Almost everyone at some point has experienced trauma. When an event causes a sense of horror, helplessness, serious injury, or the threat of death, it becomes traumatic. Whether or not something is traumatic differs individually. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) notes several types of traumatic events, including:
- Neglect and psychological, physical, or sexual abuse
- Witnessing or experiencing intimate partner violence
- Serious accidents, life-threatening illness, or sudden or violent loss of a loved one
What we consider traumatic is personal. There is no objective bar that determines whether or not something was traumatic to experience. Our responses to trauma are a mix of our support system, environment, and biological factors. For example, someone with a strong support system may not have their mental health as significantly impacted by a traumatic event as someone who does not have a support system.
Traumatic events can cause individuals high levels of distress, negative beliefs and perceptions of oneself, and triggers to future events. In these moments, substances may be used as a form of self-medication to alleviate these experiences. Understanding the connection between trauma and addiction is the first step to knowing your unique needs when it comes to treatment.
Childhood Trauma
We are more vulnerable to trauma during childhood since our brains are still developing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente adverse childhood experiences (ACE) study surveyed over 17,000 participants to investigate the connections between childhood abuse, neglect, and household challenges with later-life health and well-being. They categorized ten types of traumatic events:
#1. Physical abuse
#2. Sexual abuse
#3. Verbal abuse
#4. Physical neglect
#5. Emotional neglect
#6. A family member who is depressed or diagnosed with other mental illness
#7. A family member who is addicted to alcohol or another substance
#8. A family member who is in prison
#9. Witnessing a parent being abused
#10. Losing a parent to separation, divorce, or death
Experiencing these events throughout childhood can increase the risk of developing substance use disorder (SUD) later in life. A research study followed 8,613 adults who experienced five or more ACEs. The study found that children who experienced ACEs were seven to ten times more likely to report illicit drug use and addiction.
Overall, ACEs are common. According to the CDC, 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported experiencing at least one ACE, and nearly one in six reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs. These experiences can affect all aspects of life, such as increased risks of injury, chronic diseases, educational attainment, and job potential.
Childhood Trauma and the Brain
Experiencing childhood trauma can cause addiction, but how? To answer that, we’ll need to discuss how trauma affects the developing brain. Research has shown that childhood trauma has a substantial impact on the development of the brain, including:
- The prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for executive functioning and planning, has less gray and white matter
- The hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning, is smaller in people who’ve experienced childhood trauma
- The amygdala, which controls emotional reactions associated with survival instincts and behavioral functioning, is more reactive
These effects can cause a significant amount of dysregulation and dysfunction, such as difficulty with attention and focus, learning disabilities, and impaired social skills. Further research demonstrates that enduring maltreatment and trauma can interfere with executive function, which can contribute to adult mental health and SUDs.
The connection between childhood trauma and addiction is complex. One study published by Science Direct titled “Trauma, Damage, and Pleasure: Rethinking Problematic Drug Use” suggests that children who experience maltreatment are more likely to develop poor perceptions of themselves such as low self-esteem, self-efficacy, competence, and control over their environment. When these beliefs transition into adulthood, they can disrupt self-regulation and the ability to cope in healthy ways. This may lead individuals to use substances to manage negative emotions later in life.
Another study published by Science Direct titled “The Association Between Type of Trauma, Level of Exposure and Addiction” discussed the feedback cycle trauma could cause with addiction. Using substances to cope with negative emotions brought on by trauma can cause further dysregulation, increasing the drive to self-medicate. This can cause a cycle of abusing substances to calm intrusive thoughts and moods of intense depression, discontent, or indifference.
Moving Forward
Childhood and adult trauma can lead to addiction. However, just because there are connections between trauma and addiction does not mean you cannot chart a path forward if traumatic events have significantly impacted you. It can be hard to acknowledge what we have been through and how that has led to our current situation. If you recognize that trauma is connected to your addiction, there is hope. Treatment centers exist to provide support in overcoming addiction and the traumas that may be associated with it.
You are more than a product of past traumas. They don’t define you or the future you can create. Moving on from these experiences is possible. One of the first steps in the process of recovery is acknowledging how your past traumas connect to addiction. Once you recognize the connection between trauma and addiction, you can begin the deep work of recovering and creating your dream life. Here, at Dream Recovery, we work with you to create an individualized treatment plan that addresses your needs holistically and thoughtfully. We provide a variety of treatments to choose from, such as behavior modification, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and relapse prevention. Our outpatient programs are designed to be flexible with your schedule. We’ll meet you where you are at and work with you collaboratively to address the underlying causes of your addiction. Call Dream Recovery today at (949) 732-1960 to start your recovery journey with us.
Recent Comments