A study reported to the National Library of Medicine tracked women with substance abuse disorders and found that 81% had experienced trauma. Trauma was defined as physical, sexual, or emotional abuse or neglect. Drug and alcohol use was their way to cope with the trauma.
Clearly, there is a connection between trauma and substance abuse for women, but what does it mean for addicted women and the medical professionals who treat them?
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Treating Comorbid Conditions
Comorbidities, or having more than one ailment at the same time, can make diagnosis and treatment more complicated. For the purposes of this article, we’re referring to the concurrent ailments of substance abuse disorder and the mental and emotional effects of past trauma.
For example:
- Jane was molested by a relative when she was 10. By 13, she was sexually active, regularly drank alcohol, and experimented with multiple prescription and illegal drugs. By 15, she stole her parents’ vehicle to go party, got into trouble for shoplifting, and swung from deep depression and cutting to threatening her parents and siblings. Her parents don’t know what to do to help her and may even grow to fear their own child.
The catalyst was not the drug and alcohol problem. Jane used substance abuse to deal with feelings of shame, guilt, worthlessness, anger, grief, and helplessness. The more Jane acts out, the more confusing it is for a diagnostician to pinpoint the cause, especially because Jane is too ashamed to admit to the sexual abuse. - Liz married her high school sweetheart right after graduation. Neither of them knew how hard it would be to strike out on their own. Liz’s husband is stressed out by having to work two jobs, and he lashes out physically and verbally at Liz.
Liz walks on eggshells whenever her husband is home, afraid some little thing will set him off. Her self-esteem took a nosedive. She doesn’t see a way out. She’s isolated herself because she’s ashamed of the bruises. She’s a mom of a small child, and she can’t afford daycare—not on the money she’d make taking menial entry-level jobs. She feels trapped and alone and turns to drinking to numb herself. - Tanya was in the military. She spent months overseas in the heart of the conflict. After a life-altering injury, she was sent home with full honors and a purple heart, but that medal doesn’t chase away the nightmares that haunt her nights.
Movement at the corner of her eye, sudden sounds, loud music, and other triggers make it difficult to concentrate, study, work, or cope. She sabotaged two relationships with men who couldn’t handle her PTSD.
She was prescribed pain pills for her injury, but they did more than just help her pain. They stopped her from dreaming, so she didn’t wake up in a panic. They allowed her to relax so she wasn’t so jumpy. She only meant to take them for a few weeks until she got over the worst of the PTSD, but now she can’t stop.
Treating behavior that results from abuse without addressing the abuse itself is like putting burn cream on your hand and then sticking it back in the fire.
The Statistics
According to the World Health Organization, one in three women will experience physical or sexual assault in their lifetime, often at the hands of someone they know.
Psychology Today reports that trauma causes dysregulated stress systems that can make people more vulnerable to addictive behaviors and habits. It can also cause people to disconnect and become numb. Trauma can cause continual fight or flight responses, which, over time, can disrupt a woman’s immune system and oxytocin and serotonin levels (making it difficult to regulate mood and feel connected to others). Trauma can create a constant hyperawareness and anxiety that’s difficult to endure.
The Solution
While every case is different, a good addiction recovery center can address a full range of needs using a multi-pronged approach to therapy. Here’s how:
Physical- The center’s detox facility can monitor the patient’s health as they wean them off the drug. They can counter side effects and help with anxiety during the worst days of withdrawal.
Spiritual- Through programs such as the 12-step approach, Christian-based treatment centers can help people connect with a higher power. This will help them understand their true identity and find an unfailing source of peace.
Mental- Women’s addiction counseling allows trauma victims to work through their challenges with a trusted professional. With a therapist’s help, they can unpack their false beliefs (such as, “It’s all my fault they hurt me.”) Over time, they can learn healthy ways to cope.
Conclusion
When therapy treats the whole person, the results are comprehensive and long-lasting. Instead of self-destructive patients, you get self-empowered warriors who can take back their power and move forward in healthy ways. If you’ve been searching for a “detox facility near me” in Idaho, contact us to start your recovery journey.