Concurrent Treatment of Substance Use and PTSD

Substance use disorders (SUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are chronic, debilitating conditions that frequently co-occur. Individuals with co-occurring SUD and PTSD suffer a more complicated course of treatment and less favorable treatment outcomes compared to individuals with either disorder alone. The development of effective psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for co-occurring SUD and PTSD is an active and critically important area of investigation. Several integrated psychosocial treatments for cooccurring SUD and PTSD have demonstrated promising outcomes. While recent studies examining medications to treat co-occurring SUD and PTSD have yielded encouraging findings, there remain substantial gaps in the evidence base regarding the treatment of co-occurring SUD and PTSD. This review will summarize the findings from clinical trials targeting a reduction in SUD and PTSD symptoms simultaneously. These results may improve our knowledge base and subsequently enhance our ability to develop effective interventions for this complex comorbid condition.