Addiction Rates Higher Among Those With PTSD

I wonder how many people in prison or people on parole have undiagnosed PTSD?

A new report finds that 45 percent of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) smoke cigarettes, 52 percent have been diagnosed with alcohol abuse or dependence, and 35 percent have been diagnosed with drug abuse or dependence, the Navy Times reported Feb. 20.

The smoking rate among people with PTSD is about double that of the general population, as is the rate of alcohol abuse and dependence. The drug addiction and dependence rate is almost three times that of the general adult population.

The authors of the report, "PTSD and Health Risk Behavior," said the high addiction rates may be because many PTSD victims try to use alcohol and other drugs to self-medicate. Heavy use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, along with the fact that people with PTSD are more likely to be overweight or obese, also may explain why other research has shown that veterans with PTSD tend to have more heart problems.

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