Substance use and addictions are common coping mechanisms trauma sufferers turn to in the aftermath. There is a strong correlation between post-traumatic stress disorder and substance use. Sometimes knowing that we’ve been forever changed, assumingly for the worse, is enough to make us feel so discontented we want to turn off our emotions altogether. The quickest way to numb the pain is by turning to drugs and alcohol.
The problem with using substances to cope is that it’s simply unsustainable. Although, in the moment, we might be free from the memories of the trauma we endured, this numbness is fleeting. Over time, the consequences will far outweigh the temporary benefits.
Other addictions, such as problematic food intake, internet use or shopping, can also develop. And addiction is a tough cycle to break. Usually, addicts end up destroying almost every facet of their lives before they realize it’s no way to live.
Hopping from one addiction to another is also a common, yet toxic, cycle. Even when substance users get sober, they tend to turn to other forms of addiction. This is why there are twelve step support groups for food, internet, gambling, gaming, hoarding, and others. Many are structured in much the same way as those for SUD and many addicts abstaining from these process addictions refer to themselves as “sober” or “in sobriety.”
Substance use and turning to fleeting band-aids to feel better alter brain chemistry, causing irrational thinking and an inability to feel good naturally. More drugs and alcohol are often taken to try to achieve the same effects as was evident in the very beginning to no avail. Soon the body becomes dependent and it’s not longer fun or relieving to engage in the behavior – its scary and dangerous, but still viewed as necessary. Once addiction reaches this point it feels impossible to escape its clutches.
Chances are, you will start to notice a pattern if you hop from one addiction to the next. The effects on the brain and body are relatively the same. It is important to acknowledge this cycle and get help. You are not alone. Sustainable healing starts when numbing the pain ends.