“Easily 75 percent of the addicted population at Princeton House has a mood disorder, and you’re almost certain to find trauma among these patients,” he says. “These numbers are higher in certain regions of the country and among specific segments of the population. For example, it’s probably safe to say that about 95 percent of female heroin addicts—who lead a very challenged lifestyle—have experienced sexual trauma.”
There’s also a chemical parallel in the way addiction and trauma affect the brain, according to Dr. Schofield, making it more likely for the two to be linked.
Addressing Underlying Trauma
Identifying an underlying trauma among patients with addictions and helping them address it can be a complex task. Dr. Schofield offers these tips for behavioral health professionals:
- Complete a thorough history and assessment that includes compassionately asked questions about the patient’s current life and family situation, but also about potential developmental trauma.
- Watch for any nonverbal cues that could indicate underlying issues.
- Utilize dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in treatment. This evidence-based approach is especially valuable for addiction and trauma, as it’s designed to refocus thinking and replace inappropriate coping mechanisms with effective tools.
- Treat addiction and trauma concurrently when possible; waiting to address trauma after addicted patients become sober can trigger relapse.
“Patients also benefit greatly from a multidisciplinary treatment approach—it’s simply intrinsic to the fact that patients themselves are multifaceted,” says Dr. Schofield. “In our inpatient and outpatient programs, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, therapists, allied clinical therapists, and even religious ministries play integral roles in facilitating common treatment goals.”
For more information about substance abuse and trauma treatment at Princeton House, call 800.242.2550/inpatient or 888.437.1610/outpatient.
"Addiction and trauma cause fragmented lives, but humanity is surprisingly resilient and people do recover. Working together, our team patiently helps our patients reassemble those fragments.” –Dr. Neal Schofield
Article as seen in the Winter 2018 issue of Princeton House Behavioral Health.
