substance Abuse
Some people exposed to a traumatic event may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, abbreviated as PTSD. Subsequently, patients suffering from trauma can use drugs or alcohol in order to deal with negative feelings or thoughts. This may develop a cycle of treatment for PTSD and substance abuse disorders consistently. Research shows several reasons why trauma and addiction often go hand-in-hand
Coping Mechanisms
After the trauma, many will turn to drugs and alcohol to help them not think about the events. Some of these substances can reduce consciousness of emotional discomfort in the short run. But, at the same time, they also hinder such useful working through traumatic memories.
Self-Medication Hypothesis
PTSD patients use substances to self-medicate and avoid painful affectivity, to manage arousal after being triggered, or to sleep. They attempt to treat PTSD manifestations such as nightmares, anxiety, and flashbacks with substances consumed independently or self-administered. But this regularly boomerangs, and that only makes their issues worse in the end.
Avoidance Behaviors
Those with PTSD go out of their way to avoid reminders of their trauma. Substances allow trauma victims to detach from reality so triggers impact them less. Unfortunately, substance abuse usually worsens PTSD over time.
Brain Chemistry Changes
Certain changes in the brain circuits and levels of Brain-derived neurotrophic factors cause post-traumatic stress disorder, which has links with addiction. Most of the patients who suffer from PTSD and addiction disorder also show differences in their dopamine reward circuits. Neural pathways and neurotransmitters that are traumatized may make a person vulnerable to substance dependence. The amygdala and prefrontal cortex show changes in both disorders. Levels of dopamine, endorphins, and stress hormones also get disrupted. More research is exploring the brain-based correlations between PTSD and addictive behaviors.
Genetic Factors
Research shows that shared genetic risk underlies both PTSD and drug addiction. There may be an overlap in the genes that make people vulnerable to both disorders.
Therefore, based on GOT, complex PTSD and addiction cause integrative changes in coping, behavior, neuromodulation, and neurochemistry that support substance abuse and addiction. In turn, drug or alcohol abuse, as a rule, intensifies the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. As this paper has quite clearly outlined, intervention that is dual, meaning that both conditions are addressed, is a favorable way to promote better recovery.
Treatment for PTSD and Substance Abuse
One can presume that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is tightly connected with cases of substance use or substance dependence. PTSD symptoms and substance dependence or abuse are more likely to occur in people with a past trauma history. Symptoms of PTSD can worsen symptoms of addiction and vice versa, and this worsens treatment in case of diagnosis.
The antecedent research studies have found that different treatments can be effective for persons suffering from PTSD and substance use disorders. Studies have also identified distinct treatment processes for PTSD and addiction; instead, the Integrated treatment model recognizes both disorders simultaneously.
Cognitive-behavioral therapies work to change the way trauma memories are processed as well as coping with PTSD symptoms that can activate substance use. Common therapies include:
- Cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
- Medications like antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs may also help manage symptoms.
- Support groups and peer counseling from others recovering from similar trauma and addiction provide empathy, encouragement, and accountability.
While combined treatment is most effective, it also poses challenges:
| Challenges | Description |
| Dual-diagnosis complexities | PTSD and addiction symptoms can interact and exacerbate one another, making treatment more difficult |
| Relapse risks | Trauma memories and symptoms can trigger relapse into drug or alcohol addiction |
| Access to care issues | Integrated dual diagnosis PTSD and substance abuse programs are limited, and people may need referrals to multiple providers |
Summing up, trauma and PTSS are also connected to increased danger of developing addiction. One of the best strategies of handling people with PTSD with substance abuse disorder is through the dual diagnosis approach.
Prevention Strategies
Depending on substance use is common in people with PTSD since they use drugs or alcohol to manage the symptoms. This can lead them to opioid addiction and other related substance abuse disorders. Researchers have identified several strategies to address this link:
- It also found that if people receive treatment in the aftermath of a trauma, they can stave off both PTSD and subsequent problems with addiction. Perhaps receiving counseling and support services immediately when such incidents happen can reduce the chances of developing long-term PTSD.
- Awareness and educational programs may provide participants with information that will allow them to prevent substance addiction and learn correct ways of how to treat it, in case if necessary. These programs may be aimed either at drug abusers or at those who have PTSD.
Regular screening and assessment tools can identify PTSD and addiction issues early on. This enables patients to receive the necessary assistance before their problems worsen.
Conclusion
Substance addiction problems and post-traumatic stress disorder are generally linked. According to Traylin, people with PTSD tend to use drugs or alcohol to deal with the symptoms that they are experiencing. PTSD and addiction positively reinforce each other so that symptoms of both disorders escalate as time passes. Thankfully, there are successfully integrated therapy techniques that address both drug misuse and PTSD simultaneously. These treatments involve therapy for trauma and coping strategies to prevent relapse.