Trauma-informed care can be an essential aspect of recovery, especially for those who suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, or PTSD. Often these disorders are related to past traumas in a person’s life.
If you’re not familiar with trauma-informed care, you’re not alone. While drug treatment methods have been around for a long time, not all rehab facilities employ this method. A lack of familiarity with trauma issues means people are missing out on the benefits of healing trauma and finding new ways to cope with its aftereffects in life.
This type of therapy focuses on the whole person and the parts that create the whole. People who have suffered from physical or sexual abuse carry that pain, as well as the coping mechanisms, into their lives today. That doesn’t mean the trauma defines them or makes up the bulk of their personality. Trauma is a heavy burden that can disrupt a person’s life, keeping them from the positive things they want to do. Some people may believe that the trauma is in their past, yet their actions show that it still affects them today.
Everyone deserves to feel safe and whole. Trauma-informed care is a gift that allows people to work with a staff or therapist to examine destructive behaviors that are tied to the trauma. For example, a young woman who has experienced sexual abuse may use drugs or alcohol, practice self-harm, or even acted stoic or flippant about things that trouble her as a way of coping. These coping mechanisms can trap a person in a cycle of loneliness and pain. Therapy helps give the individual a “way out” of these patterns and help them construct a happier and more fulfilling life.
Healing from the past is a process. The process is different for each person. Working with a therapist who understands how the brain and body process trauma can help a person heal. Opening up requires trust and willingness. A therapist will explain the methods they want to use to help a person overcome their trauma and work toward healing. They will work at your pace and help you find the light at the end of the tunnel.
One of the outcomes of trauma-informed therapy is learning new coping skills. These skills can replace destructive habits and empower an individual to regain control over their life. This may mean ceasing to use drugs and alcohol and other behavior that puts their life and health at risk. It can also mean pursuing new goals and a lifestyle that makes them feel happy.
Many people who have experienced trauma in their lives get stuck in the cycle of addiction as they try to self-medicate. Addiction is a trap that can only lead to a downward spiral. You deserve better. If you or somebody you know needs help, now is the time to reach out. Please contact us at 855-977-1372 for more information on how we can help.