Abstract
PTSD is a serious problem facing today’s military veterans. PTSD has also been linked to substance abuse. Current statistical data for substance abuse among OEF/OIF veterans with PTSD is limited. Soldiers diagnosed with PTSD and substance abuse undergo unique challenges in their recovery and therapy. Comparing and analyzing the types of treatments the military and the VA healthcare systems use with soldiers is important because these two agencies are on the front lines when working with soldiers. This project will allow social workers to better understand ongoing treatments and the needs of combat soldiers diagnosed with PTSD and substance abuse. Sources of Data In this thesis project, we examine secondary data collected from 18 studies about different treatment modalities used in treating veterans/soldiers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. This study also examined the Department of Defense (DOD)/military and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare systems to analyze what services the agencies provided according to the studies used. The authors of this study collaborated in creating a data extraction sheet to quantify the data. Michael Molina authored Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of this thesis project. Fernando Ortiz authored Chapter 4 and gathered, collected, and analyzed data for this thesis project. Both authors collaboratively wrote Chapter 5. Conclusions Reached We found that exposure therapy was used nearly 50% of the time to treat PTSD with or without the dual diagnosis of substance abuse. The VA equally used resource education, one-on-one therapy, substance abuse counseling, and group therapy to treat PTSD with the dual diagnosis of substance abuse. The Department of Defense used exposure therapy, group therapy, substance abuse counseling, one-on-one therapy, resource education, case management, family interventions, reintegration services, medication treatment, and Chaplin services all equally to treat PTSD with the dual diagnosis of substance abuse. This suggests that exposure therapy is an effective treatment for PTSD and the two different healthcare systems vary on how they treat PTSD with the dual diagnosis of substance abuse.