This article proposes that there is a much stronger correlation between alcohol-related problems and the symptomatology of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than has generally been recognized in clinical literature or in treatment programs for Vietnam veterans. The article describes the world of the Vietnam veteran both while in the war and since returning home. Through a review of pertinent literature, it establishes a rationale why Vietnam veterans, especially those exposed to prolonged periods of heavy combat, are at-risk to develop alcohol-related problems. It examines the correlation between alcohol-related problems and the symptomatology of PTSD, demonstrating how they synergistically interact with each other, which exacerbates both the alcoholism and the readjustment problems of Vietnam veterans. Finally, the article offers treatment considerations when working with alcoholic Vietnam veterans.
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Brinson et al. (1989) studied this question.