It is estimated that 50-90% of women with Substance Use Disorders report that they have experienced personal violence and trauma.

Of the women seeking treatment for Substance Use Disorders, approximately 80% report a lifetime of both physical and sexual assault.  Furthermore, rates of co-occurring disorders, specifically PTSD, in this group of women range from 39 to 50 percent.

Individuals may attempt to relieve distress related to past traumatic events through the use of substances, or they may be more at risk for experiencing traumatic events as a result of their substance use.

Traumatic events occurring during childhood are strongly correlated with these disorders. Additionally, the severity of childhood trauma is a significant predictor of Substance Use Disorder relapse in women attempting to recover.

In addition, women diagnosed with both PTSD and Substance Use Disorder, compared to women diagnosed with only one of these disorders seem to have more severe clinical profiles.  They also may experience additional problems such as interpersonal issues and other psychiatric illnesses.