Childhood trauma can have devastating and long-lasting effects on an individual’s mental health and well-being. Experiencing abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, or other adverse events during the critical developmental years puts one at significantly higher risk of struggling with addiction later in life. At JourneyPure At The River, we recognize the strong link between trauma and substance abuse. Our addiction treatment programs take a trauma-informed approach to help clients process unresolved pain and develop healthy coping skills for lasting recovery.
What is Childhood Trauma?
Childhood trauma refers to emotionally painful or distressing experiences that occur before age 18. Some examples of traumatic events include:
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Physical or emotional neglect
- Domestic violence
- Substance abuse or mental illness in the household
- Divorce or separation of parents
- Incarceration of a parent
- Death or abandonment by a parent
As a child, it is extremely difficult to cope with and make sense of these experiences. Trauma disrupts one’s sense of safety and stability. It can shatter trust and create feelings of helplessness, fear, guilt, and shame that persist into adulthood.
The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Mental Health
Exposure to trauma during childhood dramatically impacts brain development. When a child faces a threat, the brain triggers a fight-flight-or-freeze response involving the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. With repeated trauma, a child remains in this heightened stress response state, unable to relax.
Over time, childhood trauma can lead to:
- Difficulty regulating emotions
- Chronic anxiety and depression
- Low self-esteem
- Trouble forming healthy attachments
- Self-destructive behaviors
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
How Childhood Trauma Contributes to Addiction
Individuals who experienced childhood trauma are much more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol. Studies show that up to two-thirds of patients in addiction treatment report histories of childhood abuse or neglect.
There are several reasons for this strong link:
- Self-Medication: Drugs and alcohol can temporarily numb painful emotions and memories related to trauma. Substances may be used as an attempt to self-medicate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or PTSD.
- Disrupted Brain Chemistry: Childhood trauma impacts areas of the brain involved in reward processing and decision-making. This can increase impulsivity and make one more vulnerable to developing an addiction.
- Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: Without learning healthy ways to process emotions and cope with stress, individuals with trauma may turn to drugs or alcohol to escape and dissociate from pain.
Get Addiction Treatment Today
At JourneyPure At The River, we understand that addiction rarely occurs in a vacuum. Our clinicians are trained to recognize and address the underlying issues, such as childhood trauma, that contribute to substance abuse.
Through a combination of evidence-based and holistic therapies, we help clients:
- Process unresolved trauma in a safe environment
- Identify and replace unhealthy coping strategies
- Regulate difficult emotions
- Reconnect with themselves and others
- Develop tools for relapse prevention
We offer trauma-focused therapies like cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to target the root cause of addiction. By facing and working through childhood wounds, clients can finally heal and move forward into a life of meaning and sobriety.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction and unresolved childhood trauma, know that you are not alone and help is available. Call JourneyPure At The River today at 615-410-9260 to learn more about our trauma-informed treatment programs. We’ll guide you on the path to healing.
