Some new research from the journal, Translational Psychiatry, indicates that people coping with the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder will often turn to alcohol as a way to help, but that alcohol may actually make the symptoms worse.
In a study done with mice, researchers concluded that those given alcohol displayed fear behavior over half of the time, when compared to those who did not receive alcohol and displayed fear behavior only 40% of the time. The same study also showed that those given alcohol before memory retrieval exercises were more apt to be afraid of relapse.
Researchers are hoping to replicate their findings in human studies to assist in creating new interventions for therapists to utilize when working with those in the traumatized population.
