Imagine you start off with a bad accident that leaves you seriously injured. The pain is so intense that you need strong medication to cope. Eventually, the pain lessens, but by then, you find yourself unable to stop taking the drugs. Now you’re dealing not only with the aftermath of the injury but also with an addiction to pain medication.
Acknowledging the Addiction Problem
It’s often hard to pinpoint the exact moment when pain management turns into addiction. However, once addiction takes over your life, reaching out for help becomes crucial. Everyone agrees that addiction can deeply harm your life, potentially leading to an overdose and death.
When obtaining more of these drugs becomes your top priority, and other important aspects of your life start slipping away, it’s clear you have a problem. This is especially true if you have already experienced an overdose.
Addiction and Trauma
Addiction doesn’t always start with physical pain. Childhood trauma or psychological issues like PTSD can push people towards substance abuse. Unresolved traumas can deeply affect a person, leading to disruptions in relationships, emotions, health, thinking, and behavior.
Seeking Help Before Things Get Worse
With thousands of people dying from overdoses each year, it’s vital to seek help. Since past trauma can still be an issue, you need specialized care to handle both the addiction and the trauma. Research shows a connection between unresolved trauma and addiction, so treatment should address both issues.
Look for programs that specialize in dual diagnosis, which means they treat both addiction and trauma. This might include detox, addiction therapy, psychotherapy, and medication. Extended treatment may be necessary to handle deeper issues.
Post-Treatment Support
After the initial treatment, usually lasting 30 to 60 days, additional outpatient programs and aftercare support might be needed. Since traumas often have deep roots, it takes time and professional help to work through them. Treating the drug addiction first is crucial as it opens the path for effective trauma therapy.
This trauma-focused treatment should be led by trained professionals who can help patients find psychological relief without relying on drugs. Other conditions such as panic attacks, depression, and low self-esteem can also be addressed.
In addition, those dealing with psychological trauma might have imbalances in serotonin, dopamine, and cortisol levels or abnormalities in brain areas such as the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus.
A comprehensive assessment of both the mental and physical needs of the person is necessary. Ensuring the whole person is treated increases the chances of full recovery and a better quality of life.