Is there a link between substance abuse and trauma? This topic has been extensively argued for years as it elicits a nature vs. nurture debate and questions how our environment can affect our emotional well-being. What role does our environment play in shaping the way we behave, and is trauma a precursor to substance abuse?
The answer to the question is extremely complex, since people with substance abuse issues may or may not have experienced trauma. Some people repress traumatic memories or use substance abuse as a coping mechanism. However, just because a person has experienced a traumatic event does not mean they will inevitably turn to substance abuse.
At the core, the determining factor may be who is in your support network, who is available for help, who is willing to get help, and how well you cope with the incident.
What classifies as trauma?
Trauma involves experiencing disturbing, distressing, or significantly upsetting events. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) references trauma as being exposed to threatened or actual death, sexual violence, or significant injury in one (or more) of four methods:
- Personally witnessing an event happening to others
- Direct experience
- Learning the incident happened to a close friend or family member
- Experiencing extreme or repeated exposure to the adverse details of traumatic events (such as first responders, police, etc.)
Threatened or actual death must happen accidentally or violently, and the experience is not through television, electronic media, images, or movies unless related to work.
Trauma can also involve a single event, like the death of someone close to you or long-term stressors. It can happen any time during someone’s life and can occur with anyone.
Early Childhood Trauma
Adverse childhood experiences are incidents that occur between being born and when you reach adulthood that impact the person’s stress level and are traumatic. These experiences can involve:
- Emotional, sexual, and physical abuse
- Emotional and physical neglect
- Caregivers with untreated mental illnesses
- Family violence against a stepmother, mother, or maternal figure
- Losing a parent through separation, divorce, abandonment, or death
- Imprisonment of a family member
- Substance abuse by a family member
Early Trauma’s Effect on Brain Development
Genetics and biology have an essential role in brain development. However, the brain can adapt and respond to environmental conditions. As the brain matures over childhood and adolescence, it generates, occasionally disregards, and strengthens neural connections. Each experience affects the brain in some manner.
Most experiences cause beneficial brain development. However, negative childhood experiences like trauma can generate brain structure anomalies, which can create behavioural, cognitive, and social challenges.
Is there a link between substance abuse and trauma?
Some individuals who experience traumatic events may go on to experience mental health issues. When it occurs early in the person’s life, the risk of engaging in substance abuse increases. Also, the more traumas the person witnesses, the increased likelihood they could develop substance abuse as a coping mechanism.
In these cases, the person experiencing trauma turns to substances to regulate unpleasant moods generated by their trauma symptoms (re-experiencing trauma, hypervigilance, and other PTSD-like symptoms). Substances can provide positive emotional comfort and are used to self-medicate.
Following a traumatic event(s), immediate intervention and social support can reduce the risk and/or severity that the person will have trauma symptoms. Interventions lessen the instances of substance abuse issues, which supports the theory that individuals turn to substance abuse to cope.
Is addiction preventable after trauma?
Not everyone will develop an addiction, making it challenging for professionals to indicate whether it is preventable. However, if people don’t receive help when coping with a traumatic event, their risk for substance abuse increases as they attempt to cope. This can contribute to a substance abuse disorder as time passes.
The best way to prevent substance abuse, in this case, is to ensure the person receives some type of treatment like therapy. Addressing the underlying issue and the accompanying emotions can prevent someone from turning to alcohol or drugs to deal with the experience.
How can I receive help?
If you have a history of trauma and struggle with substance abuse issues, you can get help. Most people experiencing this challenge benefit from receiving treatment and can move on to lead more fulfilling lives. While it may be hard to ask for help, know that you deserve proper care and support from people who can assist you.
While many trauma victims live with the prevailing thought that they caused the incident, were somehow responsible, or were unworthy to receive help, the opposite is true. None of these challenges reflects your true value, and regardless of your past or symptoms, you deserve help.
Therapist/Counsellor
If you decide that you want to talk to a therapist, ensure you look for a provider who has experience in treating substance use and substance dependence disorders. Look for professionals with expertise and training in providing trauma-informed care and treating trauma.
Peer Support/Group Therapy
Some survivors benefit from group support, where people share their experiences and support each other. Your general practitioner or therapist can provide local resources to assist you.
Helplines
Are you cautious about getting help? Many survivors fear they won’t be believed and are timid about asking for help. However, there are additional resources you can tap into that allow you to remain anonymous while dealing with the event.
12-Step Meetings
Twelve-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) offer a structured and supportive environment for individuals facing substance abuse issues. These meetings focus on recovery, peer support, and shared experiences in a judgment-free setting. For many, this community becomes a vital source of strength and accountability. Information on local 12-step meetings can typically be obtained through helplines, online directories, or referrals from therapists
Get Help With HOPE Be The Cure
HOPE Be The Cure provides a safe environment for trauma survivors with a history of substance abuse. Our trauma-informed care responds to and isolates triggers and sensitivities that people experience. It works to help prevent being re-traumatized.
Additionally, we address the root causes of addiction and trauma, making treatment more effective. By providing our clients with a sense of empowerment, we help with the healing process. Clients experience feelings of autonomy and control through active collaboration, decision-making skills, and respect for autonomy.
Furthermore, our services lead to improved outcomes by addressing the traumatic event(s) in conjunction with substance abuse. This fosters a more sustainable recovery, decreases relapse, and improves mental health.
To help with trauma and substance abuse, contact us at 844-635-4673, email us at info@hopebethecure.com, or complete our online form.