The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional response, yet we know that our bodies suffer physical symptoms as well. Indeed, a trauma-inducing event can wound all of our systems. It can affect our thought processes, sleep, digestion, immune systems, outlook on life, and how we feel about ourselves and others.
Cocaine continues to create havoc in people’s lives. Addiction and overdose death from prescription pain medications is often publicized in the media, but cocaine use continues to be common.
While Pysciatry.org indicates that “one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime,” it is important to remember that such numbers, as high as they are, fail to take into account undiagnosed PTSD cases. There is an untold percentage of sufferers who have never seen a doctor, never gotten help, and perhaps attempt to “self-medicate” as a way to cope with the pain.
Addiction doesn’t follow a one-size-fits-all definition, everything about it varies. Some people become addicted very quickly, and for others, the addiction is a slower process with substance use slowly crossing the line to substance abuse and then full-blown addiction.
Alcohol use disorder (AUD), commonly referred to as alcoholism, affects a staggering 15 million Americans. Listed under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), AUD requires professional counseling to be properly diagnosed and treated.
For the best chance for a good outcome, try to find a time that you are in a good mood, and the person with the addiction is in a place where they are at least willing to listen. Don’t be disappointed if your first conversation doesn’t result in their willingness to get treatment for their addiction. But don’t give up.
The lower 2018 numbers represented the first decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths in three decades and policymakers had hoped the decline marked a turn-around or plateau in annual drug-related deaths.
Not only is the COVID-19-induced stress and depression a potential trigger for relapse for those in recovery, but evidence suggest that greater numbers of people are turning to drug and alcohol consumption as a form of stress and depression relief.
Opioid overdose deaths have declined slightly in the last few years, in part because of the availability of Naloxone. Commonly administered in emergency rooms or by first responders when an opioid overdose is suspected, Naloxone is a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose by attaching to opioid receptors, reversing and blocking the effects of other opioids in the system.
The impacts of trauma during childhood often linger on into adulthood and can lead to the development of psychological problems and/or addictions. Indeed, research has established such a firm link between childhood trauma and substance abuse that some treatment facilities now offer concurrent treatment of addiction and any underlying trauma.