The Effects of Trauma in Alcohol Addiction

Many people turn to alcohol to cope with difficult feelings and memories from their past. People who have experienced trauma may struggle with the weight of the memories and want to escape. Many people who want to hide from their thoughts or feelings may turn to substances to numb themselves. This unhealthy coping skill can quickly turn into substance use disorder (SUD). Unsurprisingly, people with trauma may have a harder time reaching out for help when they need it. When someone is dealing with addiction to alcohol as well as trauma, it is integral to receive treatment to help them through it. West Coast Recovery Centers understands the effects of trauma and its connection to alcohol addiction. 

Sometimes people learn self-medicating practices from their family and may experience a genetic predisposition to alcohol abuse. This may also mean that they have generational trauma around substances, which can make it difficult to stop using on their own. While alcohol may help to numb the feelings of trauma at first, in the long term, alcohol can exacerbate the issues and make the memories and feelings worse. Thus, getting treatment for alcohol addiction is important to managing trauma long-term.

The Effects of Trauma and Alcohol Addiction

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states that trauma is, “an event or circumstance resulting in: 

• Physical harm 
• Emotional harm 
• And/or life-threatening harm”

Trauma affects the brain and often leaves lasting burdens on the lives of our clients and their families, friends, and loved ones. Having trauma may cause someone to experience traumatic stress, which can become post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD often requires treatment by a professional using trauma-informed therapeutic interventions. Some people who don’t receive treatment for their traumas may turn to risky behaviors or unhealthy coping skills.

Addiction happens when someone is unable to control their usage of a substance. Alcohol abuse can be devastating and difficult to get away from. Trauma may cause someone to seek distance from their thoughts or feelings related to the event that caused the trauma. This means that some people with trauma may turn to substances to numb the pain. Moreover, this reliance on a substance to navigate these difficult emotions leads to substance dependence. 

Addiction needs to be evaluated and treated by a professional. Using alcohol after a “hard day” or when you are stressed is something that is ingrained into our culture in the United States. Finding healthy ways to cope with traumatic memories is important for minimizing the risk of long-term effects. Meanwhile, some people may be genetically predisposed to addiction due to generational trauma and addiction in their family. 

Genetics of Addiction and Generational Effects of Trauma

According to the journal Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology., “Abundant evidence indicates that alcoholism is a complex genetic disease, with variations in a large number of genes affecting risk.” If someone doesn’t know they have this genetic variable, they may turn to alcohol without realizing that they are at risk of becoming addicted to it.

Addictions can also be passed through generational trauma. If you come from a life of trauma and are exposed to your family misusing alcohol to cope with it, you are more likely to turn to alcohol usage. Being taught that alcohol dependence is normal may withhold you from getting help, especially if or when alcohol usage gets out of control. 

Generational trauma can also be hard to break without outside intervention. Treatment for addiction and trauma is the key to overcoming alcohol dependence. The goal is to replace the usage of alcohol with a healthy outlet that will help in finding a way to get through it. 

Alcohol and The Cycle of Abuse

While using alcohol to cope with traumatic feelings may help to alleviate the feelings in the moment, it can worsen the underlying issues. Alcohol abuse used to avoid your feelings will worsen the underlying problem. Traumatic stress can get worse if it’s not addressed. Feelings and flashbacks can worsen, and the emotions can become so big that someone may not feel that they can handle getting through the day.

Getting trauma treatment is the only way to alleviate the stress and pain that comes with it. Treatment can consist of medication management, therapeutic intervention, and even support groups. These things will give clients the skills they need to work through the trauma to get back to a healthier state.

Alcohol abuse in the long run will continue the cycle of trauma and pain. Avoiding and numbing out feelings will not make the traumatic memories go away. Alcohol abuse can also become unmanageable and turn into a worse problem. If untreated, alcohol addiction can be incredibly damaging and result in even more trauma. West Coast Recovery Centers believes that treatment for traumatic stress and addiction will help our clients to get and stay healthier.

Alcohol addiction can exacerbate issues caused by PTSD. Avoiding the feelings of traumatic stress or the memories of substance abuse can make them worse. It is integral to long-term health to receive treatment for alcohol addiction and trauma. Genetic predisposition to alcohol can cause using alcohol to cope to get out of control. Generational trauma may cause someone to lean on substances to avoid the difficulties of working through it. Getting treatment for your trauma will help you gain the strength to overcome addiction. If you are interested in learning more about trauma and its effects on alcohol addiction and how to get help, we can help. Get in contact with West Coast Recovery Centers today at (760) 492-6509.