When Adults Become Addicted Due to Childhood Trauma

The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional response, yet we know that our bodies suffer physical symptoms as well. Indeed, a trauma-inducing event can wound all of our systems. It can affect our thought processes, sleep, digestion, immune systems, outlook on life, and how we feel about ourselves and others.

As bad as all this sounds, it can be much worse for children.

As adults, we recognize and understand how events impact us, but children exposed to trauma often have no idea what is happening to them. They experience the traumatic event—perhaps a one-time incident such as a car accident or a longer-term occurrence such as physical abuse—and then experience the associated symptoms of trauma. They do not know how to process the symptoms or understand why the symptoms are happening. As a result, these all-invasive wounds might go untreated for weeks, months, or years.

According to Veterans Affairs, as many as 43% of boys and girls experience at least one traumatic event as children. Of those figures, VA goes on to note, “3% to 15% of girls and 1% to 6% of boys develop PTSD.” Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common mental health diagnosis for persons who experience trauma. As high as those percentages are, they do not take into account the number of children who have gone through a devastating experience and not told anyone or receive a diagnosis. In other words, the numbers are likely higher.

For instance, Child Protective Services statistics indicate three million reports received per year, 30% of which indicate abuse ranging from categories of neglect (65% of cases), physical abuse (18%), sexual abuse (10%), and psychological abuse (7%). There are one million cases of abuse a year reported and subsequently confirmed, but there is still no way to know how many couldn’t be verified and how many go unreported. The bottom line is, there are potentially millions of incidents of child neglect and abuse that have caused PTSD and associated symptoms, unbeknownst to sufferers who grow up never realizing they’ve become double victims.

Without proper help, many turn to substances to self-medicate.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse notes that “People are most likely to begin abusing drugs…during adolescence and young adulthood.” These substances can include everything from alcohol and cannabis to methamphetamine, synthetic cannabinoids, acid (LSD), illegally-gained or misused prescription opioid-based painkillers, and more. NIDA cites many contributing causes for why youth might turn to drugs, with traumatic events and mental health conditions being listed as primary causes. In those cases, drug use can turn into abuse and addiction as the drugs alter the person’s brain activity and force them to reprioritize their entire lives. In these developmental years, such actions can shape one’s future, leading to addiction in adulthood and the consequent struggles and dangers that entail.

We can expect that adults who had normal childhoods can objectively look at their own lives and connect the dots between their past and present. However, childhood trauma, untreated mental health issues, and substance abuse seriously disrupt those abilities. As a result, an adult with a co-occurring mental health disorder and substance abuse problem might never fully recognize the link between their prior trauma and current problems.

Even if they do, it can be virtually impossible to deal with the combination of issues alone. “Despite popular belief, willpower alone is often insufficient to overcome an addiction,” NIDA writes. “Drug use has compromised the very parts of the brain that make it possible to ‘say no.’” This is why it is imperative to seek professional treatment and explore therapy options to get well.

If you or someone you care about, has an ongoing history of alcohol or substance use and/or relapse, contact Gulf Breeze Recovery or call: 833.551.2356 to speak to an addiction expert to learn more about their residential program, out-patient program, and intensive out-patient program, and which of these can best fit your individual needs.  These programs have helped many people overcome their addiction and embrace their new happy, healthy, substance-free lifestyle.

We help people not just to survive, but to THRIVE!