Variables including age of onset, number of diagnostic criteria met, and duration of the longest episode were examined to compare the course of AD, PTSD and PTSD-AD. Moreover, individuals with PTSD were asked if they ever used any substance, including alcohol or drugs to relieve their PTSD symptoms. Previous clinical studies had also suggested that trauma may predispose victims to developing additional disorders through increased impulsivity (Roy, 2005; Zlotnick et al., 1997) and emotion dysregulation (van der Kolk and Fisler, 1994). To test this hypothesis in a community sample, we measured the impulsivity by asking respondents if they “have done things impulsively” most of the time throughout their lives, regardless of the situation or whom they were with.
