Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders: Advances in Assessment and Treatment

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUDs) are prevalent and frequently co-occur. Comorbid PTSD/SUD is associated with a more complex and costly clinical course when compared with either disorder alone, including increased chronic physical health problems, poorer social functioning, higher rates of suicide attempts, more legal problems, increased risk of violence, worse treatment adherence, and less improvement during treatment. In response, psychosocial treatment options have increased substantially over the past decade and integrated approaches - treatments that address symptoms of both PTSD and SUD concurrently -are fast becoming the preferred model for treatment. This paper reviews the prevalence, etiology and assessment practices as well as advances in the behavioral and pharmacologic treatment of comorbid PTSD and SUDs.