PTSD and Alcohol: How Does Alcohol Affect PTSD Symptoms?

Do People Use Alcohol to Cope with PTSD?

When you think of PTSD or trauma, you may think of specific trauma-related events, such as war, abuse, violence, or natural disasters. However, it is believed that many people have experienced trauma and may not recognize it.

There is a belief in trauma therapy of Big T vs. Little t trauma. This means that people who experience typical trauma like war and abuse may have big T trauma. Little t trauma examples include comments from a critical parent, emotional neglect as a child, or feeling rejected by a peer. It is important to note that these traumas are just as traumatic as the “big” ones. However, the problem with Little t trauma is 1. We tend to blame ourselves for why it happened, and 2. We feel shame for still being bothered by these events years later.

So do people use alcohol to cope with PTSD? According to research, yes. People use alcohol to cope with well-known traumas, and it is also typically used to cope with unknown traumas. Up to three-quarters of people who have survived violent or abusive events report problems with alcohol use—one-third of people who say surviving an accident, illness, or disaster report using alcohol to cope. Finally, 60-80% of Vietnam vets seeking trauma treatment also report alcohol use problems. This research article suggests that childhood emotional neglect leads to higher levels of insomnia and later-onset alcoholism in adults.

PTSD & Alcoholism Statistics

In addition to a significant correlation between alcohol use and trauma, there was also a connection between gender, trauma, and alcohol use. Women who have trauma are 2.5 times more likely to exhibit alcohol dependence than women who never had PTSD. Additionally, men are 2x more likely to have alcoholism with PTSD than men who never have had trauma.

The National Center for PTSD reports that 75% of trauma survivors experience an alcohol use disorder.

PTSD & Alcohol Abuse in Veterans

The National Center for PTSD reports the common occurrence between PTSD and alcohol abuse in veterans.

Common Co-occurring SUD in Veterans:

• More than 2 out of 10 veterans with PTSD have substance use disorder.
• 1 out of 3 veterans seeking treatment for substance use report PTSD.
• 1 in 10 returning vets from Afghanistan and Iraq has a problem with alcohol or drugs.
• War vets with PTSD and alcohol use disorder tend to binge drink.

PTSD & Gender-Related Differences with Alcohol

As noted, women were found to experience a high likelihood of alcohol use disorder when they also experienced trauma. Men drink more heavily and frequently than women. However, women may not need to consume as much alcohol as men. It may be more socially acceptable for women to drink alcohol during social gatherings and more acceptable for men to drink alcohol altogether.

Men are also found to experience more traumatic events than women. Men are more likely to experience traumas such as fire, accidents, physical assault, combat, threats with a weapon, and being held captive. Women report sexual molestation, sexual assault, and child abuse more often.

Although men report higher exposure to traumatic events, women tend to have more significant PTSD diagnoses. Women are diagnosed 2x at greater levels than men, and their symptoms appear to be more persistent and chronic. Some explanations for these gender-related differences include a lack of social support for women. Additionally, it is suggested that since women tend to experience sexual assault and molestation, that particular type of trauma may be more devastating and difficult to heal.