While Pysciatry.org indicates that “one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime,” it is important to remember that such numbers, as high as they are, fail to take into account undiagnosed PTSD cases. There is an untold percentage of sufferers who have never seen a doctor, never gotten help, and perhaps attempt to “self-medicate” as a way to cope with the pain.
Addiction doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all definition, everything about it varies. Some people become addicted very quickly, and for others, the addiction is a slower process with substance use slowly crossing the line to substance abuse and then full-blown addiction.
For the best chance for a good outcome, try to find a time that you are in a good mood, and the person with the addiction is in a place where they are at least willing to listen. Don’t be disappointed if your first conversation doesn’t result in their willingness to get treatment for their addiction. But don’t give up.
Not only is the COVID-19-induced stress and depression a potential trigger for relapse for those in recovery, but evidence suggest that greater numbers of people are turning to drug and alcohol consumption as a form of stress and depression relief.
The intertwining of symptoms of chronic pain and substance abuse disorder are sometimes hard to separate. Both can create physical, social, emotional, and economic effects. People who have chronic pain, substance abuse disorder or both may have similar symptoms including insomnia, depression, and impaired functioning.
Opioid overdose deaths have declined slightly in the last few years, in part because of the availability of Naloxone. Commonly administered in emergency rooms or by first responders when an opioid overdose is suspected, Naloxone is a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose by attaching to opioid receptors, reversing and blocking the effects of other opioids in the system.
Substance abuse can sometimes be an attempt to self-medicate an issue such as anxiety or depression. Often, they occur so closely together it is hard to distinguish which came first. Like the chicken or the egg, did the substance abuse cause anxiety or depression or did the depression and anxiety lead to substance abuse?
The impacts of trauma during childhood often linger on into adulthood and can lead to the development of psychological problems and/or addictions. Indeed, research has established such a firm link between childhood trauma and substance abuse that some treatment facilities now offer concurrent treatment of addiction and any underlying trauma.
Regardless of their age, social status, race or education level, females are statistically more prone to experiencing traumatic events precisely because of their gender. To cope, females may tend to develop substance dependence.
The rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be up to 15 times higher in the military population than it is in the general population, which likely explains in part the prevalence of substance use disorder in the military. Consequently, when people see or hear the term PTSD, they likely think of veterans.