trauma

Trauma: The Forgotten Partner Of Substance Abuse Disorder

Most people who suffer from substance abuse disorder have dealt with some form of trauma in their lives, be it: childhood trauma, physical or emotional abuse, PTSD, rape, neglect, homelessness, and more ad nauseum. These traumas may not be necessarily the cause of the substance abuse disorder, but it is most definitely a mitigating factor in it.

Most detox/residential programs, although extremely effective in helping clients overcome the physical addiction through medical alcohol detox programs as well as offering a variety of therapies to help the client re-enter life, the majority do not deal with a dual diagnosis or any other underlying mitigating issues that might be exacerbating the substance abuse disorder.

From personal experience as an outreach director for a detox/residential facility, Nikitos has seen a growing number of facilities taking a slight shift in their modality and philosophy when dealing with people suffering from substance abuse disorder. The shift seems to be trending more to a “mental health primary” with substance abuse issues as an adjunct to the former.

traumaRead the complete blog here.