PTSD often underlying in patients with addiction
24th July 2012
New figures, from a study of 304 patients admitted to a Sydney detoxification unit over a nine month period, revealed that 45% of patients being treated for drug and alcohol addiction have active post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Rates of trauma exposure among this group were significantly higher than the general Australian population.
For example, 51% had been seriously physically attacked or assaulted, compared to 10% in the general population and 24% had been raped (vs 3%) in the general population.
Sydney psychiatrist and head