Sl. Satel et al., REDUCING OBSTACLES TO AFFILIATION WITH ALCOHOLICS-ANONYMOUS AMONG VETERANS WITH PTSD AND ALCOHOLISM, Hospital & community psychiatry, 44(11), 1993, pp. 1061-1065
Alcohol use is prevalent among Vietnam veterans who suffer from chroni
c combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although Alcoho
lics Anonymous (AA) is the mainstay of ambulatory alcoholism treatment
, adherence to particular components of the AA philosophy may prove es
pecially challenging for alcoholic Vietnam veterans with PTSD. The aut
hors describe elements of AA's philosophy, such as ''surrendering'' to
a ''higher power, '' making amends to persons one has harmed, and sha
ring one's story publicly, that may be difficult for the Vietnam veter
an with PTSD. The authors suggest that an important factor in the succ
essful affiliation of these patients with AA is their capacity to sepa
rate their alcohol-related problems and treatment from their PTSD symp
toms and treatment and to accommodate dual identities as both an alcoh
olic and a traumatized soldier. Preparing such patients for AA by refr
aming some of the 12 steps is recommended.