For males, there was a consistently positive relationship between dependence diagnoses and all mental health diagnoses assessed except panic disorder. Females with more substance dependence diagnoses were also at increased risk for depression, BPD but not PTSD or ASPD. The relationship between substance dependence diagnoses and PTSD for males may be externally mediated: exposure to trauma may increase as drug use increases; however there was no evidence of lower rates of trauma for females.
