Overview

Unhealed trauma causes distress in the body. When the nature of the distress overrides a person's existing system for coping, or the trauma is not processed, survivors may numb themselves or seek a more pleasurable experience to escape. Such behavior is a completely natural response to unprocessed trauma. This tendency we have as human beings to dissociate, or sever, from the present moment when the moment becomes unpleasant or painful is amplified for survivors when chemicals or other reinforcing behaviors are introduced. Such chemicals and behaviors can accelerate the potency of dissociation. The field of addiction studies has slowly attuned to this connection between unhealed trauma and addiction, yet more work needs to be done. In both our travels throughout the country teaching on trauma and in our local communities, we continue to hear addiction treatment program directors make comments like, You have to shut down trauma if they bring it up." Sometimes the resistance takes on the tone of, "There's no time in treatment to get into trauma. It's like opening up a Pandora's Box. They just have to learn to stay sober.""--