Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Do Not Influence Veterans' Alcohol Use Disorder or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) are prevalent in individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Comorbid AUD-PTSD presents a significant clinical challenge with elevated STB.
• The impact of STB on recovery trajectories in dual AUD-PTSD remains understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of lifetime and current suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) on 12-week recovery outcomes for alcohol consumption and PTSD symptoms.
• To examine recovery trajectories in treatment-seeking Veterans with comorbid AUD-PTSD and varying histories of STB.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from a randomized controlled trial involving 141 Veterans with AUD-PTSD.
• Compared 12-week recovery trajectories for alcohol use (drinking days, heavy drinking days) and PTSD symptoms.
• Grouped participants based on the presence or absence of lifetime STB and current STB.

Main Results:

• Veterans with lifetime or current STB showed similar reductions in drinking consumption and PTSD symptoms compared to those without STB over 12 weeks.
• Severity of alcohol consumption was comparable between groups with and without STB.
• Veterans with current STB reported significantly higher PTSD symptom levels throughout the study period.

Conclusions:

• Lifetime and current STB increase PTSD symptom severity but do not impede 12-week recovery rates for AUD and PTSD symptoms.
• Longitudinal data suggest that Veterans with AUD-PTSD can achieve symptom improvement even with co-occurring STB.
• Findings provide context to cross-sectional studies highlighting the severity of AUD-PTSD comorbidity.