Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Opioid Agonist Therapy: A Review

Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) co-occur at high rates, and this co-occurrence is associated with a range of problems related to mental and physical health. OUD is commonly treated with opioid agonist therapies (OAT), which have been shown to be effective for reducing opiate use and related negative health consequences. Given the high comorbidity of PTSD and OUD, many individuals in OAT have PTSD and continue to experience symptoms of both disorders despite OAT treatment. In this review, the extant literature on PTSD among individuals in OAT is presented. Method: Relevant studies (N = 26) were identified systematically through a search of PubMed and PsychInfo databases. Results: Literature regarding prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with PTSD in OAT and treatment outcomes related to both OUD and PTSD is reviewed. Conclusion: Clinical implications of the body of work and recommendations for future research are provided.