Relations Between Pain, PTSD Symptoms, and Substance Use in Veterans

The frequent co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain has received much attention in the literature. However, the extant literature is limited in that these investigations generally exclude patients with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD). Thus, the present study investigated symptoms of PTSD and SUD in veterans with high and low pain symptoms.

Veterans (N = 136) seeking treatment for comorbid symptoms of PTSD and SUD were recruited as part of a larger study. All participants completed a baseline assessment, which included a series of diagnostic interviews and self-report questionnaires measuring symptoms of pain, PTSD and SUD.

Higher levels of self-reported pain were found to be associated with both self-reported and clinician-rated PTSD symptoms above and beyond the influence of the demographic variables. However, no reliable relations were demonstrated between substance use and pain.

Although preliminary, the findings highlight the common occurrence of chronic pain among veterans with comorbid PTSD/SUD, and the potential impact of pain on clinical presentation. The findings may help inform special considerations for assessment and treatment practices for this high-risk population.