Life, beautiful as it is, can scar us from time to time. And each of those marks, or traumas, heal differently. They can impact how we think, feel, and act for years—and not always in good ways.
However, healthy healing is possible. With proper support and plenty of effort, trauma-informed therapy can break addiction’s hold on you. This article explores how.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma stems from frightening, dangerous, or otherwise overwhelming experiences. (Think: surviving a car accident, losing a loved one, etc.) It can happen in one go, or build up over time. Whatever the cause, trauma pushes our brains into survival mode—but instead of switching back to a state of calm, we remain alert and scared.
That heightened awareness can manifest in different ways. Some people might suffer from night terrors and daily anxiety; others might feel numb or disconnected from others. No matter the symptoms, they all point toward the same culprit—lingering trauma.
How Do Trauma and Addiction Intersect?
They often go hand-in-hand, with addiction setting in as unhealthy coping mechanisms spiral out of control. Where some folks might sign up for anxiety and depression therapy to confront difficult memories or emotions, others might try to avoid them altogether. Instead of confronting them, they deaden them with drugs, alcohol, and other substances.
Though it might provide temporary relief, those scary feelings will always come back. That forms a vicious circle—one that can end in addiction. And without addressing underlying traumas, long-term recovery becomes harder to attain.
What Makes Therapy “Trauma-Focused”?
SImply put, not all therapies are created equal. Traditional talk therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), play a critical role in helping patients address their thoughts in healthier ways. However, trauma-focused therapy digs deeper, targeting traumatic memories and working to change the way your brain responds to them.
How Can Therapy Help You Feel Safe Again?
For starters, it creates a secure relationship—a massive milestone for those traumatized by past interactions with people. Your therapist will listen without judgment and support you through the healing process. By sharing your traumas and confronting them, you also show yourself that you can face difficult feelings head-on. They might be uncomfortable, or even hurt, but they won’t destroy you.
Additionally, trauma-focused therapies help your brain realize that the danger producing that prolonged response no longer exists. Couple that with practical stress-management skills like mindfulness and healthy self-talk, and you might experience a dramatic reduction in flashbacks, panic attacks, and other symptoms.
What is Outpatient Therapy?
An outpatient drug rehab program incorporates the therapeutic treatments and group sessions of residential care—without you having to stay the night in a facility.
This approach has some real advantages: You can put new skills to practice in real-world scenarios; maintain your support system; and fulfill professional, personal, and academic responsibilities. When dealing with trauma, outpatient therapy also provides ongoing support, helping you stay the course to recovery.
Apex Recovery: The Right Choice for Trauma-Focused Therapy
Addressing addiction matters, full stop—and when trauma’s in play, dual diagnosis treatment can make the difference between short-term relief and long-term recovery. Apex Recovery grounds its approach in individualized care plans, tweaked to each patient’s needs. Our accredited professionals implement evidence-based therapies to achieve greater outcomes, and our outpatient programs can get you the help you need with minimal disruption to your daily life.
In short, our trauma-focused therapies reveal a path forward.