Successful addiction therapy programs will not only treat your physical dependency on drugs or alcohol. To establish a foundation for lasting sobriety, they must also identify and attend to the underlying causes of your substance abuse. At Midwest Center at Youngstown, located in Ohio, we offer patients a full continuum of individualized recovery treatments, including trauma therapy to help patients fully and permanently heal. Contact our team today at 844.544.0502 to learn how we can help you surmount past traumas, paving the way for a brighter future.
What Is Trauma Therapy?
Trauma therapy is a counseling method that allows patients to process and move past those traumatizing events from their past which continue to influence their behavior today. Trauma can result from a large variety of different triggers, including:
- Physical injury
- Criminal activity
- Abandonment
- Domestic abuse
- Natural disasters
- Divorce
- Violent and/or sexual assault
- Chronic bullying
- Food and housing insecurity
- Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or any other identifying factor
Trauma may also be incurred by observing or being threatened by any of the above over a prolonged period, especially as a child unable to interpret these events. In general, traumatic events result in feelings of profound helplessness and a deep-rooted fear of similar events occurring.
The ongoing effects of these events present in a combination of physical and psychological symptoms such as headaches, nausea, sleep disturbances like nightmares and insomnia, flashbacks, relationship difficulties, and intense mood swings such as depression or angry outbursts. They may also contribute to dual diagnoses such as disordered eating or other compulsive behaviors. In fact, the majority of individuals who come to rely upon drugs or alcohol for stress management are actually self-medicating symptoms of unprocessed trauma.
If left untreated, trauma may continue to undermine future substance abuse treatments, even after a successful physical detox. Some patients secretly feel guilt or shame about traumatic events, including those beyond their control. These feelings can also reinforce the underlying belief, conscious or not, that an individual is permanently scarred and does not actually deserve or possess the ability to fully recover.
Trauma therapy allows patients a safe and confidential space to talk to a qualified professional about the personal experiences which have shaped their current choices, leading them to lean upon drugs or alcohol as coping mechanisms.
Benefits of a Trauma Therapy Program
Trauma therapy may include different components based on an individual’s needs, although it generally includes a combination of grief or loss counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), controlled exposure or desensitization therapy, and practice in alternate stress-management methods. In some cases, temporary pharmaceutical supports may be included.
Some of the potential benefits of trauma therapy include:
- Validation that the patient is not innately marred by their past and deserves to live a long, healthy, and happy life
- The ability for patients to understand the full weight of their past experiences
- Permit patients to feel more confident in their ability to manage stressful events
- An increased feeling of trust, allowing patients to more fully commit to other components of their treatment
- Acquisition of more effective coping strategies, particularly in response to stressful triggers
It is important to note that patients may not always be fully ready to enter a trauma therapy program. Therefore, it is critical for individuals in recovery to obtain a full medical and psychiatric assessment prior to treatment.
Trauma Therapy at Midwest Center at Youngstown
Regardless of how troubled your past, you deserve a happy future. Contact our team today at 844.544.0502 to learn how Midwest Center at Youngstown can help you finally move on, armed with the necessary coping skills to live your life to the fullest.