Throughout life, many of us will experience a host of life-threatening events, from car accidents to the sudden loss of a loved one and more. Although many people will remain resilient in the face of these experiences, some people will experience intense effects that interfere with their ability to function well in daily life. Furthermore, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “If trauma isn’t addressed appropriately, it can have longer and deeper negative effects on individuals, families, and communities.” Thus, addressing the effects of untreated trauma is necessary for restoring quality of life and motivating treatment entry for those who struggle with it.
At Renaissance Ranch, we recognize that untreated trauma often plays a significant role in an individual’s initial decision to use alcohol and other drugs and triggers the development of both mental and emotional health problems. Therefore, to achieve and sustain mental health and addiction recovery, treatment must guide and support clients in processing, integrating, and overcoming untreated trauma. By providing a safe and secure treatment environment along with trauma-informed treatment approaches and therapeutic tools, clients have the opportunity to secure lasting recovery from mental and behavioral health concerns and the untreated trauma that informed them.
Initial Reactions to Trauma
As described in the publication titled Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), “Trauma, including one-time, multiple, or long-lasting repetitive events, affects everyone differently… The impact of trauma can be subtle, insidious, or outright destructive. How an event affects an individual depends on many factors, including characteristics of the individual, the type and characteristics of the event(s), developmental processes, the meaning of the trauma, and sociocultural factors.”
Immediately following a traumatic event, an individual may exhibit a variety of emotions that are, more often than not, normal and natural responses to managing trauma. Feeling tired, confused, sad, numb, disoriented, and physically aroused are all common reactions to trauma. Yet, as the publication highlights, “Indicators of more severe responses include continuous distress without periods of relative calm or rest, severe dissociation symptoms, and intense intrusive recollections that continue despite a return to safety.”
Risks of Untreated Trauma
When severe responses to trauma become chronic, they can make an individual especially vulnerable to the long-lasting consequences of untreated trauma. The aforementioned publication by SAMHSA provides specific examples of these consequences and risks, categorizing them across several domains:
Emotional risks:
- Chronic feelings of guilt, anger, sadness, and shame
- Emotional dysregulation and emotional extremes (feeling overwhelmed or numb)
Physical risks:
- Chronic health conditions
- Somatic complaints and somatization
- Hyperarousal and sleep disturbances
Cognitive risks:
- Excessive or inappropriate guilt
- Cognitive errors
- Idealization
- Trauma-induced hallucinations or delusions
- Intrusive thoughts and memories
- Triggers and flashbacks
- Dissociation, depersonalization, and derealization
Behavioral risks:
- Reenactments: Including self-injurious and high-risk behaviors
- Self-harm and self-destructive behaviors
- Using alcohol and other drugs to self-medicate
- Avoidance
Social/Interpersonal risks:
- Informing secondary trauma
- Feelings of guilt and shame lead to isolation and loneliness
Developmental risks (age-specific)
- Young children: Chronic feelings of fear, learned sense of helplessness, nightmares, physical symptoms
- School-aged children: Aggressive behavior, repetitious traumatic play, inability to concentrate
- Adolescents: Depression and social withdrawal, rebellion, increased risk-taking behavior, sleep and eating disturbances
- Adults: Sleep problems, agitation, hypervigilance, substance abuse
- Older adults: Increased social isolation, worsening of chronic illnesses, reluctance to leave home
These risks can also help readers better identify present symptoms of untreated trauma in themselves and their loved ones. Furthermore, as highlighted by SAMHSA, “Because these behavioral health concerns can present challenges in relationships, careers, and other aspects of life, it is important to understand the nature and impact of trauma, and to explore healing.”
Healing From Untreated Trauma With Treatment
One of the most valuable efforts in healing untreated trauma is participating in a professional treatment program that is both individualized and trauma-informed. Clients will work with a team of mental health professionals to process and integrate traumatic events from the past, improve the mind-body connection, and incorporate healthy coping strategies into daily life. Meanwhile, trauma-informed treatment programs prioritize the safety and well-being of each client while actively preventing retraumatization as they heal.
In addition to participating in professional treatment, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers some suggestions for healthily coping with traumatic events that both reduce stress and improve well-being. These include:
- Avoiding the use of alcohol and other drugs
- Spending time with trusted supports
- Maintaining daily routines that prioritize healthy eating, exercise, and quality sleep
- Engaging in mindfulness activities that help with stress management
- Setting realistic goals
At Renaissance Ranch, we offer a full continuum of care for substance abuse and mental health. Our treatment programs are gender-specific, ensuring that our clients can foster peer support with others who share lived experiences. Recovering from untreated trauma can be complicated, but long-lasting symptom management is possible. Allow our team at the ranch to provide the tools and support needed to heal from these devastating events and improve quality of life once and for all.
It can be difficult to pinpoint the effects of untreated trauma on an individual’s life. Yet, becoming familiar with the risks of untreated trauma can provide warning signs, indicating the need for professional treatment. Without addressing the presence of untreated trauma in recovery, an individual is more likely to relapse in the face of future, potentially life-threatening events. Nevertheless, we at Renaissance Ranch are committed to helping our clients address and overcome untreated trauma through the use of trauma-informed, evidence-based approaches and gospel principles. Our personal yet supportive environment yields successful outcomes for our clients. To learn more about our approach to trauma treatment and addiction recovery, give us a call today at (801) 308-8898.