Psychiatry Commons^™

Working Therapeutically With Deaf People Recovering From Trauma And Addiction, Melissa Anderson, Neil Glickman, Lisa Mistler, Marco Gonzalez

Melissa L. Anderson

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews what is known about behavioral health treatment of deaf persons with comorbid trauma and addiction.

METHOD: We discuss how to work therapeutically with deaf people with comorbid trauma and addiction, both through a review of the literature and through clinical observations of the authors. The article also includes the personal stories of two people-a Deaf peer specialist and a hearing psychiatrist-who share their humbling stories about the recovery process for deaf people and the challenges of learning to become an effective Deaf mental health care provider.

FINDINGS: Deaf people report higher rates of mental health problems …

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder And Substance Use Disorder Comorbidity Among Individuals With Physical Disabilities: Findings From The National Comorbidity Survey Replication, Melissa Anderson, Douglas Ziedonis, Lisa Najavits

Melissa L. Anderson

Co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) affects multiple domains of functioning and presents complex challenges to recovery. Using data from the National Comorbidity Study Replication, a national epidemiological study of mental disorders (weighted N = 4,883), the current study sought to determine the prevalence of PTSD and SUD, the symptom presentation of these disorders, and help-seeking behaviors in relation to PTSD and SUD among individuals with physical disabilities (weighted n = 491; nondisabled weighted n = 4,392). Results indicated that individuals with physical disabilities exhibited higher rates of PTSD, SUD, and comorbid PTSD/SUD than nondisabled individuals. …

An Outcome Study Of Seeking Safety With Rural Community-Based Women, Beverly Patitz, Melissa Anderson, Lisa Najavits

Melissa L. Anderson

This pilot study investigated the impact of Seeking Safety (SS) on rural women with comorbid substance abuse and trauma problems. SS is an evidence-based, present-focused therapy that provides coping skills and psychoeducation. Despite its demonstrated effectiveness, this is the first known study using SS with rural women. Investigating the efficacy of evidence-based treatments with rural populations is especially important because, compared with urban residents, they are more likely to meet criteria for comorbid mental illness and substance abuse, exhibit more severe symptoms of both disorders, but are much less likely to receive formal treatment. Such disparities highlight the need for …