The most challenging part of recovery for many is learning to cope with life again. Trauma comes in many shapes and sizes. A break-up, the loss of a job, or even a fight with a friend can all cause varying amounts of trauma. And each new trauma can threaten to pull you back into addiction. Learning how to handle trauma is a long, hard road, but it’s one that’s well worth traveling.
Your Brain on Trauma
Trauma is an unfortunate fact of life for many people. In fact, 70% of American adults have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives. Trauma and addiction are closely linked, with one increasing the risk of the other. Trauma has both short and long-term effects on the brain. According to NIH, there are three main areas of the brain that are affected.
The amygdala regulates your instinct and intuition. The hippocampus controls memory, while the prefrontal cortex controls emotions and impulses. The amygdala is responsible for the fight-or-flight response. This response is useful when you are in a life-threatening situation. But stress or trauma can also activate it. This makes you feel like you are in a life-threatening situation, even when there’s no real danger.
Drugs affect the hippocampus, which can result in memory loss. It can also affect the ability to differentiate between the past and present. This means when you think about past trauma, it can feel like you are experiencing it at the moment.
The prefrontal cortex is less active during a period of traumatic stress. Your ability to control impulses and make responsible decisions is diminished.
Prevalence of Co-Occurring Disorders
There’s a statistical overlap that shows a clear link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and addiction. About 3-7% of the general population have a substance use disorder (SUD). Among those with PTSD, the prevalence is as high as 35% for SUD and 52% for alcohol use disorder (AUD). The reverse is also true. About 8% of the general population has PTSD. For those with a substance-use disorder, the number climbs to 26-52%,
How Trauma Affects Addiction
The effects of trauma make addiction more likely. The self-medication hypothesis asserts that those with addiction and co-occurring trauma or mental health disorder often use it as a way to relieve the psychological stress, anxiety, or depression they experience. Their drug of choice temporarily brings relief, before dropping them down below the original baseline. This starts a cycle where the person continues to use in an effort to feel normal.
The effects of trauma on the prefrontal cortex also play a role. Diminished activity in the prefrontal cortex impairs the ability to think logically. The person may understand that using will ultimately make their problems worse, but they are unable to act on this logic. In most cases, they simply react. They act on instinct, rather than logic. Instinct, through the amygdala, tells them to do what feels good at the moment, with little regard to future consequences.
There’s also a complex relationship between addiction and stress. Stress and drug use have cross-sensitivity. This means that stress will make you more sensitive to the effects of drugs. Drug use also makes you more sensitive to the effects of stress. Trauma and drug use have very similar impacts on the brain.
Successfully Coping with Trauma
The first step to successfully coping with trauma is to recognize it. Acknowledging what you are feeling is essential. You should also recognize that you are at an increased risk of relapse after trauma so you can take action to avoid it.
Seek Professional Help
Don’t try to cope with trauma alone. If you are currently in a rehab program, lean on them as a part of your support system. If you have already completed a rehab program, this is a great time to seek aftercare or help from a mental health professional.
Maintain a Good Support System
A support system is essential for recovery. When you experience trauma, it can be tempting to shut down from your support system. However, this is when you most need them. Research has shown that supportive peers and family members make prosocial behaviors, including abstinence and employment, more likely.
On the other hand, according to the American Psychiatric Association, interacting with others with certain habits makes you much more likely to develop them. This is true for obesity, loneliness, and smoking. The good news is that they also found happiness to be contagious.
Find Meaning and Purpose
Meaning and purpose are often overlooked keys to recovery. When in addition, most people lose their sense of purpose. They are focused on surviving, and they can’t see beyond living from one moment to the next. In recovery, you learn to find a sense of purpose. You begin to give your life meaning. Trauma can feel like a setback, but it’s important to hold on to what’s important to you. Learn what gives your life meaning, and spend extra time focusing on it when facing trauma.
Facing the Past
Facing past trauma is just as important as working through any new trauma you experience in recovery. Sometimes the things you thought you buried long ago come back to life without the haze of drugs or alcohol. Be willing to face your past pain. You don’t have to do it alone. In fact, you should work with your support system and addiction professionals, just as you would when working through fresh trauma.
Sources
Nationalcouncil.org – Trauma Infographic
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – Traumatic Stress: Effects on the Brain
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – Substance Use Modulates Stress Reactivity: Behavioral and Physiological Outcomes
SunshineBehavioralhealth.com – Huntington Beach Alcohol Rehab
Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov – The Relationship of Social Support to Treatment Entry and Engagement
Psychnews.psychiatryonline.org – The Company You Keep Really Does Matter
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Dr. Harshi is a licensed medical doctor with a specialization in Pathology. She is currently employed as faculty in a medical school with a tertiary care hospital and research center in India. She has vast experience of over a decade in diagnostic, clinical, research, and teaching work. She has a strong interest in medical content writing and reviewing. She also has several publications and citations in indexed peer reviewed journals.
