The Relationship Between Trauma and Substance Abuse

Addiction and trauma are heavily intertwined. First, many people who go on to develop substance use disorders have an extensive history of childhood trauma. The traumatic experiences they endured during their early years made them more likely to lean on drugs and alcohol to self-medicate the lingering effects.

Another way that trauma and addiction are related is the fact that being in the world of drug and alcohol abuse puts you in risky situations. For example, there are strong links between substance abuse and domestic violence. Being in a lifestyle where drugs and alcohol are prevalent puts you in the line of fire for experiencing more traumatic events.

Understanding the relationship between trauma and substance use disorders can motivate you to seek the help you need.  Many drug rehab centers are highly experienced in treating trauma, which can decrease your likelihood of relapsing in the future.

In this article, you will learn:

• What trauma is
• The signs of trauma
• How trauma and addiction are connected
• How drug rehab centers treat co-occurring trauma and substance abuse

What is Trauma?

Trauma is defined as a distressing event that has lasting effects on your physical and emotional well-being. Trauma is very personal; an event that seems innocuous to you could be traumatic for something else. For example, many people believe that trauma has to be something as severe as serving in a war or experiencing sexual abuse when it can be as simple as going through a nasty divorce.

Examples of traumatic events include:[1]

• Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
• Neglect
• Living with someone suffering from substance abuse
• Sudden or unexplained separation from a loved one
• The death of a friend or loved one
• Poverty
• Racism or discrimination
• Witnessing violence in the community
• War or terrorism
• Chronic health conditions
• Natural disasters
• And more

The key component that makes an event traumatic is the lasting effects you experience. If you deal with something scary or distressing that causes you to deal with lasting anxiety, depression, fear, avoidance, or guilt, you may have experienced trauma.

What are the Signs of Trauma?

When someone experiences trauma it causes long-term effects on their mental health. It can also affect brain development in children and lead to health problems in adulthood. In other words, the effects of trauma are far-reaching and must be addressed by a mental health professional.

If you are worried that a loved one has experienced trauma, it’s important to be aware of the signs. The symptoms that indicate a traumatic event occurred include:[2]

• Insomnia and fatigue
• Being easily startled
• Anxiety and panic
• Nightmares or sleepwalking
• Rapid heartbeat
• Body aches and pains
• Agitation or irritability
• Denial or confusion
• Anger and mood swings
• Guilt and shame
• Withdrawal and isolation
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Disconnection or emotional blunting
• Avoiding certain people, places, or things

While not everyone who suffers from trauma develops post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is something to look out for. The main signs of PTSD include continuing to think about a traumatic event, avoidance of people, places, and things, feelings of numbness, and flashbacks or nightmares.

How is Trauma and Addiction Connected?

Trauma and addiction are connected in two main ways. First, experiencing trauma can make you more likely to begin abusing drugs or alcohol. On the other hand, experiencing a substance use disorder puts you at risk of experiencing traumatic events.

Understanding the links between trauma and substance abuse can help you shed light on what you might be experiencing.

Trauma as a Factor for Developing an Addiction

Whether you experience trauma as a child or an adult, these events make you more likely to engage in substance abuse. The lasting effects of trauma can be difficult to cope with, causing you to begin using drugs or alcohol as a form of self-medication.

According to the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center, people who have experienced trauma are:[3]

• 2 times more likely to smoke cigarettes
• 7 times more likely to consider themselves an alcoholic
• 10 times more likely to inject drugs

Experiencing Trauma Because of Substance Abuse

Whether you experienced trauma before abusing substances or not, addiction puts you at an increased risk of facing traumatic events. The world of substance abuse is not an easy one. If you abuse drugs, you have to go to dangerous parts of town, associate with unsavory individuals, and engage in risky behaviors in general.

An example of how substance abuse increases your chance of experiencing trauma is domestic violence. A study by the Department of Justice found that 92% of offenders who committed acts of domestic violence were under the influence of alcohol or drugs.[4] If you and your partner engage in substance abuse, you are at a higher risk of being the victim of abuse.

How is Comorbid Trauma and Addiction Treated?

If you have a history of trauma and suffer from addiction, you need to treat the trauma at the same time as your substance use disorder. Oftentimes, treating the trauma will lessen your desire to abuse drugs and alcohol, as you might have been using substances as a coping mechanism.

During rehab for trauma and addiction, your treatment facility will use a combination of evidence-based services. First, you will undergo detox to overcome the physical aspects of addiction. After detox, you will begin participating in individual and group therapy for trauma and addiction recovery.

Examples of therapies used to treat trauma in addiction treatment centers include:

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
• Prolonged exposure therapy (PE)
• Psychodynamic therapy
• And more

In addition to therapy, you will learn relapse prevention strategies to ensure you can maintain long-term sobriety outside of a treatment program. This might involve identifying triggers, developing healthy coping mechanisms, and having a supportive community to rely on.

Find Help for Trauma and Substance Use Disorder

If you or a loved one suffers from trauma and addiction, it’s time to seek help. Dual-diagnosis rehab programs can offer the combination of mental health and substance abuse treatment services you need to fully recover.

At New You Sober Living, we offer transitional housing for individuals who have completed an addiction treatment program. Our services can help you stay sober while you are learning how to be independent as a newly sober individual. Contact us today for more information on how we can help.

References:

1. Medline Plus: Traumatic events and children
2. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Common Reactions After Trauma 
3. The Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center: What is Trauma
4. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ): Linkage of Domestic Violence and Substance Abuse Services