Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction
A Comprehensive Guide
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction
A Comprehensive Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction
Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can happen to anyone at any age. The National Center for PTSD reports: 1
Approximately 7 to 8 of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lifetimes.
About 3.6% of Americans had PTSD in the past year.
Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men.
Other research studies report that:2
People with PTSD often also have substance use problems requiring treatment at a rehab facility.
What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
PTSD is the reaction a person has to a highly stressful event. Not everyone who is exposed to a traumatic event develops post traumatic stress disorder. Approximately 50% of adult Americans will face at least one traumatic event in their lives, but most do not then get PTSD.3
People who experience post traumatic stress disorder may have recurring scary thoughts and memories of the event. It’s normal to feel scared or shocked during and after a frightening, stressful experience. These reactions are part of our natural “fight-or-flight” response to danger. Fear creates many rapid responses in our bodies so we can defend ourselves or avoid the threat.
Most people will experience a range of reactions after trauma, but most recover on their own. The symptoms fade naturally. But there are those individuals whose symptoms persist. They may be diagnosed with PTSD. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened, even when they are not in danger.PTSD
PTSD Risk and Resilience Factors
Risk factors for PTSD stress disorder include:
Surviving frightening and dangerous traumas
Getting injured
Seeing people get injured or die
Childhood trauma
Feeling helplessness, horror, or extreme fear
Little or no social support after the event
Added stress after the trauma (pain, injuries, losing a loved one, job loss, losing a home)
A history of mental health illness or substance misuse/abuse
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Resilience Factors
Reaching out for help and support from friends and family
Going to support group meetings after the trauma
Learning how to feel good about one's actions during the traumatic event
Developing ways of dealing with the traumatic event
Learning from the trauma
Being able to act and respond in positive ways despite experiencing trauma-related fear
Common Causes of PTSD
Generally, events that cause post traumatic stress disorder include, but are not limited to:
Combat
Violent personal assaults
Natural or human-caused disasters
Other types of violence
Combat and PTSD
War is a highly stressful and dangerous experience. The stress of trying to survive mortal danger creates tremendous pressure. The shock and horror of the injuries and death war causes can stick with a person long after the war ends.
In the past, PTSD in war veterans was called shell-shock or battle fatigue. After the Vietnam war, “post-Vietnam syndrome” was the term used. It’s estimated that about 700,000 Vietnam veterans (about 25%) have needed help for problems related to combat exposure.4
Depression is the most common mental health issue along with PTSD found in military veterans.4 Major depression is 3 to 5 times more likely to develop in vets with post traumatic stress disorder than those without PTSD.4 Anxiety and substance abuse issues are also commonly seen co-occurring conditions in military veterans that have PTSD.4
Violent Personal Assaults
Violent assaults upon people, including sexual assaults, can lead to PTSD. Sexual assault is defined as when sexual contact is made without voluntary consent. It is an act that violates a person’s sense of control and choice. Violent attacks that are life-threatening, involve major force or result in physical injuries may lead to post traumatic stress disorder.
Accidents
Motor vehicle accidents and other mishaps that shock or cause injury can lead to PTSD. Many victims of serious motor vehicle accidents experience violent, unexpected impacts, and sudden pain. Fear of the wreck’s results on the driver and the passengers during the episode is also stressful. These taken together can create such a high level of trauma that PTSD can be the result for some.
Natural or Human-Caused Disasters
Natural and human-made disasters can lead to many different mental and physical effects. Post traumatic stress disorder is a common post-disaster disorder. Disasters like:
Earthquakes
Hurricanes
Tornadoes
Wildfires
Landslides
Floods
Terrorist attacks
All those disasters can contribute to PTSD in the people who experience them. First responders and disaster workers who help victims are particularly vulnerable to PTSD. One study found that an average of 23% of these workers who responded to 9/11 suffered PTSD afterward.5
Signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
For a person to be diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder, they must experience the following for at least a month (after one month has passed since the trauma event):
- A minimum of one re-experiencing symptom
- A minimum of one avoidance symptom
- A minimum of two arousal and reactivity symptoms
- A minimum of two cognition and mood symptoms
Re-experiencing Symptoms
- Flashbacks where the person keeps reliving the trauma. Physical symptoms include rapid heartbeat or sweating
- Nightmares
- Frightening thoughts
Avoidance Symptoms
- Avoiding objects, events, or places that remind the person of the experience
- Pushing away trauma-related feelings or thoughts
Arousal and Reactivity Symptoms
- Can be easily startled
- Tenseness or feeling on edge
- Angry outbursts
- Sleep problems
- Feelings of detachment or numbness
- In more serious cases of PTSD, the person's ability to function at work, at home and socially is severely impaired
Cognition and Mood Symptoms
- Can't remember parts of the traumatic event
- Negative thoughts about oneself or the world
- Unfounded feelings of blame or guilt
- Loss of interest in pleasurable activities
- Feeling detached or alienated from loved ones
Physical Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Chronic pain
- Pain that leads to physical disability
- Nervous, endocrine and immune system stress
Trauma Symptoms in Children
Children and teens exposed to traumatic events can develop PTSD just like adults can. Children and teens exposed to the following are at risk of post traumatic stress disorder:
Violence
Crime
Disasters
War
Sexual abuse
Young people may exhibit symptoms differently from adults.
For children, re-experiencing symptoms can occur through play that repeats trauma-related stories as opposed to memories. Bad dreams may have general themes, rather than specific trauma-related themes.
In children ages 5 and under, these symptoms can include:
Bedwetting after being toilet-trained
Being unable to or forgetting how to speak
Acting out the frightening event repeatedly during play
Being clingy with parents or other adults
Children 6 years and older and teens typically show symptoms that are more like those seen in adults. They may also:
Become disrespectful, disruptive, or destructive
Experience guilt for not preventing injury or deaths
Having thoughts of revenge
Treatments For PTSD
Medications
For people with post traumatic stress disorder, the American Psychological Association recommends prescribing serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as:
Paxil
Prozac