How post-traumatic stress disorder is related to substance abuse and sexual assault

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How Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is related to Substance Abuse and Sexual Assault
PTSD is a wearing mental illness that mostly affects persons who have lived through or experienced a disturbing event or extended trauma. Even though the number of persons who abuse drugs and other offenses like sexual assault is not known, several studies have acknowledged the existence of a correlation. As per a study by NCTRN.org, 59 percent of persons having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder usually go through problems to do with substance abuse later in their lives. Individuals who have PTSD have a high likelihood to develop substance abuse, and this contributes to sexual assault (Nctsn.Org 1). Most of them use drugs hoping that it will help them to manage the stress associated with trauma or to make them free of intense emotions.
Numerous allegations point out that individuals using drugs to manage PTSD symptoms feel better, but this does not apply to all cases. When used as a central nervous depressant, drugs, for example, alcohol can make a person more depressed in addition to disruption of normal sleep patterns. Some claim that people with PTSD have a high likelihood to participate in risk-taking habits when they are under the influence of drugs. While this might be true, not all individuals who have PTSD involve in substance abuse and sexual assault. Even though there is substantial evidence that links PTSD to substance abuse and sexual assault, it is not necessary to conclude the same relationship while many other factors play a role in the same.

Given a robust relationship that exists between substance abuse and trauma symptoms, the best way to way to eradicate the all problem is by treating both conditions. Because of this, the ideal technique that can be employed to manage the three conditions is the one that includes mechanisms used to treat the conditions independently.

Work cited
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. “Making the Connection: Trauma and Substance Abuse.” Nctsn.Org, 2008, http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/assets/pdfs/SAToolkit_1.pdf. Accessed 17 Mar 2018.