Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder & Addiction
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition that develops after exposure to a traumatic event such as combat, sexual assault, a serious accident, natural disaster, or childhood abuse. PTSD is characterized by intrusive re-experiencing of the trauma through flashbacks and nightmares, persistent avoidance of reminders of the event, negative changes in thoughts and mood, and heightened states of arousal including hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, and chronic sleep disturbance.
The co-occurrence of PTSD and substance use disorders is strikingly common. Research consistently shows that individuals with PTSD use substances at rates far exceeding those of the general population. The self-medication hypothesis explains this relationship: substances temporarily dampen the distressing symptoms of PTSD, providing short-lived relief from intrusive memories, emotional numbness, and physiological hyperarousal. Alcohol suppresses the hyperactive stress response, opioids blunt emotional pain, benzodiazepines reduce hypervigilance, and stimulants counteract the emotional numbness and fatigue associated with PTSD.
However, substance use ultimately worsens PTSD by preventing the natural processing of traumatic memories, disrupting sleep, and impairing the neuroplasticity necessary for recovery. Withdrawal symptoms also mirror and amplify PTSD symptoms, making it nearly impossible to distinguish between the two without professional assessment. At Trust SoCal, our trauma-informed dual diagnosis program uses evidence-based treatments specifically designed for co-occurring PTSD and addiction, helping clients process traumatic experiences safely while developing healthy coping mechanisms that replace substance use.