An investigation of relations between crystal methamphetamine use and posttraumatic stress disorder

Rose C. Smith, Heidemarie Blumenthal, Christal Badour, Matthew T. Feldner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Evidence documents elevated rates of various types of drug use among people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, relatively little research has specifically examined crystal methamphetamine (CM) use among individuals with PTSD. The present study examined the relation between PTSD diagnostic status, PTSD symptom severity within symptom type clusters, and CM use histories among traumatic event-exposed individuals with versus without PTSD. Consistent with expectations, individuals with PTSD were significantly more likely to report CM use than trauma-exposed individuals without PTSD. Additionally, CM users with PTSD reported a longer duration of CM use than trauma-exposed CM users without PTSD. Finally, PTSD avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms, but not re-experiencing, were related to CM use. The potential clinical and research implications of the findings are discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)625-627
Number of pages3
JournalAddictive Behaviors
Volume35
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2010

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This project was supported, in part, by an Arkansas Biosciences Institute grant, the Marie Wilson Howells endowment to the Department of Psychology at the University of Arkansas, and a Center for Disease Control and Prevention contract (U49 CE001248) with Dr. Feldner. These funding sources had no involvement in study design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. All authors declare no conflicts of interest pertaining to this project.

Funding

This project was supported, in part, by an Arkansas Biosciences Institute grant, the Marie Wilson Howells endowment to the Department of Psychology at the University of Arkansas, and a Center for Disease Control and Prevention contract (U49 CE001248) with Dr. Feldner. These funding sources had no involvement in study design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. All authors declare no conflicts of interest pertaining to this project.

FundersFunder number
Marie Wilson Howells FoundationU49 CE001248
Arkansas Biosciences Institute

    Keywords

    • Comorbidity
    • Drug abuse
    • PTSD
    • Posttraumatic stress disorders
    • Substance abuse
    • Substance use disorders

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Medicine (miscellaneous)
    • Clinical Psychology
    • Toxicology
    • Psychiatry and Mental health

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