Are Trauma and Addiction Connected?

The effects of trauma can have long-lasting effects on your life, especially if it happens early. If you experience trauma as a child, it can shape your emotions, thoughts, and outlook. Adults who experienced trauma get a different view of the world and themselves. People cope with trauma in various ways. Drug abuse and addiction are some of the most common ways people used to cope with addiction. In this article, we will help you understand the link between trauma and addiction.

What is Trauma?

The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional reaction to a terrible experience such as an accident, natural disaster, war, or rape. Anything that puts your physical and emotional well-being at home causes trauma. 

Trauma is a complex reaction because it affects people differently system. When you experience a traumatic event, your body releases hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, responsible for your fight or flight reaction. The hormones are usually helpful in a crisis if your body releases a moderate amount. 

However, the large concentration of hormones in your body can cause adverse effects. Your body will fail to understand the difference between a real emergency and a small one. It also affects your remembrance of traumatic effects. 

Some people find themselves in a vicious loop of trauma that is hard to break free from. After that, they develop a serious mental health condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are different types of trauma depending on the cause. For example, childhood trauma, domestic violence, sexual trauma, and more. 

Some of the signs of trauma include:

• Flashbacks of the traumatic events 
• Erratic behavior due to be 
• Unpredictable emotions 
• Prolonged irritability 
• Lack of confidence 
• Addiction and substance abuse 
• Ongoing fear, nervousness, and anxiety 
• Eating disorders 
• Nausea 
• Headache

What is Addiction?

Addiction is a mental health disease. The main characteristic of addiction is the inability to stop a habit despite its negative effects. Addiction usually starts as abuse. It has various negative effects, including strained social relationships, health complications, financial complications, and legal complications when you abuse illegal substances.

What Is the Connection Between Addiction and Trauma?

The link between Addiction and trauma is complex and affects people differently. Most people use substance abuse and alcoholism as a coping mechanism for a traumatic experience. They will look for substances that offer different sensations, including an inexplicable high or mind-numbing kindness. 

For example, they can abuse stimulants to get an energy surge, benzodiazepine to ease chronic anxiety, opioids for euphoria, and more. Many people fail to identify that drug abuse and addiction are not the solutions for their traumatic experiences. You will eventually develop co-occurring disorders because you will not fully cope with the traumatic experience, and you will have the effects of addiction.

Treatment for Addiction and Trauma as Concurrent Disorders

Co-occurring substance addiction and trauma is a challenging dual diagnosis. You need to get professional help rather than trying to handle it on your own. Professional treatment involves psychotherapy and medication, which target both trauma and addiction. 

Medication helps to cope with withdrawal, address serious addiction, and abuse risky drugs such as heroin and opioids. It also helps to ease some traumatic symptoms such as depression. Therapy helps to overcome the emotional issues that arise from a traumatic experience. The exact treatment for co-occurring trauma and addiction depends on the individual. 

Treatments that address your issues help you recover or cope with the effects in the long term. 

https://www.gallusdetox.com/ Gallus medical detox_centers can help you with detox and addiction treatment in Phoenix and Denver. We use evidence-based medical protocols that focus on the safety and comfort of our patients during the detox program. Call us today at 866 727 0490 for the medical detox program and addiction treatment.

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