Traumatic events from your childhood can leave deep scars you carry into adult life. At Bayview Recovery in Tacoma, WA, we help clients understand the connection between childhood trauma and addiction to alcohol or drugs. Unfortunately, many adolescents who experience neglect or abuse in their childhood will have a substance use disorder before reaching adulthood.

If you’re battling childhood trauma and addiction, the consequences can ripple through your entire life. You require a treatment program that can address both conditions to give you the highest chance for long-term recovery. At Bayview Recovery, we’re proud to help you put an end to your addiction and grapple with your trauma. For information about our trauma and addiction dual diagnosis treatment program, contact our expert treatment center today at 855.478.3650.

What Is Childhood Trauma?

The term “childhood trauma” refers to a dangerous, violent, or life-threatening situation that a child under the age of 18 goes through or witnesses. These experiences can overwhelm a child, causing them to become upset or feel helpless. They can happen at any age. However, trauma affects children profoundly and sometimes impacts them throughout their life.

What Causes Trauma?

The causes of childhood trauma vary based on your individual life experiences. However, it could be a single event or continuous exposure to a situation, including the following:

• Child abuse
• War
• Crime
• Accidents
• Sexual assault
• War

Bayview Recovery has a trauma therapy program that caters to your situation. We adapt the therapy to your needs and help you overcome childhood trauma and addiction.

Reactions to Childhood Trauma

Often, your mind cannot cope with the trauma when it happens to you. This inability to cope can lead to a fear of physical harm or emotional trauma later in life. When a person suffers from trauma in their childhood, they may battle feelings of anxiety, worry, or shame. Furthermore, they may develop a heightened stress response, impacting their ability to sleep, regulate their emotions, and fight off infections. They’re also more at risk for developing mental health conditions and addictions.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

There is a connection between post-traumatic stress disorder and childhood trauma. With PTSD, you can re-experience the feelings of childhood events in night terrors and flashbacks.

In our PTSD treatment programs, clients learn about the connection between childhood trauma and addiction. You begin with cognitive behavioral therapy, and your therapist may use experiential techniques to help you process your memories in a healthier way. Sometimes, you have buried the trauma so deep it’s difficult to access those memories. By accessing these memories, you can begin to overcome the fear, shame, and other negative emotions that may have led to your substance abuse.

Childhood Trauma and Addiction

If you have experienced childhood trauma and currently have a substance abuse disorder, you may benefit from our dual diagnosis treatment program. This program emphasizes overcoming your psychological and physical dependency on illicit drugs. Simultaneously, you learn to manage your mental health issues without relapsing to drug use.

Substance Abuse Deepens Trauma

You may turn to substance abuse to deal with the extreme emotions triggered by flashbacks. Unfortunately, the unique way that addiction affects brain chemistry can deepen trauma. Additionally, substance abuse leads to life-threatening behavior, such as self-harm and unnecessary risk-taking.

Trauma Therapy in Tacoma, WA

Childhood trauma and addiction are often inextricably linked. Our innovative approach to dual diagnosis treatment lets you address both disorders during recovery, decreasing the chance of relapse after returning home. Work with your therapist to find a permanent solution that doesn’t compromise your health. Contact Bayview Recovery Center in Tacoma, WA at 855.478.3650 today to get the help you need to overcome childhood trauma.