The Source Addiction Treatment Center Helps Raise Awareness of PTSD and Substance Abuse During PTSD Awareness Month

Fort Lauderdale, FL - In light of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month, which is observed every year in June, The Source Addiction Treatment Center published an article to help raise public awareness about the connection between substance abuse and PTSD.

PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that results from witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event or series of events such as combat, abuse, rape, or natural disaster. It’s estimated that 70% of Americans will experience a traumatic event at some point in their life, and 20% of those people will develop PTSD as a result. The US Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that there are 8 million people currently living with PTSD, roughly 3.5% of the US population. PTSD may present differently in each person and symptoms experienced may vary as well.

PTSD symptoms can include flashbacks of the traumatic event, nightmares or difficulty sleeping, loss of interest in hobbies, feeling guilt or shame in regards to the traumatic event, mood swings, and difficulty recalling facts about the event.

As with any mental health condition, PTSD significantly increases the risk of addiction to drugs and alcohol. Studies have shown that 46% of those with PTSD also suffer from substance use disorder. This is partly because the areas of the brain responsible for pleasure and decision-making are impaired by both substance use and trauma. PTSD can also be a result of chronic substance abuse because the unsafe situations that often accompany seeking and using drugs increase the likelihood of traumatic experiences. The symptoms of PTSD can be extremely challenging to cope with and for many, alcohol and drug use is a means of self-medicating. Having both a mental health condition and substance use disorder is called a dual diagnosis and it requires specialized treatment that targets both conditions to achieve the most success in recovery.

The best treatments for substance abuse and PTSD are trauma-informed ones that treat the root causes of the conditions. Examples of effective trauma therapies include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Rapid Resolution Therapy (RRT), and Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR). Each of these therapies has been shown to relieve symptoms of PTSD and allow for maximum healing to occur. When trauma is explored and addressed as part of comprehensive addiction treatment, lasting fundamental healing can take place in a person’s life.

For more information about PTSD or to learn how The Source can help a loved one’s journey to recovery, call (800) 204-0418 anytime 24/7 or visit www.thesourcetreatmentcenter.com.

Link to blog:

https://www.thesourcetreatmentcenter.com/blog/16-signs-of-ptsd-related-alcohol-and-drug-abuse/