A Novel, Integrated Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Co-occurring Posttraumatic Stress and Substance Use Disorders

Course overview

This article discusses the co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) and the lack of evidence-based treatments for this comorbidity. It introduces a novel integrated cognitive-behavioral treatment approach called Treatment of Integrated Posttraumatic Stress and Substance Use (TIPSS). The TIPSS program combines cognitive processing therapy for PTSD with cognitive-behavioral therapy for SUD. A case study is presented, focusing on a woman with PTSD and comorbid cocaine and alcohol dependence, to showcase the potential effectiveness of TIPSS in reducing both PTSD symptoms and substance use. This highlights the promise of integrated treatments for individuals with PTSD/SUD comorbidity.