This is one of those tricky, chicken or the egg questions. Many addicts can share about mild to harrowing traumatic experiences growing up that leave no doubt why they needed to escape the pain with using drugs and alcohol.
Trauma Informed Treatment
Whatever level of trauma you've experienced, it's vital that your recovery plan include trauma healing. Many traditional social models of addiction treatment reinforce power dynamics, punitive punishment techniques, and absolute compliance that is trigger for someone with trauma. Make sure you are working with a trauma informed professional as part of your recovery process, whether you are just getting sober or have been in recovery for awhile and are still struggling.
I'm an addict/alcoholic but I had a great childhood, how does this relate to me?
I almost always find there was some type of Attachment Trauma with an addict in their childhood. These can be very subtle but still affect a person's ability to feel a sense of belonging, to have healthy relationships, or feel connected with others/themselves/a Higher Power. Often in an addiction people put themselves in dangerous situations such as driving under the influence which put a great deal of stress on the body and affect brain wiring.
Don't be afraid to look deeper at your trauma with the help of a trained professional, often getting down to the root of our traumas can make the difference between relapse and long term sobriety.
With Compassion,
Cassandra Solano, LCSW
#sobriety #recovery #sobercoach #addictionrecovery #addictiontreatment #traumatherapy #traumahealing #traumainformed
Yay for New Friends!
Hi there! I'd love to gift you a free handout on a huge key to having healthy relationships: Attachment Styles. Your attachment style is just as important as your enneagram or horoscope in helping you understand yourself!