New hope for trauma patients
The finding offers new hope for the estimated 350,000 Australians who experience the debilitating comorbid disorder. Image: kondyukandrey/iStockphoto A world-first study of an integrated treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use, led by researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, has found significant reductions in PTSD symptoms compared with usual treatment for substance use. The landmark study shows for the first time that people with substance use issues, who are frequently excluded from treatment for post traumatic stress, can in fact benefit from psychological therapy. The study, published this week in the prestigious international journal JAMA, offers new hope for the estimated 350,000 Australians who experience the debilitating comorbid disorder. The study randomly assigned patients to an integrated therapy called COPE which involved exposing patients to their traumatic memories and treating their substance use at the same time. Patients were administered the treatment over...