Substance Abuse and PTSD
Continued

PTSD and Alcohol

• Alcohol use increases emotional numbing, social isolation, anger and irritability, depression and the feeling of needing to be on guard.¹²
• Alcohol sometimes appears to help symptoms of PTSD by decreasing the severity and number of frightening nightmares commonly experienced. In reality, however, alcohol continues the cycle of avoidance making it especially difficult to treat PTSD. ¹¹
• Often when a person withdraws from alcohol, PTSD nightmares increase.¹¹
• Veterans over the age of 65 with PTSD are at increased risk for attempted suicide if they also experience problematic alcohol use or depression.¹¹
• In a study of 5,338 veterans seeking treatment within the Department of Veterans Affairs specialized outpatient PTSD programs, 44% met criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence and 22% for drug abuse/dependence. ⁷