Trauma is often the root cause of both substance abuse and mental health issues in people. Unresolved incidents or a series of events often are buried deep in a person’s psyche and can create significant problems as people grow older. When people seek treatment for addiction, mental illness, or both, clients need to learn how to cope with trauma, address their trauma, and work with treatment professionals to develop healthy coping skills to move past trauma and become healthy and happy.
In this blog, we will discuss what trauma is and the ways people can successfully cope with trauma while in rehab. Is trauma weighing you down? Do you fear that your unresolved trauma will complicate your recovery? Sequoia Recovery Centers’s evidence-based therapy and treatment programs help you get to the roots of your trauma and addiction in a safe and supportive environment. Our treatment team will give you the support you need to move past trauma and realize true freedom and happiness. Our Washington medical detox and treatment programs are evidence-based, extensively tested, and proven to work for you.
Sequoia Recovery Centers is a Spokane drug and alcohol detox center. Call Sequoia Recovery Centers today and begin your journey toward recovery.
What is Trauma?
According to the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center, trauma is defined as the following:
“ (Trauma) results from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being.”
The following are common examples of trauma that people can experience in their lives:
- The death of a loved one
- Living with a serious illness
- Experiencing a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or school shooting
- Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse
- Being a victim of a crime such as a robbery or assault
- Being involved in a serious car accident where there was serious injury or death
- Living through war or experiencing combat-related fatigue
People that experience trauma feel they aren’t safe. They have tremendous difficulty regulating their emotions and their relationships with others are often strained and dysfunctional. To cope with trauma people often turn to substances as a way to cope with their feelings. While drugs and alcohol do provide some short-term relief, those feelings come back after the substances wear off. If one’s trauma is not addressed, people can end up with co-occurring mental health issues along with substance abuse issues.
How Can People Cope With Trauma While in Rehab?
Trauma can be a major roadblock that prevents people from getting the most out of rehab. For clients to cope with trauma and learn to move past trauma, they need specialized treatment that focuses on trauma. Fortunately, a growing number of rehabs offer trauma-informed care as part of their treatment programs. Trauma-informed treatment is a set of approaches that focus on addressing the mental health of clients who experience trauma and provides the tools and support to help them address and overcome past trauma. These programs are designed to help people manage the symptoms associated with trauma and help reduce the risk of re-traumatization once they leave treatment. These approaches include medication-based therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and exposure therapy among other programs.
Trauma-informed care is important in that it helps minimize feelings of being weak or flawed. Trauma treatment gives clients the tools they need to cope with trauma and deal with their emotions and feelings healthily. Most importantly, this form of therapy allows people to make sense of what happened in their lives while being supported by peers and treatment staff. People learn that the events they experienced in their lives do not define them as a person.
Don’t Let Trauma Complicate Your Recovery: Get The Support You Need From Sequoia Recovery Centers
Trauma can feel like a thousand-pound weight on one’s soul. Trauma not only prevents people from growing, but it also often leads to drug addiction and mental illness. If unresolved trauma is holding you back, call Sequoia Recovery Centers today. Our experienced team of treatment professionals understands your struggles and will provide personalized programs and services that will empower and inspire you to move past your trauma and uncover your true authentic self. Don’t allow trauma to impact your life and the lives of those you love; call Sequoia Recovery Centers today and find the path to freedom.
