What Is Trauma?
According to a guide from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), trauma can be an event or a collection of experiences that are physically or emotionally harmful to your mental, emotional, social, physical, and spiritual well-being. Many people think of trauma as violence, as something born out of war, and physical abuse. While trauma can stem from violence, it is more complex and multifaceted. Trauma can be any experience or experiences that leave significant long-lasting negative emotions that impact every aspect of your life.
It is not always easy to recognize the trauma that has been built over time. Repeated exposure to things like unwarranted criticism from a parent, teacher, or friend can adversely impact the way you think about yourself, others, and the world.
Examples include:
Significant event(s)
Natural disaster
Serious injury
Violence
Witness a violent crime
Loss of a loved one
Vehicle accident
Abandonment
Ongoing experiences
Medical diagnosis
Childhood neglect
Put-downs by parents
Bullying
Physical abuse
Verbal and emotional abuse
Neighborhood violence
Overlooked experiences
Public ridicule
Surgery
Sudden loss of a loved one
Breakup of a significant relationship
Disconnecting from unhealthy relationships
A humiliating experience
Deeply disappointing experience
Co-occurring Disorders
As noted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), mental health disorders and substance use disorders (SUDs) can often become co-occurring conditions. Research shows the development of a mental health condition like depression or an anxiety disorder can lead to SUD as a form of self-medication. As one of the leading disorders born out of trauma, PTSD also has a significant correlation with SUD. According to an article in the Frontiers in Psychiatry Journal, researchers suggest the comorbid nature of PTSD and SUD is related to:
- Exposure to trauma leading to PTSD and self-medication for symptoms
- SUD’s heightened risk factors for exposure to trauma, resulting in PTSD
- The disorders sharing common vulnerabilities
Overall, the risk factors for SUD and trauma are a strong indicator of a need in the recovery community to support treatment that considers the whole person in body, mind, and spirit. Trauma and mental health disorders play an important role in how SUD develops and persists in your life. You can not fully lead a life in long-term recovery when trauma and other mental health concerns have not been addressed.
What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
As an approach, trauma-informed care shifts the focus from how we should treat your condition over to the perspective of how we can best support you on your recovery journey. Trauma-informed care uses practices designed to treat the whole person. When we look at the whole picture of you and your life, we can support you in finding a path to long-term recovery that works best for you and your needs. We can discover more depth and support better health outcomes when we use the core principles of trauma-informed care:
Safety
Developing settings and activities that ensure the client’s physical and emotional safety
Collaboration
Engage in shared decision-making for care with the client and care provider
Empowerment
Support clients in the development of their treatment and strengthen their belief in their ability to heal
Trustworthiness and transparency
All care decisions regarding treatment options and service providers are clearly explained and created with the client
Peer support
Shared experiences are an integral part of recovery as peers are paired together to support each other
Humility and responsiveness
Acknowledge and address how biases, stereotypes, and historical trauma impact treatment from the client and care provider’s perspective
To learn more about trauma-informed care, visit our Home page.
What Are the Stages of Trauma Recovery?
There is no right way to process trauma, and your path will not be straight or without obstacles to overcome. Healing happens in stages in which you process, understand, accept, and learn to move forward with your life as you grow and begin to feel more whole. Your journey to recovery is not built on trying to meet certain criteria or fit into a specific category. According to an article from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, there are five primary domains of the healing process for trauma recovery:
- Trauma processing and reexamination
- Manage negative states
- Rebuilding the self
- Connecting with others
- Regaining hope and power
These five domains of healing are not a strict pathway to recovery. Rather, they are a reflection of what is most useful in recovery. The most important element of the healing process is reconnecting with yourself, others, and the world. Through reconnection, you start to find growth and fulfillment in who you are beyond your trauma. You find this growth in your relationships and in your existence in the world.
Trauma Recovery at Emerge Recovery TX
At Emerge Recovery TX, we believe in supporting the whole person on your journey in body, mind, and spirit. We know trauma and SUD take a toll on the mind and body, which makes it difficult to be present in yourself. Therefore, we utilize acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as our clinical framework and curriculum to help you engage in the treatment, process trauma, and heal as you emerge as the best version of yourself. With ACT, we can help you reconnect with yourself in recovery as you learn to let go of unhealthy habits and behaviors. When you release unhealthy behaviors and habits, you can start building a life based on self-awareness, happiness, and fulfillment.
In trauma recovery, we can support you as you rediscover and connect with yourself, others, and the world on your recovery journey. At Emerge Recovery TX, we can use care approaches like ACT to help you reconnect, build self-awareness, and find fulfillment in long-term recovery. Call us at (737) 237-9663 to learn more today.