Trauma and Addiction

    This blog was a collaboration between Thomas Banta and Loosidapp.

   Addiction and trauma are often deeply interconnected, with unresolved trauma playing a significant role in the development of substance use disorders. Addressing both addiction and trauma simultaneously is essential for long-term recovery, and many effective treatment methods have been developed to target these dual issues.

     Thomas Banta, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Trauma Specialist,  emphasizes the importance of treating trauma alongside addiction. "I treat trauma concurrently with substance use disorders. I do not wait for long-term remission, and the reason for that is we must reduce the symptoms that people are self-medicating; otherwise, they will continue to do so."

     In this blog, we’ll explore how trauma and addiction are interconnected, highlight the most effective treatments, and discuss the importance of community support, including online platforms such as sober apps.

The Connection Between Trauma and Addiction

     Research has consistently shown that trauma, especially in childhood, significantly increases the risk of developing an addiction. "In the late nineties, there was a massive study of adverse childhood events and their relationship with multiple negative mental and physical health outcomes," says Thomas. "The data showed that individuals who had a history of these adverse events were over 4x more likely to develop a substance use disorder."

     Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs) refer to traumatic experiences that occur during childhood and have a profound impact on a person’s mental and physical health throughout their life. These events can include physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, or growing up in a household where family members are experiencing mental illness or substance use disorders. The landmark CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, which Thomas references, found that the more ACEs a person experienced, the higher their risk of negative outcomes, including addiction, mental health disorders, and even chronic physical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

     ACEs disrupt brain development, leading to difficulties with emotional regulation, impulse control, and the ability to form healthy relationships. This increased vulnerability can drive individuals to seek out substances as a way to cope with the lasting effects of their traumatic experiences.

    The connection between ACES and addiction stems from the impact that trauma has on brain development and the coping mechanisms people develop. A traumatic experience can alter brain structure, making individuals more susceptible to the allure of substances that temporarily ease their emotional pain. "Think about walking through a desert for three days, and someone offers you a glass of water versus being offered water when you’re fully hydrated," Thomas explains. "This is what happens when a traumatized individual gets exposed to these mind-altering substances. They get this massive rush of many things their brain has been missing."

     When someone has experienced trauma, their brain may struggle to regulate emotions, leading to an increased risk of developing an addiction as a form of self-medication. Addressing both trauma and addiction is crucial because without healing the underlying trauma, the person may continue to rely on substances to manage the pain.