Commentary
Tiffany Lange-Altman
Abstract
The relationship between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) is frequently observed as a cycle of maladaptive coping. While substance abuse can provide temporary relief, prolonged use exacerbates trauma-related symptoms in the long-term. Comorbidity increases risk for problematic outcomes and thus, there has been increasing emphasis to identify integrated treatment approaches that serve to reduce relapse rates and improve overall well-being. The current commentary proposes that combining Seeking Safety, evidence based treatment, with 12 Step recovery can serve to address the needs of a difficult to treat population