The Link Between Unresolved Trauma and
Addiction
By Dr. Fourkan Ali
People turn to alcohol or drugs for many
reasons. Some will do so out of curiosity and continue to drink or take drugs
because they enjoy the feelings it produces. Others, though, turn to these
chemical substances in a bid to help them cope with the stresses of everyday
life or because the memories of a traumatic event are too painful otherwise.
It is not unusual for individuals to start
drinking heavily when faced with the loss of a loved one, for example. They
self-medicate with alcohol or strong painkillers as this takes the edge off the
pain. Others have experienced trauma in childhood that continues to haunt them
years later.
Unresolved Trauma
Traumatic events such as the death of a loved
one, childhood abuse, or witnessing a fatal accident can all cause feelings of
immense sadness and depression. People who have unresolved trauma have a better
excuse than anyone for turning to drugs or alcohol, but the reality is that it
is still an excuse. That may sound harsh, but there are a large number of
individuals who have also experienced traumatic events in their past but have
not turned to chemical substances to cope.
Drugs and alcohol do not help with traumatic
experiences in the long run. Initially, they may contribute to blocking out the
pain, but the reality is that those who develop addictions to these substances
will then have two problems to deal with – the unresolved trauma and the
addiction.
Dealing with Addiction
If you have developed an addiction because you
self-medicated with alcohol or drugs, you will need to deal with the addiction
before you can address the unresolved trauma. It is crucial that you have a
clear head. It may be necessary for you to complete a programme of detoxification.
It might be wise to contact a service such as
Addiction Helper for advice about how to move forward on the journey towards
sobriety. We have a team of professional counsellors and therapists ready to
take your call and to listen to your situation. They will be able to advise you
on the various treatments available in your area, as well as offering you a
full assessment of your situation. They can also provide you with a free
referral to an appropriate treatment provider based on your requirements.
Be Honest
Whatever the reason for your addiction to
drugs or alcohol, you need to ask yourself whether your drug of choice has made
your life better. If you are completely honest, you will probably realise that
this substance has in fact made your life worse.
No matter how miserable you felt before taking
drugs or drinking alcohol, you are likely to be feeling worse now. These
substances may have provided temporary relief in the beginning but, as you
continued to abuse them, they began to take over. Before long, you lost control
of your ability to make good decisions and your life soon revolved around the
substance to which you had become addicted.
Admitting you have a
problem can be tough, but it will be the best thing you ever do. Once you can
be honest and accept that drugs or alcohol have taken over, you will be ready
to get help. Your life may seem bad now, but if you continue to behave as you
are now, you will find that things will go steadily downhill. Nevertheless, if
you get help now, you have a chance at living a clean and healthy life going
forward. You can beat your addiction and get the help you need to deal with the
unresolved trauma in your life. Call Addiction Helper today, we can help you
fight the dual diagnosis.
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