People with unhealed trauma can often have problematic reactions to various events they experience. These events trigger emotional responses similar to what they experienced during their own traumatic episode. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that impacts many men and women who experience traumatic events that the brain is not able to process. Seeking a professional PTSD treatment program—like that found at Greater Boston Addiction Centers—offers you or a loved one the best chance to find hope and healing.
PTSD is a mental health disorder. The trauma itself can be in various forms. Some people experience post-traumatic stress disorder from abuse to themselves or a close family member, such as sexual, physical, or emotional abuse. Other times, this disorder develops due to domestic violence, natural disasters, or experiencing wartime events. Those who have had traumatic events like this in their past often have trouble adapting to what’s happened. If they fail to adapt to what they’ve seen or experienced, this can lead to numerous symptoms of PTSD.
Post-traumatic stress can immediately impact a person after experiencing this terrifying event. It can also resurface years later and, in this case, can be hard to pinpoint initially. Some of the most common symptoms of PTSD include:
A person with post-traumatic stress disorder is more likely to develop an addiction if they cannot receive treatment for their condition. The key is to recognize that some signs of PTSD may not seem related to the events that happened at all. That is what makes pinpointing this condition so tricky, especially as a cause for alcoholism or drug addiction, and why it requires trauma-informed care.
If a person with PTSD does not receive treatment for it and their addiction, their recovery will likely fail, and relapse will occur. That’s because the underlying, often complex mental health condition is one that does not improve without professional treatment. Until you go back and explore what happened, why it happened, and its impact, it’s not likely you’ll be able to simply step away from treatment.
When both conditions are treated at the same time, a person can regain their best outcome. They can also achieve a robust and healthy future for themselves. What’s most important with PTSD and addiction is working closely with a therapist to open up about what’s happened. That doesn’t mean you need to relive the experience, though.
You can overcome post-traumatic stress disorder, and our team can help you. With a range of therapy and treatment options available, you can get help for both PTSD and addiction at once. Some of our programs include:
