Are you hoping to overcome your addiction and heal any related trauma? Many times, people develop addictions because they're suffering from trauma.
If you can find a way to heal and
move on from your trauma, overcoming your addiction will be a lot easier. But,
how do you do this? Read on to learn what you need to know about overcoming
addiction and healing trauma.
Develop
a Plan of Action
As cliche as it sounds, admitting
that you have an addiction really is the first step in recovery. You've already
overcome a huge battle by acknowledging that you have a problem that needs
fixing.
Once you've acknowledged the
problem, it's time to develop a plan of action. For most people, this means
entering a recovery treatment program. You can enter an inpatient program,
which means living at the treatment center 24/7. Or, you can enter outpatient
treatment, which means visiting the treatment center around your work
schedule.
You can check out Hope Rising Recovery to learn more about addiction treatment.
Seek
Support
While seeking professional support
is an important step in overcoming addiction, it's also important to have your
friends and family members on board. Make sure those close to you know about
your recovery plans.
You'll likely need to change some of
your social behaviors (such as avoiding bars if you're an alcoholic), and it's
important that you have a strong support system that's onboard for all of these
changes.
Peer support networks can also be
very helpful. For example, many alcoholics find it helpful to join AA support
groups.
Enter
Therapy
Recovery programs aren't right for
everyone, but everyone should consider therapy as a part of their addiction
recovery. As we mentioned earlier, trauma and addiction are often
intertwined.
In fact, one study found that 3/4 of men and women in substance abuse treatment programs report histories of
trauma or abuse. If you don't deal with this trauma in an appropriate manner,
it's likely that you're going to slip back into your addiction.
Behavioral therapies can help you
improve your coping skills so you're not tempted to turn to drugs, alcohol, or
destructive behaviors when you're going through a tough time. Different types
of therapy that may help include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Motivational enhancement therapy
- Mindfulness therapy
- Family therapy
We recommend speaking with your
insurance about finding a therapist in your network.
Medication
When people think of medication
related to addiction, they often think of medication for drug and alcohol
withdrawal. While it's true that medication can help you get through intense
withdrawal, medication can also be useful at other points in your
recovery.
If you suffer from intense trauma,
there's a good chance you also suffer from other mental health issues such as
anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Medication can help you treat these mental
illnesses so you can focus on recovering from your trauma. Often, medication is
combined with therapy as a part of a holistic treatment plan.
Overcoming
Addiction and Healing Trauma: Time to Act
Now that you know more about
overcoming addiction and healing trauma, it's time to take the next steps.
Speak to your support system about your plans, and start looking into different
treatment options.
Also, check back in with our blog for more addiction-related articles!
