Addiction doesn’t happen with the single use of a substance or drink. It happens over time, developing for numerous reasons, including trauma. Without a lifeline, a child experiencing violence, assault, or bullying within their neighborhood can develop substance use disorders (SUD) later in life.
If you are facing past trauma and pain, know there’s help. Reach out to our team at The Ranch at Dove Tree for immediate support and a treatment plan to address your unique needs.
New Study Shows Kids at Risk Become Adults with SUD
The University of Texas at Arlington released a study that shows that 1 in 4 teens in the U.S. experiences violence close to home, including in their neighborhood. Those teens are twice as likely to start using substances as a way to combat the trauma they experienced.
That trauma could be any type of violence. It is most commonly due to not just a single fight in the school parking lot, but ongoing, even daily, poor treatment by others. This type of neighborhood violence can have a direct impact on the psychological health of many children. It creates chronic levels of fear and stress, leading to trauma.
Trauma can lead to drug addiction. Trauma occurs when the brain faces some type of negative experience that it doesn’t process properly. A single accident or event can create trauma, but it can also develop from ongoing exposure to violence, hate, or negative emotions like stress and fear.
Dealing with that trauma isn’t easy. That’s why it leads to the use of marijuana, alcohol, vaping, and other substances in many teens. These substances create an opportunity to self-medicate or reduce the fear and thought processes linked to what’s happening to them. That emotional numbing only helps for a short period of time, but it provides a break that many teens are desperate for after years of struggle.
What Happened in Your Past Is Treatable
Looking back at your own life, consider what your past trauma was. Did you experience routine harassment by kids at school? Perhaps you witnessed family members fight for their lives or struggle through abusive treatment on a routine basis. You may have been at the heart of that abuse yourself.
That past pain is very real and plays a significant role in the thoughts and actions you display now. It’s not uncommon for someone with a past of painful trauma to reach out to substances to quell those thoughts. You may blame it on experimenting as a teen or just doing what everyone else did. But, over time, something else happened. You developed an addiction.
Continued use, especially when coupled with ongoing stress and past trauma, makes it possible for substance dependency to develop. Your body and brain become linked to that substance, seeking it out in order to function normally. You need a drink to get some sleep at night, or motivation to get through the workday, which starts with smoking.
No matter what your trauma is, there are treatment plans that can help you regain control. That may mean working to overcome that past pain. You don’t have to relive it, but you do have to help your brain heal from it. Doing that gives you more control over your future.
What to Do Now to Get Addiction Treatment in Lubbock
At The Ranch at Dove Tree, our drug and alcohol treatment programs in Lubbock provide adults with solutions. If your SUD stems from years of violence and abuse, know that you’re not alone. You’re also not stuck like this. Change comes when you reach out for treatment. For most people, that means contacting our admissions counselor to gain insight into their options. We offer trauma-focused therapy, a life-changing experience for many patients. It comes in the form of care designed to fit your needs.
- Drug detox provides you with the first real level of control. Your body and brain relearn to function without that substance. We ease the pain of getting to that point while keeping you safe.
- Inpatient treatment helps you learn how to overcome your past pain and build new skills for ongoing health and wellbeing. This is where you gain the tools necessary to step ahead of that trauma for good.
- Outpatient care continues to provide you with support and an advocate who will keep working with you to heal.
You didn’t put yourself in those difficult situations as a child. Yet, they may still be impacting your future. Contact The Ranch at Dove Tree today. Let us provide you with a comprehensive overview of our treatment programs and options. We can create a path that helps you find a better future.
