Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder did not become a recognized syndrome of symptoms until after the Vietnam War, when many veterans struggled to assimilate back into society. Some of them kept re-experiencing their combat situations; even years after they arrived back home. Many GIs who had used heroin in Asia also continued having trouble with drugs back home.

Trying to understand the problem, doctors finally named the problem Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and subsequently applied it to people who had been through any kind of traumatic experience or injury that later haunted them with uncontrollable memories.

It’s estimated that more than 13 million Americans experience these symptoms. And a considerable number of them still turn to illicit drug abuse or alcohol abuse in an attempt to cope. In one study, 20% of 122 people who were dependent on cocaine were also diagnosed with PTSD.

Even so, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has stated that substance abuse by PTSD sufferers simply makes matters worse. If substance abuse develops into addiction, then this can cause the person to incur an entirely new set of destructive problems. And with these problems comes the risk of incarceration, overdose or drug-related injury.

PTSD drug abuse presents a complex appearance of problems, but effective drug rehab that addresses the reasons that people begin to abuse drugs could enable a person to straighten out his life.

Triggers That Start Drug Abuse

Certainly those who are addicted to drugs have sought escape from some kind of problem by abusing drugs or alcohol. It could have been fear of past trauma or nervousness, shyness, concern over grades or acceptance, or a loss of a person or prestige that first gave a person an idea that substance abuse would help. Or it could have been any one of hundreds of other reasons. But in each case, using drugs or alcohol solved some problem or seemed to make some condition better and so repeated use of the substance looked attractive. It only takes so many of these decisions before the body begins to develop unbearable cravings that then trap a person in that drug or alcohol habit.

When its PTSD drug abuse, a person wants to shut off the memories or the sensations. Being passed out drunk will shut them off to some degree but is terribly damaging. Those experiencing PTSD symptoms need help.

Narconon Arrowhead Helps Provide Better Coping Tools

Helping a person recover from addiction means providing a way to reduce the cravings that would otherwise keep the addiction in full force. And it must also mean helping each person overcome the reasons they started abusing drugs. The Narconon drug rehab program is not a treatment for PTSD, but it’s possible for the therapeutic steps of this program to help some people deal with life better and not experience as much continuing trauma.

At a Narconon rehab center, Narconon meetings consist of life skills classes where each person gains an understanding about problems that are common to situations of drug abuse. For example, the communication skills training of the Narconon drug rehab program enables those in recovery to gain more self-control and skill in using communication to deal with issues in life. Each person also generally gains better perception of his or her current environment, something that suffers when a person experiences PTSD. Also, as a person begins to understand more about himself and how his problems came about, he can gain more hope and interest in his future.

The result is a high success rate among graduates, in fact, one of the best in the field. If there is someone you know who is struggling with addiction and stress, contact Narconon Arrowhead to find out more about how this holistic rehab program can help. Call 1-800-468-6933 today.