For people with addictions, whether substance abuse or process addictions, understanding the various pathways that lead to addictive behaviours is critical to getting proper treatment and support. The connection between trauma and addiction Awareness of substance abuse is one of the keys to helping people understand what causes them to drink, take illicit drugs, or …
For those with traumatic histories, escaping or forgetting painful memories from the past can seem like an attractive option. Although many people often use drugs and alcohol socially and recreationally, some use substances to escape, a way to numb or forget painful memories, feelings, and emotions. The link between trauma and addiction Much scientific literature …
Drugs and Escapism: The Trauma Behind Substance Addiction Read More »
My name is Renee, and I am an alcoholic. A recovering one at this point, but never recovered. Always recovering. How it Started: Sparkly Golden Chardonnay I took my first drink at age 14. At that time, I worked for a catering company, and the owners were my neighbors. They paid me $5/hour under the …
Addiction and co-dependency share a strong connection: shame. Shame is much stronger than guilt. Unlike guilt, which is rooted around specific actions, shame makes a person feel inherently wrong. This feeling of wrongness can lead to feelings of being unworthy, unlovable, and undeserving of kindness, success, and happiness. People with substance abuse issues are prone …
Healing Shame: The Core of Addiction and Codependency Read More »
As many people will attest, living with an alcoholic is no easy feat. People who live with alcoholics or those with substance abuse problems get accustomed to specific behaviors. Alcohol use Friends and family members of alcoholics have likely tried everything in the book to get the person they love to stop drinking, and this …
5 effective ways to manage your mental health when living with an alcoholic Read More »
Having difficult conversations is never easy – this is especially true for the people we love, particularly when we suspect they may have a problem with addiction. Family members, friends and partners may have a hard time communicating with someone with an addiction. Firstly, there’s the shock factor that a person you love is suffering …
5 ways to communicate with a loved one if you suspect they have a problem with addiction Read More »
Stress. We all have it. Whether it’s a new job, a lost job, an illness, the death of a loved one, a move across the country, a divorce, or the global Covid-19 pandemic, no one is exempt from stressors in life. Stress can result from a myriad of factors and is defined “as the degree …
Feeling lonely is common, especially amidst a global pandemic. No one is immune to feeling isolated from time to time, but what if it becomes a chronic feeling that you can’t shake? Psychology Today defines loneliness as a “function of the affective need for companionship and belonging.” Left unaddressed, it can negatively affect a person’s …
The Disease of Isolation: Cycles of Loneliness and Addiction Read More »
The inextricable link between addiction and trauma is well known. Movements such as Alcoholics Anonymous (and other ‘anonymous’ fellowships) have undoubtedly made significant contributions to the therapeutic processes surrounding addiction. Rarely though, does this work purport to address any of the underlying trauma which (if left untreated) can often lead to relapse. Don Lavender, program director …
EMDR Therapy: A Highly Effective Treatment for Trauma and Addiction Read More »
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Buddha In eastern philosophy, …