For many individuals living with trauma, the emotional pain doesn’t fade easily. It lingers, and can even intensify over time, causing anxiety, nightmares, chronic tension, and flashbacks. When these symptoms are not addressed, this pain can become overwhelming, making it difficult to function in everyday life.
In search of relief, some people turn to alcohol, drugs, or other substances to numb the distress. Because these substances can provide temporary escape and relief, people end up believing that they are the answer to feeling better. This coping mechanism is known as self-medication, and it’s one of the most common yet misunderstood links between trauma and substance use.
If you or someone you love is using substances to cope with unresolved trauma, know that help is available. There is a better path forward, and it doesn’t involve the restraints of drug or alcohol use.
Trauma and Its Effects
Trauma can stem from a wide range of experiences, such as childhood abuse, violence, accidents, combat exposure, sexual assault, neglect, or witnessing a traumatic event. Whether it’s a single incident or repeated exposure, trauma affects the brain and body deeply.
Those who’ve experienced trauma often live in a heightened state of arousal, constantly scanning for threats. This “fight, flight, or freeze” response, once helpful for survival, becomes chronic and exhausting over time. Emotional regulation becomes difficult. Sleep may be disrupted. Trust may be impaired. And because the pain isn’t always visible, individuals may struggle to feel understood or supported. It’s a difficult position to be in, and without proper support, life can slowly unravel.
How Trauma Leads to Self-Medication
When you consider how a person with trauma might be feeling, you can understand why substances become attractive: they offer a temporary escape. Alcohol may calm the racing thoughts. Opioids may dull emotional and physical pain. Stimulants may counteract fatigue and depression. While these substances may provide short-term relief, they often reinforce a dangerous cycle.
Let’s say that Anna was physically abused by her stepfather as a child. Even though she’s in college now and has no contact with her stepfather, the pain was never resolved. This pain is crippling at times, causing her to seek out ways to relieve it. Anna has drank alcohol before, but her college roommate introduces her to opioids, and they appear to work effectively to calm her mind and make her care less. Suddenly, her past abuse doesn’t seem so awful anymore.
Over time, Anna finds that her current dose doesn’t work as effectively. She’s building tolerance. This means that Anna needs higher doses of opioids to feel the same effects. Sometimes they are available, and sometimes they are not. If she can’t get more, she’ll mix opioids with alcohol to get the effects she wants. This is dangerous, putting her at risk of overdose, dependence, and addiction.
The more Anna uses substances to deal with her pain, the more negative symptoms she feels when she’s not using them. Withdrawal and comedown effects then worsen her trauma symptoms, causing her to use substances more frequently and in higher doses. The substance use continues, causing a loop that’s difficult to break without professional support.
The Need for Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-related conditions, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD, or depression, are main triggers for substance use disorders. Having both a substance use disorder and mental health condition is considered a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis. Unfortunately, many treatment settings historically addressed one issue while overlooking the other, leading to incomplete care and increased relapse risk.
Today, many treatment centers offer dual diagnosis treatment, meaning that they treat both conditions simultaneously. This leads to faster results and greater healing. Dual diagnosis care is comprehensive and often includes:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Trauma-informed therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Medication management
- Relapse prevention planning
- Psychoeducation
- Holistic and supportive therapies
- Case management and aftercare
Breaking the Silence, Building Hope
Many who self-medicate after trauma carry a deep sense of shame. They may feel weak for not coping “better,” or fear judgment if they ask for help. But seeking support is a sign of strength, not failure. The truth is: trauma changes how the brain functions, and healing is possible with the right tools and support.
If you or a loved one is struggling with substance use and trauma, know that recovery doesn’t mean facing it all at once. It means taking one step at a time toward safety, self-compassion, and lasting healing. Contact Pura Vida Recovery at 707-879-8432 to learn more about our programs and how we can help you or a loved one find complete healing.
