Addiction is often discussed in terms of environment, genetics, and chemical dependency, but the role of trauma in the development of addiction cannot be overstated.
Trauma and addiction can be deeply interconnected, creating a complex web that can be difficult to untangle. For individuals recovering from substance use disorder (SUD), it’s often impossible to address addiction without acknowledging the trauma that underpins it. At the same time, it’s impossible to heal from trauma while in active addiction.
“In many cases, substance use functions as a coping mechanism to deal with the emotional and psychological scars left by traumatic experiences,” explains Kelly Kulp, MA, a clinician who leads trauma-informed SUD group therapy sessions in ETHOS’s Wyomissing location.
Many who struggle with addiction describe the need to “numb the pain” or escape from the overwhelming emotions and memories triggered by past trauma. Substances like alcohol, opioids, or stimulants provide an illusion of control, comfort, or euphoria. Over time, however, the reliance on these substances to cope with trauma becomes a cycle of dependency, where the original trauma remains unresolved, and addiction creates new layers of emotional and physical suffering.
“Unfortunately, excessive or compulsive substance use itself often leads to risky behaviors that can end up traumatizing and retraumatizing the user while also worsening feelings of guilt and shame. Untreated, this mix of addiction and trauma will continue to spiral.”
What Qualifies as Trauma?
There are some types of trauma that everyone immediately recognizes as damaging to one’s sense of security and safety, such as sexual assault, physical abuse, neglect, a near-death experience, natural disaster, sexual abuse, domestic violence, combat, surviving war, a severe accident, kidnapping, being threatened with weapons and violence, psychological abuse, and the death of a parent, sibling, or child.
But there are many other traumatic situations that can cause significant, lasting emotional harm, including bullying, sexual harassment, a bad breakup, caregiving for a dying loved one, witnessing violence or death, divorce, community and school violence, loss of a job, religious abuse, loss of a close friendship, expulsion or alienation from a community or peer group, infidelity, and acute and chronic illness.
“It’s very common for people not to recognize the profound traumas in their lives,” says Kulp. “They may have normalized it, underestimated its impact, or simply feel that it wasn’t ‘big enough’ to qualify as trauma. Everyone places different weight on different experiences and being affected by trauma is in no way a sign of weakness. In fact, reaching out for help is one of the strongest, bravest things you can do.”
The Harm of Treating Symptoms Instead of Causes
Traditional addiction treatment models often focus on addressing the immediate symptoms of addiction, such as detoxification and abstinence. While these approaches are critical early in the recovery process, they frequently fail to address the underlying trauma that fuels addiction in the first place. Without dealing with the root cause, individuals are more likely to relapse or develop new addictive behaviors to manage unresolved trauma.
The Power of Group Therapy
ETHOS’s effective Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) uses a proven combination of individual therapy, family therapy, and group therapy.
“Group therapy can be especially effective for processing trauma,” says Kulp. “It can be a safe, supportive environment to share experiences and emotions with others who can empathize. This can help people feel less isolated and more understood. They also learn a lot from each other — hearing about others’ coping mechanisms and progress can provide new perspectives and strategies for managing trauma. It can be empowering to witness others’ recovery, which can inspire hope and motivation in one’s own healing journey. It can also be incredibly illuminating and validating to make the connections between others’ experiences, reactions, and struggles, and your own.”
Both SUD and trauma can lead to isolation or withdrawal from social relationships. Group therapy helps participants reconnect with others, fostering the sense of community, belonging, and purpose that humans require in order to heal and thrive. The act of collaboration and helping others can also be very healing and confidence-boosting.
A Trauma-Informed Model of Treatment
Healing trauma and SUD concurrently maximizes the potential for long-term success and sustainable sobriety.
To start or continue your journey to recovery or to learn more about ETHOS’s substance use disorder program, visit www.ethostreatment.com/contact.