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Our Next Lecture

Clinical Strategies for Treating Co-Occurring PTSD and Substance Use

Sudie Back, PhD

Wednesday, August 19 at 2:00pm ET 

Photo by Vitaly Gariev

About the Presenter

SUDIE BACK, PhD is a Staff Psychologist at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System and a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. For more than 25 years, her research has been continuously funded by agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Fulbright Program. Her work focuses on advancing the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and co-occurring substance use disorders (SUDs), with a particular emphasis on trauma-focused integrated behavioral treatments. Dr. Back and her colleagues developed Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE), an evidence-based treatment recognized as a first-line intervention in the American Psychological Association Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of PTSD. In addition to behavioral intervention research, she has conducted studies examining pharmacological approaches as well as laboratory and neuroimaging applications aimed at improving understanding and outcomes for individuals with PTSD and SUDs.

About the Topic

PTSD and substance use disorders (SUDs) often co-occur. This comorbidity is associated with a number of poorer outcomes than having either disorder alone, including greater psychiatric and medical burden and impaired functioning. Providers often have questions about how to best treat patients with PTSD+SUD given the additional complexities. This course will provide a brief overview of treatment research and clinical practice guideline recommendations for treating PTSD when SUD is present. The majority of the course will focus on practical clinical strategies for treating co-occurring PTSD and SUD, including the use of trauma-focused integrated treatments such as Concurrent Treatment for PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Using Prolonged Exposure (COPE). This course will also introduce the COPEweb online training platform for providers interested in receiving web-based training in COPE. Clinical considerations related to treatment goal setting, patient engagement, managing complex situations, and maximizing treatment outcomes for patients with PTSD+SUD will be discussed. Resources and tools that providers and patients can use will also be reviewed.

Upcoming Lectures

Featured Article

Treatment of Co-Occurring PTSD and Substance Use Disorder

This article outlines clinical guidance on treating co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorder (SUD), explaining that trauma-focused therapies (PE, CPT, EMDR) are safe and more effective than non-trauma-focused approaches, while certain medications can help with substance use outcomes. It also covers assessment tools (PCL-5, BAM, AUDIT) and recommends a shared decision-making approach so that having one disorder doesn't prevent Veterans from receiving evidence-based treatment for the other.

Read the full version of this article

Free Resources

Hear from Veterans Who Had Treatment for PTSD & SUD

Sometimes Veterans use alcohol or other drugs to cope with trauma or painful memories. When Veterans struggle with substance use, PTSD can be the root cause. Hear from Veterans in their own words about how evidence-based treatment for PTSD and substance use helped them recover.

Our Substance Use and PTSD topic page on AboutFace is resource designed to educate Veterans and their family members.  It combines a text narrative with brief videos to share the hopeful message that recovery is possible — and the right treatment can help.  Two longer video stories of recovery are included at the bottom of the page.

VetChange Mobile App

Veterans and service members may turn to alcohol to cope with stress, trouble sleeping, and other challenges. VetChange is a mobile app that can help users PTSD build skills to reduce problem drinking.

VetChange offers proven self-help tools that build skills to help Veterans stop or cut back on problem drinking.

Use VetChange to:

• Set personal goals to stop or cut back on drinking
• Track progress and stay motivated with customized tools
• Learn about how alcohol use relates to PTSD symptoms
• Practice self-help tools to cope with emotions without drinking
• Find resources to connect with people who can help in a crisis or when support is needed

Learn more and download the app 

Are you treating U.S. Veterans?

Our team of expert clinicians is available to consult with any healthcare provider treating U.S. veterans in any setting.   We can discuss assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, medications, collaborating with VA care, patient and family education, continuing education, and just about anything else related to veterans and PTSD.  No question is too big or too small. Contact us at PTSDconsult@va.gov or 866-948-7880.