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RECOVERY - You must be wondering, "Why does so much care fail?"
It's not because people don't care about getting better or have willpower. It's simple–the major part of care programs is missing a key element that can help get treatment success. Yes, most care programs and professionals don't even consider it.
And that is…
Trauma is the major reason someone turn to substance use, but when this missing part of care continues to be ignored, that can lead to continued use and relapse. So what happens when you decide to get help for substance use, but never bring up your trauma or work through it in treatment?
You guessed it…
You continue to use drugs and alcohol because your care never made it better.
And if care treatment does not help that is because they are not trauma-informed which is where trauma-informed addiction treatment comes in.
Trauma-informed care for addiction understands the link between trauma and substance use disorders and can help by treating trauma as a vital part of addiction treatment.
According to research, an estimated 25 to 75% of abuse or violent trauma survivors develop substance abuse. I don't know about you, but that is a huge number.
In this article, we are going to look at what you need to know to get the best care possible.
- Why trauma matters and the effects of abuse
- Why most treatment fail
- How trauma-informed care is different
- Important principles of trauma-informed care
- And how it can help get better results
Trauma and Substance Abuse: What Everyone Needs To Know
Let's start by clearing one up…
Trauma is not just the event that happened to you but how it changes your brain and its reaction to stress. Trauma can be anything from experiencing abuse as a child to a car accident or natural disaster as an adult.
It's all about the how the brain responds to stress and produces feelings of fear. When someone experiences trauma – especially in childhood – this can literally change the way their brain is wired.
Some shock statistics are that 61% of individuals have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), and nearly one in four have had three or more.
But the scary part…
Individuals who have five or more ACEs are seven to 10 times more likely to turn to substance abuse in their lifetimes. The issue is that trauma impacts how individuals cope with stress.
As a result of trauma, people try to numb the feelings of fear, stress, anxiety and depression that they are constantly bombarded by as a result of trauma.
So substances become a way of self-medicating to escape all that, even if it's temporary.
Until trauma is healed, it is as if someone is shooting a gun into someone's body while covering it with a bandaid.
Why addiction treatment is not enough
A lot of addiction treatment is the same everywhere:
Detox, therapy about not using substances, some group therapy, and you go back to your life.
But there's no thought of the past and trauma that was the cause of using substances in the first place. Think about that.
Someone gets treatment, they go home or back to their life and then what?
The trauma is still there, the issues they tried to stop using to escape from are still there. The lack of safety, the triggers, the overwhelming feelings that the substances kept at bay, all this is still there.
Hence they use again. It's not a weakness, it's just that the care they received did not address the problem.
Traditional care are worse for trauma survivor because many:
- Don't consider the past trauma as part of care plan
- Is a shame-based approach and making someone feel guilty about substance use when they do not even consider why they started using
- Use a one approach that does not account for the person's trauma history
What makes trauma-informed care different
Trauma-informed care is flipping the whole narrative of addiction treatment upside down.
Instead of "What is wrong with you?" it starts with "What happened to you?" and everything about care is different.
Trauma-informed care programs and professionals incorporate certain elements that make it different:
Safety is the first thing established. Physical and emotional safety is a number one priority and established first. Trauma survivor need to feel safe before healing can start.
Trust has to be earned. No staff member demands trust from trauma survivors because they know that there are reasons for mistrust. Instead, they earn it slowly.
Collaboration is the focus instead of authority. Decisions about care are made with the person, not to them. Trauma survivors have the choice and control.
Empowerment instead of powerlessness. Trauma survivors are empowered in their care, recognizing strengths and resilience, not just focusing on deficits.
And this is a big deal…
If a person feels safe, heard, and in control of their care, they are way more likely to be invested in it and recover.
The key elements that makes trauma-informed care work
Trauma-informed care programs have specific components to help with both trauma and substance abuse at the same time:
Trauma-specific evidence-based therapies are used to help people process traumatic memories without being re-traumatized, like EMDR and trauma-focused CBT
Mindfulness and grounding skills are taught to help people stay in the moment during trauma symptoms, rather than escaping with substances
Peer support from others who understand trauma and substance abuse, gives hope and connection that recovery is possible
Holistic practices such as yoga, meditation, and body-based therapies help people reconnect with their bodies in safe ways
But most important is…
Training for all staff. From intake staff to therapists to residential staff, all have an understanding of trauma and how it can affect people, so every interaction can support recovery and not retraumatize.
Why trauma-informed care leads to better results
The really cool thing about trauma-informed care is that it actually works way better than traditional care.
Studies show people who receive trauma-informed care for substance abuse have:
- Better rates of completing care
- Lowered relapse rate once they leave treatment
- Overall better long-term recovery outcomes
- Better mental health
- Improved relationships and coping skills
This is a no brainer because if care is treating the root cause of the problem, trauma, instead of just the symptom, substance use, people have a chance to really heal.
Instead of just learning not to use substances, they are learning to heal from trauma, develop new coping skills, and live a life where substances are no longer needed to cope or numb feelings.
Final Thoughts on trauma-informed care and addiction
What I want you to take away from this is:
Addiction and trauma are so closely linked that when you treat one without the other, that sets the person up for failure. And the numbers show that trauma is one of the highest risk factors for developing substance use disorders.
Trauma-informed care for addiction recognizes this and bases care on it. Safety, trust, and treating trauma alongside substance use, this approach gives trauma survivors what traditional care never did – a real chance at lasting recovery.
If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, then consider asking about trauma-informed care. Because trauma treatment is not just about better outcomes. It's about taking care of the whole person, and giving that person back their lives.
It's your choice really – keep doing the same thing, which is ignoring trauma in care, or embrace a care approach that actually works.
Your recovery deserves nothing less.
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