Addictions are complex and one of the reasons for them can be deep-rooted in the addict. When we all have a better understanding of addiction and the reasons why people can become addicts and find it hard to break the habits, it can help the recovery process. One of the things that can lead to addiction is trauma. But what is trauma and how does it impact women in recovery?

What is trauma & how does it impact addiction in women? 

Trauma is an event that is deeply distressing or disturbing, but it is something that is very personal. What one person experiences could be really traumatic, but if someone else were to experience it, wouldn’t find it as traumatic. Trauma can be abuse of any kind, neglect, or sexual assault. It can be domestic violence, getting diagnosed with a medical condition, or as a result of other big life changes. Traumatic events like this can be overwhelming and debilitating. As a result, coping can be tough, and can be why many women reach to use drugs and alcohol as a way to cope and as a way to numb the pain that we feel. If you have been through something then it can feel like you don’t have anyone to turn to who would understand, which is another reason why trauma and addiction are so closely linked.

If substance abuse is the step before addiction, then self-medicating with addictive substances is the step before substance abuse. Self-medication is often an attempt to manage the stress that comes as a result of trauma. In other words, women can often turn to drugs or alcohol to help them to deal with the mental and emotional, and sometimes even physical impact of their trauma. It is easy to see why there is this connection and how one can lead to another. This is very true when it comes to women in recovery from addiction. Having an undiagnosed psychiatric disorder, such as PTSD, can be one of the main reasons why women relapse after recovery. Dealing with the trauma with therapy can help avoid this and give your techniques and other strategies to help to cope.

Get help for your trauma with us

Trauma is something that is significant, so it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even if you have experienced trauma as a child and think you’ve gotten over it, something could trigger you later in life and lead you to addiction if it hasn’t been dealt with correctly. At Robert Alexander we are here to help, and part of our treatments is therapy and counseling, to help you work through your trauma, so that you can lead an addiction-free life when you leave us. 

You can get in touch with our team of experts today, who can talk through what would be best for you. It may be that you just need to enter as an outpatient or you may be better to join us longer-term. Whatever your trauma, we can help to make sure that the addiction as a result won’t impact the rest of your life. 

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