When an individual struggles with untreated trauma, it significantly impacts their mental and emotional well-being. Trauma can include childhood neglect, an abusive relationship, assault, or a serious accident. If trauma is untreated, people can develop mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. It is not uncommon for a person struggling with unresolved trauma to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to cope with their unwanted feelings and memories.
Trauma can happen to anyone and at any point in their life. Childhood trauma can be incredibly detrimental to your mental health and leave lasting impacts if left untreated. When an individual abuses substances to cope with trauma, it often worsens the situation. Continued use of drugs and alcohol can lead to dependency, resulting in addiction. For those struggling with untreated trauma and addiction, help is available. At Rise Above Treatment, we provide a safe environment for our clients to overcome addiction and work through trauma. Our addiction treatment program helps clients improve their mental health and develop healthy coping skills to maintain lifelong recovery.
The Link Between Trauma and Addiction
Those struggling with untreated trauma have a much higher risk of developing an addiction to drugs or alcohol. The long-term mental health impacts of trauma can lead to addiction as people turn to substances to cope with the side effects. Recognizing the signs of trauma and addiction can alert you that someone in your life is struggling and needs professional treatment.
Signs of trauma are:
- Extreme mood swings
- Frequent feelings of fear, nervousness, or worry
- Irritable behavior
- Flashbacks
- Insomnia and nightmares
- Anger and denial
- Withdrawing or isolating from friends and family
- A sudden silence or a refusal to speak
There are some shared signs between trauma and addiction, but there are some distinct signs of addiction you should look out for.
Signs of addiction include:
- Changes to personality
- Changes in daily routine
- Lack of concern for personal hygiene
- Financial problems
- Changes in friends or activities
- Bloodshot eyes
- Body shakes, tremors, or slurred speech
For many, unresolved trauma is what leads to an individual’s addiction. Trauma leads to high feelings of stress and harms your mental and emotional well-being. This effect makes people more susceptible to drug and alcohol misuse.
Treating Trauma and Substance Abuse
To recover from addiction, a person must seek trauma and substance abuse treatment. If an individual struggling with untreated trauma does not work through their traumatic experience, they risk relapsing. Understanding and working through trauma can be uncomfortable and overwhelming, but it is crucial to be able to move on and restore your mental health. At Rise Above Treatment, we offer many addiction treatment programs to help our clients heal and develop tools and strategies to achieve lifelong sobriety.
The addiction treatment programs we offer at Rise Above Treatment include:
- Drug and alcohol detox center
- Dual diagnosis treatment program
- Early intervention program
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization program
- Medication-assisted treatment program
- Residential treatment center
- Relapse prevention plan
- Sober living center
Recovering from trauma and substance abuse is challenging. It is difficult to revisit unpleasant memories and allow yourself to be vulnerable. However, in a safe, healthy environment, clients can make significant strides to improve their mental and emotional well-being. This recovery will help set them up for a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life of sobriety.
Finding the Right Addiction and Trauma Treatment Program at Rise Above Treatment
There are many addiction treatment options available. Finding the right addiction and trauma program that works for you will significantly impact your recovery journey. At Rise Above Treatment, we create an individualized treatment plan that tailors our programs and services to meet each client’s specific needs. Contact Rise Above Treatment at (877) 641-0717 to begin your recovery journey today.
