Nigerian War Veterans With PTSD Had Higher Rates of Cannabis and Alcohol Use
Among hospitalized Nigerian army veterans from peacekeeping operations, 22% had PTSD, which was significantly associated with longer deployment, current alcohol use, and lifetime cannabis use.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Researchers assessed hospitalized Nigerian army veterans evacuated from peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone (1990-1994). The prevalence of PTSD was 22%, and survivor guilt was found in 38% of respondents.
PTSD was significantly associated with long duration of stay in the mission area, current alcohol use, lifetime use of an alcohol/gunpowder mixture (a local practice), and lifetime cannabis use. Survivor guilt was associated with avoidance of trauma-related stimuli but not with duration of combat exposure.
The authors concluded that PTSD might be common but undetected among Nigerian military personnel, and recommended deliberate screening and primary prevention efforts regarding alcohol and cannabis use.
Key Numbers
PTSD prevalence: 22%. Survivor guilt: 38%. PTSD significantly associated with: long deployment, current alcohol use, alcohol/gunpowder mixture use, lifetime cannabis use.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional study of hospitalized patients from military operations at the 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Lagos. Socio-demographic questionnaire, PTSD checklist, and WHO substance use survey instrument administered to all physically capable patients over a 4-year period.
Why This Research Matters
This study documented PTSD and substance use in a military population rarely studied in the research literature. The association between PTSD and cannabis use in Nigerian veterans parallels findings in Western military populations, suggesting the PTSD-substance use relationship crosses cultural boundaries.
The Bigger Picture
The relationship between PTSD and cannabis use has been documented in multiple military populations worldwide. Whether cannabis use is a risk factor for PTSD, a form of self-medication, or both remains debated. This study in a Nigerian context adds to the cross-cultural evidence for this association.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design cannot determine whether cannabis use preceded or followed PTSD development. The hospitalized sample may not represent all veterans. The specific military context (peacekeeping operations) and cultural context (Nigeria) may limit generalizability. Assessment was over a broad 4-year period.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does cannabis use increase vulnerability to developing PTSD after trauma, or do veterans with PTSD turn to cannabis for symptom relief?
- ?Would screening and treating substance use reduce PTSD severity in military populations?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 22% PTSD rate among Nigerian veterans, significantly associated with lifetime cannabis use
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional study from a specific military population. Provides prevalence data and associations but cannot establish causal direction.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2006. Research on PTSD and cannabis in military populations has expanded substantially since then, with some studies examining cannabis as a potential PTSD treatment.
- Original Title:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor guilt and substance use--a study of hospitalised Nigerian army veterans.
- Published In:
- South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde, 96(2), 144-6 (2006)
- Authors:
- Okulate, G T, Jones, O B E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00238
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis use related to PTSD in military veterans?
In this study of Nigerian peacekeeping veterans, lifetime cannabis use was significantly associated with PTSD. This parallels findings in Western military populations. However, the study cannot determine whether cannabis contributed to PTSD or was used to cope with symptoms.
How common was PTSD in these veterans?
Twenty-two percent of the hospitalized veterans met criteria for PTSD. The authors suggested this might underestimate the true rate, as many cases likely go undetected without systematic screening.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- anxiety-leaving-house-weed-withdrawal-agoraphobia
- anxiety-response-technique-weed-withdrawal
- anxiety-toolkit-weed-withdrawal
- anxiety-worse-after-quitting-weed
- breathing-exercises-weed-withdrawal-anxiety
- cannabis-induced-anxiety
- does-weed-help-anxiety
- grounding-techniques-weed-withdrawal
- health-anxiety-weed-withdrawal
- manage-anxiety-without-weed
- quitting-weed-anxiety-disorder
- quitting-weed-anxiety-medication-ssri
- self-medicating-anxiety-with-weed
- therapy-quitting-weed-anxiety
- weed-and-anxiety
- weed-biphasic-effect-anxiety
- weed-generalized-anxiety-disorder
- weed-panic-attacks
- weed-paranoia
- weed-social-anxiety
- weed-tolerance-anxiety-stopped-working
- weed-withdrawal-anxiety
- weed-withdrawal-panic-attacks-night
- weed-withdrawal-work-anxiety
- withdrawal-anxiety-vs-real-anxiety
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00238APA
Okulate, G T; Jones, O B E. (2006). Post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor guilt and substance use--a study of hospitalised Nigerian army veterans.. South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde, 96(2), 144-6.
MLA
Okulate, G T, et al. "Post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor guilt and substance use--a study of hospitalised Nigerian army veterans.." South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde, 2006.
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Post-traumatic stress disorder, survivor guilt and substance..." RTHC-00238. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/okulate-2006-posttraumatic-stress-disorder-survivor
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.