Does combat or other traumatic stress cause alcoholism?
PTSD does not automatically cause problems with alcohol use; there are many people with PTSD who do not have problems with alcohol. However, PTSD and alcohol together can be serious trouble for the trauma survivor and his or her family. Sometimes survivors of combat or other traumatic events use alcohol or other substances to “calm down” or to try to sleep, or to “forget”. Unfortunately, these behaviors usually cause more problems in the long run.
