Drug Addiction effects so many people in various degrees and yet society still seems to look down upon this population. We assume drug users chose that lifestyle without considering how they might have gotten to that dark place. We wonder why they haven’t sought out help, before asking if they know where to get help. We often forget that Drug Addiction is a Brain Disease and there are usually issues that stem far deeper than we know. Most addicts did not begin using because they were happy with themselves and their life situation.
Most people use drugs and alcohol to feel better with themselves, or to have more confidence and hide the pain within. Of course, each person has their own story, and we cannot assume that all drug users are hurting, but trauma often play a major role in the life of an addict. Drug addiction is usually the Band-Aid for a deep cut wound from some sort of trauma or pain within.
Using drugs and alcohol has become such a normal part of society that it is almost impossible to live a life of abstinence without being questioned about it at every event. Where is the line between socially using and having developed an addiction? Many people grow up around different substances and are not taught healthy ways to cope with the struggles of life. Then, when life gets hard, as it does, we turn to what we know; drugs and alcohol, and unfortunately, some of us never stop using.
This is why Rehab and Substance Abuse Treatment Centers can change the life of an addict and help them heal their hurt wounds. With the help of the many mental health professionals within rehab centers, you can help learn about any former trauma and triggers that may have led you to use in the past. Once you are able to identify the areas in which you are hurt, you can start utilizing healthy coping skills rather than using drugs and alcohol to help feel better. Because we all know the feeling these substances gives us is only temporary.
3 Types of Trauma; Acute, Chronic and Complex
When we think about drug addiction and healing, it is important to become familiar with the Different Types of Trauma one could be dealing with. Substance Use Treatment Centers and different rehabs can help you to identify any type of trauma that could be affecting your everyday life and essentially causing you to use drugs and alcohol.
- Acute trauma typically stems from one major event such as an assault or an accident and can cause a lifetime of excessive anxiety or worry.
- Chronic trauma is when a person is exposed to a prolonged distressing event such as long-term sexual assault which can have an effect on the persons relationships or even jobs due to constant panic and lack of trust.
- Complex trauma happens when a person has experienced multiple types of traumatic events and can have extremely negative lifelong effects on the individual.
Trauma and Drug Use
Trauma can have such an effect on a person’s everyday life and has been known to lead to substance use as a way to mask over the pain of the event or events. Someone who has experienced trauma may carry a lot of shame with them. This shame may cause the person to have a lack of self-esteem which can then lead to Chronic Drug or Alcohol Use. This is why seeking out the Best Drug Rehab Centers in your area can be greatly effective. Substance abuse treatment centers or rehabs can help you recover from your addiction and help improve your overall mental health. With group and individual therapy, you can begin talking about any possible childhood or adult trauma and start to understand the reasons behind your using. This will allow you to have compassion for yourself, and feel better understood by the Mental health Professionals and others in the same recovery process.
We do not always get to choose the things that happen to us, but we can choose to get the help we now need. SAHMSA (1-800-622-4357) can help you find some of the top rehab centers to help you best recover from your addiction and start your journey of healing.
Nobody should have to go through addiction alone. Contact Us Now at (866) 609-7314 to learn about a variety of recovery resources available to you.
Citations:
Allarakha, Shaziya. “What Are The 3 Types of Trauma?” MedicineNet.
https://www.medicinenet.com/what_are_the_3_types_of_trauma/article.htm Reviewed 8, February 2021.
