Researchers have established the connection between trauma and addiction. Researchers continuously learn more about the role of trauma in mental health generally and precisely how it affects the brain, including memory retrieval and impulse control. In a trauma therapy program like the one at The Right Step Houston, addiction and trauma-related symptoms are addressed simultaneously in a coordinated approach.
Call The Right Step Houston at 1.844.768.0169 today to learn more about unresolved trauma, addiction, and the best treatments for these co-occurring disorders. Our staff can answer questions and walk you through seeking residential or outpatient dual diagnosis treatment. Even if you’re unsure of your specific diagnosis, let The Right Step Houston be your first step on the way to healing and recovery. We’ll support you all the way.
What Is Trauma?
A single specific way cannot identify trauma. It can show up in many manifestations. Not everyone experiences traumatic events the same way. Trauma affects the way the brain stores memory so that traumatic events seem recent or even as if they’re happening now, which re-traumatizes the sufferer.
Not all trauma leads to addiction, and not all addiction has an element of trauma, but understanding the effects of trauma can help you understand the interplay between your mental health and your substance use.
Some of the causes of trauma include:
- Natural disasters
- War—either combat or living in a war-torn country
- Physical abuse
- Intimate partner abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Sex trafficking
- Medical trauma—including devastating injury or illness
- Terrorism
- Childhood neglect
The above is a partial list only and can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) can develop after repeated instances of the same trauma or multiple different traumatic events, and it’s more challenging to treat. However, it’s well-suited for inpatient or partial hospitalization programs that provide a high level of care.
The Connection Between Trauma and Addiction
Without treatment, PTSD rarely resolves on its own. The lasting effects of trauma are many, and recognizing how your traumatic history plays into your mental health and substance abuse is an essential first step.
A history of trauma is challenging in part because it interferes with:
- Feeling safe and secure
- Intellectual, social, psychological, and emotional development
- Forging a sense of self-awareness and identity
- Establishing healthy relationships
- Boundary formation
All of the above are common contributors to drug and alcohol misuse. When individuals don’t feel safe, they may resort to self-treatment behaviors such as self-isolation, depression, or the use of drugs and alcohol. People without healthy boundaries are more likely to overindulge and become addicted. Without healthy, reliable emotional attachment to trusted others, the likelihood of self-medicating with drugs or alcohol goes up.
The pathways from trauma and PTSD to addiction are many.
Healing Unresolved Trauma and Addiction
For clients with a history of unresolved trauma and a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD), several goals in treatment help you integrate, heal, and begin recovery. For example, trauma-informed addiction treatment:
- Increases your ability to function in daily life
- Helps you feel less out of control
- Helps you face your trauma
- Informs and educates about intergenerational trauma
- Breaks the cycle of re-experiencing your trauma
- Enhances your ability to function in the day-to-day
- Encourages mindfulness and appreciation for the now
The Right Step Houston provides trauma and addiction treatment through dual diagnosis programs, which are available in residential and outpatient settings. Contact us for details about our programs.
Enroll in a Trauma Therapy Program at The Right Step Houston Today
Nearly half of the people diagnosed with PTSD also have an SUD. We can’t and shouldn’t overlook the overlapping, co-occurring symptoms of addiction and trauma. Learn how trauma can lead to addiction and, more importantly, how to treat it by contacting The Right Step Houston today.
Dial 1.844.768.0169 or complete our online form to connect with our team in Texas. We want to help you begin a healthy recovery and live your best life.