There is no doubt that our past can cast a heavy shadow over our present - trauma is much more common than we think. There is a strong link between early-life traumatic events and substance use and mental health conditions.
Anyone exposed to a stressful event could potentially develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). When PTSD is triggered, people’s bodies respond as if the event was happening in front of their eyes.
This leads to feelings of grief, anxiety, depression, and terror, which can devastate people’s daily lives. Untreated PTSD often causes people to self-medicate with drugs or alcohol to fix their feelings temporarily.
Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic specializes in treating the root cause of our patient’s problems. Our team of highly-trained professionals support our clients in making peace with the past and provide a range of treatments that alleviate their symptoms while being delicate enough not to trigger their condition.
If you or a loved one are struggling with the lasting effects of trauma, our specialist treatment is here to help.
It’s a popular misconception that only soldiers experience PTSD. The truth is that a vast range of events can be traumatic. Trauma is about your reaction to a particular situation. Some of the most common causes of trauma are:
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Trauma responses happen both in the body and the mind. It’s important to remember that these aren’t your fault. Trauma causes lasting neurological changes in the structure of our brains. Just as we could not control the original event, we can’t control our response to our triggers.
Some of the more common PTSD symptoms are:
Intrusion
Intrusive thoughts such as nightmares, flashbacks, or involuntary memories of the event can seem so vivid that the trauma survivor feels they are re-living the original event.
Avoidance
No one likes to feel upset. Trauma survivors often avoid reminders of the original event, such as people, places, activities, and situations. They’ll avoid talking or thinking about the original event to try to distance themselves from it as much as possible.
Alterations in Mood
People often can’t remember specific aspects of the traumatic event. They might hold untrue beliefs about themselves, for example, “I’m not worthy of being loved.” They may also blame themselves for events, experience anhedonia (an emotional void), and feel as though they are unable to connect with others.
Changes in Reactions
People may experience irritable or angry outbursts, engage in self-destructive behaviors, become hypervigilant, and be easily startled. They might also experience sleep disruptions. On the other side of the spectrum, people may also dissociate from reality as a coping strategy.
Studies have found that traumatic experiences in childhood correlate with addiction later in life. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that more than 30% of adolescents who have experienced abuse or neglect will become addicted to substances by eighteen.
Studies have also found a specific correlation between marijuana abuse, opioid addiction, alcohol addiction, and methamphetamine addiction.
The relationship between trauma and addiction varies from person to person. Some people who grow up in toxic and loveless environments seek validation elsewhere and use substances to find that acceptance. Unfortunately, using substances as a teen drastically increases the chance of addiction.
Trauma survivors also are much more likely than the rest of the population to experience mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, leading to a vicious cycle of self-medication.
At NPAC, we understand that no two people’s traumas are the same. We’re all unique, and that’s why we tailor our programs to suit the needs of the individual. At our Miami center, you can get help for substance addiction, trauma, and mental health under one roof.
We’re committed to finding a long-term solution that works for you. Our clinical team has decades of experience in working with mental health, addiction, and trauma. We’re dedicated to finding the best possible solution for you.
Employing a combination of traditional, evidence-based talking psychotherapies, experiential therapies, and cutting-edge approaches, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), we can help you create healthy coping strategies.
It’s an old adage that it takes a whole village to raise a child. At NPAC, you’ll be part of a confidential and caring group that genuinely wants the best for you. Not only will this provide you with the opportunity to discuss how you feel, but you’ll also be able to identify with other people’s experiences.
Recalling traumatic events can be distressing. It also triggers flashbacks or other uncomfortable feelings. Our therapists use EMDR to help unlock your brain’s innate healing ability without running the risk of retraumatization.
Often, trauma survivors hold untrue beliefs about their lives. They might blame themselves for what happened to them or feel the world is unsafe for them to be in. Our compassionate therapists use cognitive-behavioral therapy to help you to change your negative thinking patterns and reframe them positively.
At NPAC, we want you to have a long and happy recovery. Dialectical behavioral therapy helps to increase your distress tolerance and reduce impulsive, short-term coping strategies such as self-harm or substance use.
At NPAC, we know that successful recovery looks different for everyone. We’re determined to make your transition into recovery as easy as possible. However, you’re always welcome back for support if you run into any challenges along your journey.
If you or a loved one are struggling with the lasting effects of trauma, it can be devastating. At NPAC, we offer comprehensive and effective residential specialized trauma treatment to help you find long-term recovery. Contact us today for a free, obligation-free initial assessment now.
