Ptsd Substance Abuse

[anthony]

It is often a symptom of PTSD to suppress memories, feelings and thoughts, and what better way than alcohol and substance abuse. When I say substance, that can vary from cigarettes to marijuana, to cocaine, speed or acid (heavier drugs).

Now, be honest, and fit yourself into one of the following three categories:[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

1. Use - having a little bit sometimes, small amounts occasionally.
2. Abuse - over indulgence sometimes, binge drinking.
3. Dependence - feel like you NEED to drink. May affect your life negatively.

Most sufferers of PTSD have denial of the problem, thus they often can't self reflect, though this is handy for family members to possibly identify whether they are abusing or dependent upon alcohol.

Personally, I have been through all three at one stage or another since my life turned around in directions I still struggle to comprehend, though I now sit in the USE category. I will use myself as an example to demonstrate what you may need to look for.

Use - This is pretty easy... either someone has one or two drinks, maybe per week, maybe per month, and that is all.

Abuse - This is the typical style of weekend binge drinking. You can suppress many things through working and keeping yourself busy, but when the time off comes around, you spend more of it drunk than sober, waiting to go back to work again. I used to work and sleep, or drink and get drunk.

Dependence - This is when you start having a drink at lunch times, you NEED it to go to sleep at night, etc etc...that is dependence, regardless how you look at it. At one point for myself, I was drinking home brewed rum at 70% alcohol / per volume, and having at least five of those per night to get to sleep, so if I dreamed I couldn't remember them.

Use is acceptable, especially for someone with PTSD. Abuse and dependence is nothing short of insane for us, and I have firsthand experience with this. Alcohol is a depressant, and when you come down from the alcohol, depression sets in worse than ever.

 

[Grama-Herc]

Anthony,I am curious about a 4th catagory? Use to use?I use to do all of it, but got clean and sober in 1989 and have been that way ever since.However, could food be placed in any of the above catagories as a substance that can be abused????

 

[tiredmomma]

I think food can, and video games!

 

[anthony]

You can fit just about anything into those three categories. There is no fourth though. You can do multiple of those three at varying times. You can use, you can then abuse and you can be dependent upon something for a short or extended period.

 

[Jimmy]

Anthony, I have discussed this with my psychologist, psychiatrist and GP.They believe some people just have an addictive nature. i.e. Some people only drink and play pokies, or even have a joint on weekends. they can take it or leave it.Where as, I am an all or nothing type of guy.I will do anything to find my escapism. I never used to be until I went into the that deep dark place and they kicked me out. Now I have to be careful with everything.There are a lot of Veterans with PTSD who turn into fitness fanatics, others go to the most remote area's to live to escape.Escapism would be a great Forum for comments, to find out what people use.

 

[growingpains]

Thanks for sharing this article! I am glad my body does not tolerate alcohol. I wonder how much of the drinking with PTSD is due to wanting to numb bad feelings vs. a possible addiction gene one is born with. Regardless, information is a powerful tool in healing.

 

[Mommy to 2]

In this, for me, it has been a struggle. I'm still clean and am proud of that, but it has been a struggle. There have been many times since my trauma that I have wanted to escape, just for a little while...it's then that I lean heavily upon the tools I learned in NA. I had my 5000th day recently, and will be 14 years clean soon!

Thank you for posting this.

 

[callen]

My "addiction" isnt really alcohol it's marijuana. Right now after reading this I'm thinking Im in the middle of abuse and dependence. Thanks for posting this it has really opened up my eyes to see that maybe I need a change in how im approaching things.

 

[Jade-]

If I'm completely honest, I would say I abuse alcohol, but it is starting to head towards dependence. Maybe it's time to do something about it.

 

[Deleted member 6617]

This is good information! I am on week three of breaking my dependence on perscription drugs. Pain killers, muscle relaxants and anti-anxiety meds. Admitting the dependence was horribly hard and I felt so ashamed. I am determined to get clean and break this cycle! Thanks for the article Anthony!

 

[tangerinetrees12]

My boyfriend abuses spice. You smoke it like marijuana. He doesn't understand why I have a problem with it. I have a problem with it because he uses it to cover up his problems, he never addresses them, he just pushes them further back into his mind withevery inhale of the cigarette.

It kills me. It's only going to get worse before it gets better.

 

[Soldiers Wife]

Tangerine Please Please tread very lightly with him if you know he is using that Spice crap. My husband was using it and he has never ever been physically abusive. When he started using that Spice it changed him dramatically. That is when the true Anger came out. Spice is nothing like marijuana. Even now that he quite using it he has said it was the dumbest stuff he has ever had because he saw the physical and mental changes it caused in him after he got sober from it.