School of Medicine

Multiple theories about the association between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) have been proposed, but there is yet to be a common consensus on their exact relationship. Regardless of the etiology of their association, it is reasonable to suggest that the interaction between SUD and comorbid PTSD is complex. The intention of this project was not to dive deeper into the suggested theoretical models, but rather to focus on understanding how these conditions affect patients and on a pragmatic approach to treatment. This was based largely in principle on two observations from prior studies. One of which was the fact that patients with the SUD/PTSD are more likley to struggle with treatment for substance use disorder in regards to retention and periods of abstinence. Second was the realization that patients with comorbid disease have higher rates of homelessness, physical health problems, psychiatric cormorbities, and psychosocial impairment when compared to individuals with a single disorder. As such, the goal of this project was to gain a better understanding of the challenges associated with treating these patients and to also develop a greater understanding of the "best" practice approach to treatment.