It is often a symptom of PTSD to suppress memories, feelings and thoughts, and what better way than alcohol and substance abuse. When I say substance, that can vary from cigarettes to marijuana, to cocaine, speed or acid (heavier drugs).
Now, be honest, and fit yourself into one of the following three categories:
- Use - having a little bit sometimes, small amounts occasionally.
- Abuse - over indulgence sometimes, binge drinking.
- Dependence - feel like you NEED to drink. May affect your life negatively.
Most sufferers of PTSD have denial of the problem, thus they often can't self reflect, though this is handy for family members to possibly identify whether they are abusing or dependant upon alcohol.
Personally, I have been through all three at one stage or another since my life turned around in directions I still struggle to comprehend, though I now sit in the
USE category. I will use myself as an example to demonstrate what you may need to look for.
Use - This is pretty easy... either someone has one or two drinks, maybe a week, maybe a month, and that is all.
Abuse - This is they typical style of weekend binge drinking. You can suppress many things through working and keeping yourself busy, but when the time off comes around, you spend more of it drunk than sober, awaiting to go back to work again. I used to work and sleep, or drink and get drunk.
Dependence - This is when you start having a drink at lunch times, you NEED it to go to sleep at night, etc etc... that is dependence, regardless how you look at it. At one point for myself, I was drinking home brewed rum at 70% alcohol / per volume, and having atleast five of those per night to get to sleep, so if I dreamed I couldn't remember them.
Use is acceptable, especially for someone with PTSD. Abuse and dependence is nothing short on insane for us, and I have first hand experience with this. Alcohol is a depressant, and when you come down from the alcohol, depression sets in worse than ever.