High rates of Alcoholism and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Posted by fredjoiners on March 11, 2007
Abstract of report; The present study investigates the prevalence of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of Polish alcohol dependent patients and examines the relationship between comorbid PTSD and alcohol use-related problems.
A total of 458 patients were recruited from randomly chosen clinical settings and were administered self-report measures of trauma exposure, PTSD symptomatology, and alcohol use-related problems.
From these 458 patients, 67% of the patients reported having experienced at least one criterion; a traumatic event, and 60% of them reported multiple traumas.
Approximately 25% of clients met the criteria for PTSD.
The only significant difference between the PTSD and non-PTSD alcoholics was abuse/dependence of other psychoactive substances.
However, patients reporting physical assaults committed by a non-stranger reported more frequent PTSD diagnosis, more extensive symptomatology, more conflicts with the law and more physical injuries due to drinking.
The findings of the study confirm the importance of assessing trauma and PTSD in alcohol dependent patients.
Małgorzata Dragan and Maria Lis-Turlejska. Prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder in alcohol dependent patients in Poland. Addictive Behaviors ,Volume 32, Issue 5 , May 2007, Pages 902-911
March 12, 2007 at 8:39 pm
This is an interesting study. My mother would probably meet criteria for PTSD (except she won’t go to see a psychiatrist or psychologist) and has had a drinking problem as long as I can remember.
I have been diagnosed with PTSD and I tend to avoid alcohol like the plague. I don’t like how it makes me feel. Plus, having a parent and two grandparents who had drinking problems doesn’t make me want to tempt the genetic fates.
What scares me is that recently my PTSD symptoms have escalated and I’ve been wanting to get drunk. Anything to make the pain go away. It’s something I’ll be discussing with my therapist next week.
March 13, 2007 at 12:28 am
Excellent idea to discuss this with your therapist KATM. One of the things people do to lessen symptoms is self medication with alcohol and/or other drugs.
In doing so this then may become a gateway to addiction or alcoholism. Because when drinking to ease emotional/spiritual problems one is actually drinking for the ‘effect’ without enjoying the good benefits of drinking.
It may also be a good idea to discuss this with a specialist alcohol therapist.
Let me know what happens.
June 9, 2008 at 8:48 am
Actually,in the modern world people are addicting to alcohol more than past.Equally to it increasing bad effects to the society from them.As some researches have revealed if somebody dare to do or say something in the normal status they used to drink alcohol and saying or doing what they could not in there normal life.
………
Thushara
Alcohol abuse affects millions.