No one expects to experience trauma, and those who experience trauma throughout their careers are often unprepared and unsupported in the aftermath of a traumatic experience.
At Atlanta Recovery Place, our dual diagnosis treatment program promotes resilience and helps individuals battle the effects of trauma on their life.
What is Trauma?
People can experience trauma in many ways. An event or circumstance can impact an individual, family, and community behaviorally through physical, emotional, and life-threatening harm.
While trauma can impact everyone differently, individuals without a robust support system or little to no prior traumatic experiences may not experience the adverse effects trauma can have. Traumatic experiences have been linked to substances, mental health concerns, and other risky behaviors. They can also cause challenges in relationships and careers.
What is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-informed care assumes that individuals have a history of trauma. By doing so, an emphasis can be placed on understanding, respecting, and appropriately responding to the effects of trauma at all levels. In addition, the Institute on Trauma-Informed Care educates treatment facilities on addressing clients who may have or are experiencing trauma.
The main focus of Trauma-informed care is to avoid re-traumatization. While often unintentional, some excepted practices may cause individuals to feel re-traumatized and regress or relapse. Isolation, restraint from self-harm, and other accepted practices may cause individuals undue stress based on their traumatic history.
Trauma-informed care focuses on the five principles. These five core principles help build a Trauma-informed community:
- Safety
- Choice
- Collaboration
- Trustworthiness
- Empowerment
What is the Importance of Trauma-Informed Treatment for Addiction?
Trauma-informed treatment for addiction and substance use disorders is crucial to achieving stability and long-term sobriety. Individuals with a higher incidence of mental health disorders, individuals who experience childhood trauma, and Veterans are more likely than the general population to develop a substance use disorder.
Substance use disorders are often linked to mental illness. Because addiction is a mental illness, individuals who struggle with both require a dual diagnosis treatment. In 2019 9.5 million people had a substance use disorder and any mental illness; 3.6 million had a severe mental illness. Additionally, this study determined that 1.5% of individuals received any substance use treatment in the past year, while 95.7% did not feel they needed treatment. Of those who experienced a co-occurring disorder like substance abuse and trauma, less than 2% received treatment for both disorders at a specialty facility that provided both treatments for the substance use disorder and the mental health concern.
Individuals who experience trauma during childhood have high rates of lifetime dependence on various substances. One study found that 39% were dependent on alcohol, 34.1% on cocaine, 6.2% on heroin and opiates, and 44.8% on marijuana.
Veterans are at a much higher risk for substance use disorders than the general population. For example, one study found that 65% of veterans who enter a treatment program report alcohol abuse, which is almost doubled that of the general population. This can be attributed to high levels of stress, PTSD, and other physical ailments.
How to Find Trauma-Informed Care in Georgia
Through evidence-based outpatient addiction treatment, Atlanta Recovery Place provides individuals with customized treatment plans to address substance abuse, behavioral problems, and the underlying feelings of hopelessness and despair. Our Atlanta outpatient treatment facility offers partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and generalized outpatient treatment programs. We also offer a sober living facility to keep you connected to the recovery process. In addition, our dual-diagnosis treatment program addresses depression, anxiety, PTSD, and bipolar disorder. Our experience and professional staff are trained in Trauma-informed practices and are prepared to support you in managing your unique treatment needs and goals. Contact Atlanta Recovery Place today to learn more about how our Atlanta IOP and outpatient treatment programs can help you today.
