For many that develop a drug or alcohol addiction, it stems from a cause of deep-seated traumatic experience. Although many think that dealing with trauma can be risky during addiction treatment, it is vital to include methods of healing from trauma so that a person has the best chance for recovery success. Moving away from trauma helps individuals in recovery deal with heavy emotions after addiction treatment so that relapse does not occur.

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a psychological response to an event that negatively impacts a person. Trauma can be a result of violence, the death of a loved one, natural disaster, criminal activity, sexual assault, emotional and physical abuse, accidents, and neglect. For many, the response from trauma only lasts about a month or so. But for others, trauma is something that if left untreated can haunt an individual for life. Also, trauma can be what leads to an individual’s substance abuse. Since drugs and alcohol can numb unwanted negative emotions, it is commonly used by those who have experienced trauma and the cycle of addiction ensues as a result.

Why Does Trauma Happen?

Sometimes people go through life’s unpleasantries but do not experience trauma as a result. This is because either these people have a high emotional maturity or their experience was expected. Trauma is more likely to result if:

-The experience happens without expectation
-The experience was unprepared for
-The experience happened repetitively
-The experience could not be prevented
-The experience was a result of an individual’s cruel intentions
-The experience occurred throughout childhood

Characteristics of Trauma

The characteristics of trauma can be detrimental to an individual’s success in addiction recovery. Without healing from trauma, a person is more likely to return to drugs or alcohol to mend the emotions that trauma brings. An individual struggling with trauma in addiction recovery will:

-Struggle with depression and anxiety
-Have trouble staying on task and concentrating
-Will feel incapable of dealing with emotions in certain scenarios
-Have trouble putting trust in others
-Develop other addictions or eating disorders
-Be afflicted with recurring images and visions of the traumatic event
-Be more prone to harming themselves

PTSD and Addiction

For many individuals who suffer both from trauma and addiction, PTSD is likely to ensue. PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is a mental disorder attributed to people who have experienced the symptoms of trauma for longer than one month. For Americans, studies have shown that 70% of adults have experienced a traumatic event and of those, 20% have developed PTSD. Also, it is estimated that about 65% of individuals struggling with an addiction to alcohol or drugs have PTSD. This, in turn, makes them prone to more traumatic events and even more likely to stay inside the cycle of addiction.

Healing from Trauma in Addiction Treatment

Because the cycle of trauma and addiction will likely not be stopped unless confronted together, it is important to implement healing from trauma in addiction treatment. Whether addiction led to trauma or trauma led to addiction, they are likely to play off of one another. If trauma is treated and addiction is left unnoticed, the patient is likely to use drugs or alcohol and experience even further trauma. If addiction is treated and healing from trauma is not implemented during treatment, a person is likely to relapse to use drugs or alcohol to deal with emotions caused by trauma. So, to address both, both must be confronted concurrently. Behavioral therapy, relapse prevention skills, and narrative therapy, group and individualized counseling, family therapy can all be helpful techniques during drug abuse treatment.

Need Healing from Trauma and Addiction Treatment?

If you have developed an addiction as the result of dealing with a traumatic experience, or you have experienced trauma as a result of your addiction, help is available. You can get past both and live a life that you have control of. If you are committed to getting better with treatment, it will be successful for you. The Wellness Retreat and Recovery offer treatment for individuals who need dual diagnosis treatment for both addiction and trauma. We come up with an individualized approach to treatment for each one of our patients. You can be sure that we will find the best approach for treatment specifically designed around your recovery goals and needs. To see our list of available services, please visit our website. If you would like to have any questions answered about our facility or services, please call us anytime at 1-855-762-3797.