By: AndreaBergman
If you have experienced a traumatic event in your life, it’s crucial to receive the proper treatment to cope and work through the event. If you don’t address your trauma, you put your mental health at risk later in life. Those who fail to get the help they need tend to turn to unhealthy methods of coping, which can be detrimental. Alcohol and trauma have a dangerous connection because it tends to be the substance of choice to manage unpleasant mental health symptoms. If you begin struggling with alcohol and trauma, it’s crucial to seek a dual diagnosis treatment center that can provide you with the care and support you need to heal.
The Connection Between Alcohol and Trauma
The main connection between alcohol and trauma is that alcohol is the common substance used to manage the mental health symptoms that stem from experiencing a trauma. Regardless of the type of trauma a person goes through, the effects tend to be the same. In time, the individual experiences depression, anxiety, and sometimes even paranoia. When they begin to experience feelings of hopelessness, sadness, and fear, they turn to alcohol to cope.
Because alcohol is a depressant, it has a calming effect on the body. When you pair this with the accessibility of alcohol, you have the reasons behind why many people reach for it to cope. However, while alcohol might help them relax at the time, once the effects wear off, the person is left usually feeling worse. Over time, the individual will need to consume more alcohol in order to feel the same effects. As this continues, the body builds up a tolerance to the alcohol, as well as a dependence. Once alcoholism occurs, they require the help of an alcohol addiction treatment program to recover.
The other issue that stems from alcohol and trauma is the presence of a mental health disorder. Traumatic experiences tend to lead to the presence of the following mental health disorders:
These disorders and their symptoms will also play a role in alcohol abuse and addiction. Many of the feelings associated with trauma are also symptoms of one of these mental health disorders. By seeking out a mental health treatment center along with addiction treatment, you can learn how to properly manage your mental health without the use of alcohol.
Trauma Treatment at Lakeview Health
At Lakeview Health, we understand the connection between alcohol and trauma and strive to help our clients recover from both. Through our dual diagnosis treatment program, we are able to address both issues and create a treatment plan that helps break the cycle our clients find themselves in.
Our full continuum of care can include the following programs:
- Residential addiction treatment program
- Intensive outpatient addiction treatment program
- Aftercare program
- Alumni program
- Trauma-informed therapy program
- Dual diagnosis treatment program
We also have two gender-specific facilities for both men and women to create safe and welcoming environments. By providing male and female-only facilities, we create a space that makes individuals feel comfortable being vulnerable when discussing their past experiences. In some cases of trauma, the event might involve a member of the opposite gender, which makes gender-specific facilities vital for proper care.
If you need help with alcohol and trauma, contact Lakeview Health today at [Direct]. Our trauma-informed approach to treatment will help you heal and recover.
Lakeview Health strives to keep our clients and staff safe during the current COVID-19 pandemic. Learn about new guidelines and updates today.
We currently accept Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare. We do not currently accept Medicare, Medicaid, or Florida Blue.
