People living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face a higher likelihood of developing co-occurring substance use. Research has shown roughly a 50% prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) among people diagnosed with PTSD.
PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Although it’s often associated with combat veterans, it can affect anyone regardless of age, background, or profession. Estimates suggest that about one in eleven people will develop PTSD at some point, and women tend to be more susceptible than men.
PTSD symptoms can be severe — being easily startled, trouble concentrating, irritability or aggression, and overwhelming guilt, among others. To cope with this distress, some people turn to alcohol or drugs as a way to numb their symptoms, which can develop into co-occurring substance use over time.
Please note: Southern California Sunrise Recovery Center offers residential mental health treatment, including dual diagnosis care for stable co-occurring substance use. We do not provide detox or addiction (SUD) treatment, but if that’s what you need, our team can refer you to a trusted provider. Call (844) 563-2563 to talk through your options.
Treating the Whole Picture, Not Just One Piece
When a mental health condition and substance use occur together, treating them separately often leaves part of the story unaddressed. Our dual diagnosis program is designed to care for both at once, within a structured residential mental health setting. If you’re wondering whether integrated care is the right step for you or a loved one, we’re here to talk it through — call us anytime at (844) 563-2563.
Southern California Sunrise Recovery Center provides residential mental health and dual diagnosis care for stable co-occurring substance use. We don’t offer medical detox or supervision for active addiction, but we’re glad to refer you to a trusted provider.
Prevalence and Characteristics of PTSD and Substance Use
Trauma-related conditions are especially common among people who do not have access to support soon after a traumatic event. Experiencing or witnessing natural disasters, serious accidents, terrorism, assault, combat, and other threats of injury or death are all possible causes of PTSD.
Seeking therapy after trauma can help a person process what happened and begin to heal. Without that support, some people start to avoid anything that reminds them of the experience, long after the event itself. As PTSD takes hold, substances can become a coping mechanism to dampen difficult feelings — and substance use co-occurs in roughly half of people with PTSD.
While substances may seem to offer momentary relief, they tend to worsen a person’s underlying mental state. People living with both PTSD and substance use often experience more severe symptoms than they would with either condition alone, which may include greater risk of harm, more suicidal thoughts, and chronic health problems. Substance use can also deepen avoidance, and the longer treatment is delayed, the more entrenched symptoms can become.
Active treatment of PTSD — particularly through psychotherapy — helps people process traumatic events by working through their thoughts and feelings. Alcohol and drug use tends to work against this, temporarily blocking memories and suppressing emotion. Because processing those memories is part of healing, ongoing substance use can stand in the way of recovery.
PTSD and Substance Use Statistics
Several studies have examined how often PTSD and SUD occur together:
- PTSD and SUD co-occur in about half of people with PTSD
- People with PTSD may be two to four times more likely to experience SUD than those without PTSD
- Among the more than 13 million American adults (26 and older) with SUD, an estimated 12–34% also have PTSD
- 33% of veterans in SUD treatment have PTSD, while about 75% of veterans with PTSD also have SUD
- 80% of women in SUD treatment have a history of trauma related to sexual or physical assault
It’s worth noting that while PTSD increases the risk of substance use, the reverse is not true — substance use does not cause PTSD, which stems from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Substance use can, however, intensify avoidance and risky behavior in people with PTSD, worsening their overall situation.
Treatment for PTSD With Co-Occurring Substance Use
Co-occurring PTSD and substance use are best treated together, as integrated care tends to produce better outcomes than treating either condition in isolation. Addressing PTSD earlier can also support recovery from co-occurring substance use.
Effective care typically takes a holistic, trauma-informed approach that combines therapy with psychosocial interventions, and may include medication where appropriate. For people whose symptoms require structured, around-the-clock support, residential treatment can provide a stable environment to focus on healing — building coping skills, processing trauma, and developing relapse-prevention strategies. Common evidence-informed approaches include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a form of psychotherapy used to treat many conditions, including PTSD and co-occurring substance use. It focuses on interrupting the negative thought patterns that affect mood and well-being, helping people manage PTSD symptoms without relying on substances to suppress their feelings. Forms of CBT used for PTSD include:
- Cognitive processing therapy — works to reshape painful negative beliefs
- Prolonged exposure therapy — gradually and safely revisits the trauma to help a person face and cope with fear
- Group therapy — brings together people with similar experiences in a supportive, non-judgmental setting
- Stress inoculation therapy — builds coping skills for managing stress triggers
Journaling symptoms and experiences can also be therapeutic and can give clinicians insight into how best to provide support.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT builds on CBT, but rather than focusing on changing negative thoughts, it helps people accept those thoughts and then examine how they influence behavior and emotions — supporting positive change over time.
Medication
When combined with psychotherapy, medication can be an effective part of PTSD treatment by easing symptoms enough for a person to engage more fully in therapy. Commonly used medications include SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors).
Integrated Dual Diagnosis Care
Treating PTSD and co-occurring substance use together is key to supporting recovery, because the combination of the two often produces more severe symptoms than either condition alone. When PTSD is addressed directly, a person is better positioned to manage urges to use substances.
Here at Southern California Sunrise Recovery Center, our dual diagnosis program is designed to treat PTSD and co-occurring substance use side by side within our residential mental health setting, combining trauma-informed therapy with psychosocial support and medication management where appropriate. If you or a loved one is showing signs of co-occurring PTSD and substance use, contact us — or call (844) 563-2563 to talk through your options.
