Is There a Connection Between Trauma and Addiction?
Millions of Americans suffer from addiction and substance dependence. Addiction continues to be heavily stigmatized and often criminalized despite current research showing that it is often influenced by numerous mental and psychological problems, including trauma. For this reason, addiction treatment has advanced significantly over the past 20 years to treat the underlying causes such as trauma, anxiety, depression and many other disorders.
Understanding the link between trauma and addiction can help you understand not only how someone can become addicted, but also the underlying causes behind relapse and continued substance use even after being treated for addiction. It will also help you see the value in seeking treatment for the effects of trauma instead of self-medicating with alcohol or drugs as a means to prevent addiction.
What Is Trauma?
In general, trauma can be defined as a psychological and emotional response to an event or an experience that is deeply distressing or disturbing. When loosely applied, this trauma definition can refer to something upsetting such as:
being involved in an accident
having an illness or injury
losing a loved one
going through a divorce
witnessing upsetting events
However, it also encompasses more extreme experiences such as:
rape or torture
physical and sexual abuse
verbal and emotional abuse
life-altering or life-threatening illness
natural disasters
events of war
losing a loved one to murder, suicide or overdose
The common thread that runs through all these individual’s lives is that the trauma creates changes in their brain, behavior and mental health that are similar regardless of the cause of the trauma.
It is important to note here as well that research has shown clearly that it is not the events that occur in a situation that determine the effects. It is the person’s perception of the events and their interpretation of the events are paramount in determining if the person remains traumatized over time.
How Does Trauma Affect Us?
Trauma can leave a person feeling shocked aggressive, hopeless or depressed. Confusion can be extremely high. Anxiety can raise off the charts even when trying to perform simple tasks, and many trauma survivors tell me they feel changed forever. Trauma can permanently or semi-permanently impact the brain and how it functions depending on age, how long the trauma goes untreated and the extent of post-traumatic stress. This is especially true for children, where long-term exposure to trau