PTSD stands for post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD and substance abuse can become common. This is a psychiatric disorder that can occur when a person experiences a traumatic event. This can be an event, a terrorist act, natural disaster, serious accident, war, etc. PTSD has been called many different things, depending on the event. For example, it has been called shell shock during world war 1 and combat fatigue after world war 2. Contrary to popular belief, this disorder does not only affect veterans. It occurs in all people. Women are also more likely to suffer from PTSD than men.
Those that suffer from this disorder experience intense thoughts and feelings related to the event. They may relive the event through dreams or flashbacks. They tend to feel sadness, anger, and fear. Feeling detached and estranged from family or friends is normal. People with PTSD will like to avoid situations and people that remind them of the event. Strong emotional reactions to things that seem normal, like noise or being touched, are also common. If you or someone you care about is experiencing PTSD then please reach out to us at 706-480-8733. Our trained professionals will be able to guide you to a happier and healthier life.
PTSD can be a scary concept. If you or someone you love is suffering, do not hesitate. Contact our specialists today and start getting the treatment you need.
To diagnose PTSD, the patient has to have gone through an upsetting, traumatic event. But, this exposure does not have to be first hand. It can be indirect. Good examples of this are violent deaths of a close family member. Or how a police officer can get repeated exposure from seeing details of many violent crimes. Symptoms of PTSD usually fall into four categories.
For a person to be diagnosed with PTSD, these symptoms discussed above have to last for over a month. In most cases, the symptoms last years. Most symptoms begin to develop within the first three months of the trauma. The symptoms of PTSD causes significant distress or having problems functioning through the day. Post-traumatic stress disorder usually comes along with depression, substance abuse, memory problems, and more.
Another common related condition is an acute stress disorder. This is a reaction to a traumatic event, but the symptoms only occur within the first month of the event. These patients may also relive the trauma, have flashbacks and nightmares. These symptoms can bring a patient distress and cause problems in daily life. People that get acute stress disorder often get PTSD later in life. But they can take certain medications to help them, like SSRI antidepressants. You can also do cognitive therapy or psychotherapy. These are PTSD and substance abuse treatments available to you and for trauma and substance abuse.
There is also an adjustment disorder where there are specific stressors that can set people off. This disorder happens when a stressful life event occurs. That event causes the person to experience emotional and behavioral responses to their stressors. Their reactions are usually more extreme than what is generally expected. Symptoms may include feeling sad or hopeless, tense, withdrawing from people, and activities. They may also be impulsive or show tremors, palpitations, and headaches. There are PTSD and substance abuse treatments available to help with this disorder as well. It helps with most of the symptoms that come. These symptoms will begin to show within the first three months of the stressful event. However, they don’t last longer than six months. This disorder is usually treated with psychotherapy.
Mental health professionals use several different research-proven methods when treating PTSD. Talk therapy and medication have proven to be effective for PTSD and substance abuse treatment. A category of psychotherapy, called cognitive behavior therapy is also beneficial. There are a few types of CBT that are used to help, for instance:
SUD stands for Substance Use Disorder. It is not uncommon for those that suffer from PTSD to begin using substances. These substances include drinking heavily, using drugs, or smoking too much. The overuse of such substances can lead to a SUD. When a patient suffers from both PTSD and SUD they need to be treated for both. Treating these two disorders together has been very successful for patients.
There is a strong link between being exposed to traumatic events and substance abuse problems. It is common for people that have experienced something traumatic, like child abuse, criminal attack, and disasters, to turn to substances to help them cope. This is a coping mechanism because they suffer from a large amount of emotional pain. Traumatized people are more likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs before and after being diagnosed with PTSD. This can be for PTSD and addiction or PTSD and substance abuse. People who experience trauma are more likely to go through PTSD, for instance:
- One-quarter to three-quarters of people who have survived abusive or violent traumatic experiences report problematic alcohol use.
- One-tenth to one-third of people who survive the accident-, illness-, or disaster-related trauma report problematic alcohol use, especially if troubled by persistent health problems or pain.
- Up to 80% of Vietnam veterans seeking PTSD treatment have alcohol use disorders.
- Veterans over the age of 65 with PTSD are at increased risk for attempted suicide if they experience problematic alcohol use or depression.
- Women exposed to traumatic life events show an increased risk for an alcohol use disorder.
- Men and women reporting sexual abuse have higher alcohol and drug use disorders than other men and women.
- Compared to adolescents who have not been sexually assaulted, adolescent sexual assault victims are 4.5 times more likely to experience alcohol abuse or dependence. Four times more likely to experience marijuana abuse or addiction and nine times more likely to experience hard drug abuse or dependence.
- Adolescents with PTSD are four times more likely than adolescents without PTSD to experience alcohol abuse or dependence, six times more likely to experience marijuana abuse or addiction, and nine times more likely to experience hard drug abuse or dependence.
Veterans and substance abuse can be expected if they have PTSD. Those that suffer from SUDS usually meet the requirements for co-occurring mental health disorders. This means they suffer from more than one mental health disorder at one time. Veterans commonly have PTSD, SUDS, depression, and or anxiety.
Not everyone that goes through a traumatic event gets post-traumatic stress disorder. Some may not even require psychiatric treatment. This is because symptoms of PTSD may lessen or disappear over time. Others find different recovery tools that work for them, like depending on their family members for support. However, many people who have PTSD do need professional help to get better from psychological distress. The earlier a person receives treatment, the more likely of a positive outcome.
Substance abuse is the harmful or hazardous use of different substances. This includes alcohol, illegal drugs, and legal drugs. Overusing these substances can cause a person to get dependence syndrome. This is a syndrome where the patient suffers from behavioral, cognitive, and physiological issues. These problems develop after repeated use of substances. It also includes an extreme craving for whichever substance used, despite the harmful risks it gives.
Many people have post-traumatic stress disorder, and a lot suffer from substance abuse. One is a disorder, and the other is a disease. They can go hand in hand because using drugs is an escape- it is a coping mechanism. Those who suffer from a traumatic event are looking to feel better, a way to not suffer. Which is what leads them to take drugs, maybe drink a glass of wine to take the edge off. Eventually, you’ll have to take more to get the same effect that you desire, but that can lead to addiction.
To summarize, turning to substance use is not a healthy coping mechanism. It will work for a time, but it creates problems on its own in addition to what is hurting. It is important to remember that when you are recovering to keep going to therapy. Therapy helps you to build healthier and longer-lasting coping mechanisms. Those tasks can and will help you in recovery. However, if you have more questions or concerns for yourself or a loved one, please contact us at 706-480-8733
Written by Alexis Miller
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