Trauma leads to Addiction and Drug abuse
Traumatic events mould people. It could be a childhood experience or something you faced as an adult, these experiences change how people view the world and how they look at themselves. Plasticity, which is the human brain’s innate ability to retort and adapt to environmental stimulation, plays a major role in shaping a person’s mind, post trauma.
Stress-inducing and traumatic experiences including childhood neglect, loss of a parent, witnessing domestic or other physical violence during childhood, and having a family member who suffers from a mental illness are linked to an increased vulnerability to addiction. It’s not strange anymore to hear that someone who has suffered a traumatic experience before struggles with an addiction now. Too often, trauma has been the reason behind alcoholism or drug abuse.
There seems to be a deadly link between trauma and addiction Although no one denies the importance of biology and genetics in the development of the brain, the unfortunate experiences of childhood are believed to be the reason for certain anomalies in brain structure of the victim. These anomalies may result in cognitive, behavioral and social impairments and may often lead to addiction.
Addictions in these persons are not confined to alcohol and drugs. They may also result in behavioral addictions such as compulsive eating and compulsive sexual behavior. On the other hand, studies suggest that reasons common for substance abuse behavior in adulthood to be modeled after mimicking a loved one who used to be an addict during the victim’s childhood. In fact, the tendency to self-medicate also could be the result of trauma.
Types of Trauma
Types of trauma are numerous. The most common of them being Physical assault, Domestic violence, Sexual assault, Emotional or verbal abuse, Parental neglect, Rape, Natural disasters, Terminal illness of a loved one, Accidents, like car crashes or fire, Bullying or ongoing harassment, Loss of a loved one, Deceit in romantic relationships.
There are a lot of complex explanations for why trauma can lead to addiction. The first, and most common explanation is that people who are victims of a traumatic experience resort to alcohol and other mood-altering substances to be able to forget the past and to get over the horrible memories in their mind. But the fact is, that these horrors are the truth and they aren’t strictly memories either. Trauma can often manifest as PTSD by altering the chemicals in a person’s brain so that, neurologically, they are reliving the moment of their trauma again and again. Using alcohol/substance to get over PTSD is purely illogical and may even lead to suicidal inclinations due to elevated depression levels.
Signs of Trauma
An increasingly large percentage of people with addiction have been observed to have experienced some kind of trauma in their past. In fact, nearly two-thirds of drug or alcohol addicts have experienced one or multiple forms of trauma, especially during their childhood. The signs of childhood trauma are exhibited in a wide range of psychological and behavioural side effects. Some observations may include:
- Dramatic mood shifts
- Erratic behaviour
- Excessive or inappropriate displays of emotions
- Constant fear, nervousness or anxiety
- Persistent agitation or irritability
- Timidity
- Eating disorders
- Avoiding things that remind you of your traumatic experience
- PTSD
- Issues with how you relate with others in your professional life
- Dysfunctional romantic and social relationships
Why medical intervention is necessary to address addictions caused by trauma?
Co-Occurrence: PTSD And Addiction
Nobody just “chooses” to be addicted. There are genuine reasons leading to addiction of drugs and to alcoholism, and they are often beyond the realm of individual’s choice.
Having Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well as Addiction is termed as Dual diagnosis or Co-Occurrence. This diagnosis talks about people with anxiety, depression or schizophrenia.
It is important to treat a dual diagnosis PTSD in a well-equipped treatment facility. High quality Rehabs must be able to address both the addiction and the underlying trauma that caused the addiction, which may include an analysis of all trauma-related triggers. Long-term care is often the best choice for treating both symptoms and causes.
