The Intertwining of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, Alcohol, Tobacco Use,and the COVID-۱۹ Pandemic: A Review

Background: Posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol, tobacco use are frequently associatedconditions. The COVID-۱۹ pandemic has been a stressful situation globally and has worsenedmental health conditions and addictions in the population. Our review explores the links betweenposttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use and tobacco use during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic.Methods: The present study was a review study designed in ۲۰۲۲. To search for similar articles,valid scientific databases such as PubMed / Medline, Scopus and ISI (Web of Sciences) were used.Selected keywords according to the MeSH guidelines included " Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms "," Alcohol ", " COVID-۱۹" and " Tobacco Use ", which were searched using the AND-ORoperators. Initially, ۵۶ articles were retrieved, and after applying the inclusion and exclusioncriteria, ۲۴ articles were extracted. Inclusion criteria included the availability of the full text of thearticle, Latinness of the article and exclusion criteria also included: abstracts of papers presented atcongresses and conferences.Results: By examining the various studies, it was found that a high level of posttraumatic stresssymptoms was associated with alcohol use increase. COVID-۱۹-related stress was frequentlycorrelated with either high posttraumatic stress symptoms or alcohol use. In healthcare workers,posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use were not associated, while COVID-۱۹ worrieswere related to both posttraumatic stress symptoms and alcohol use.Conclusion: Posttraumatic stress symptoms and increased alcohol use are frequently associated,while COVID-۱۹ worries might trigger both conditions and worsen their association. Alcohol useincrease may represent either an inadequate way of coping with posttraumatic stress symptoms ora vulnerability amid the COVID-۱۹ pandemic, leading to posttraumatic stress symptoms.Populations already vulnerable to posttraumatic stress symptoms before the pandemic need to bemonitored carefully, as these conditions potentiate each other. Proactive mental health care forthese populations in stressful situations (e.g., phone calls, teleconsultations, and information onmental health services) is also encouraged.

کلیدواژه ها:

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms ، Alcohol ، Tobacco Use ، COVID-۱۹.