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Struggling with substance use can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like no one understands the deeper pain behind it. Many people turn to substances as a way to numb emotional distress, escape painful memories, or regain a sense of control after experiencing trauma. If this sounds familiar, know that you are not alone, and more importantly—healing is possible.
At Creating Space Therapy, we understand the complex relationship between trauma and substance use. Our substance use therapist, Lydia Gedmin, LSW, specializes in helping individuals uncover and heal the root causes of their struggles. If you’re wondering whether trauma is driving your substance use, this article will help you understand the connection and show you a path toward healing.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma isn’t just about what happened to you—it’s also about how your mind and body responded to it. Trauma can take many forms, including:
Acute trauma – A single overwhelming event (e.g., car accident, assault, natural disaster).
Chronic trauma – Repeated exposure to distressing events (e.g., childhood neglect, ongoing abuse).
Complex trauma – A combination of multiple traumatic experiences, often occurring in relationships.
When someone experiences trauma, their nervous system can become dysregulated, making it difficult to process emotions, feel safe, or trust others. This can lead to intense feelings of anxiety, depression, or emotional numbness—feelings that substances may temporarily relieve. But without addressing the trauma itself, the cycle of substance use often continues.
Understanding Substance Use as a Coping Mechanism
Substance use often starts as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions, for many people who have experienced trauma, alcohol or drugs provide a temporary escape from anxiety, fear, grief, or deep emotional pain. The relief can feel like a break from the distress—but it comes at a cost.
While substances may dull painful emotions in the short term, they can also prevent true healing. Over time, the brain starts to rely on substances to regulate emotions, making it harder to function without them. This is why many people feel trapped in the cycle of substance use, unsure how to cope without it. At Creating Space Therapy, we help individuals break free from this cycle by addressing both trauma and substance use in a compassionate, non-judgmental way.
True healing from substance use starts with addressing the trauma beneath it—when we process the pain, the need for substances begins to fade."
The Trauma-Substance Use Connection: What We Know
Research has shown a strong link between trauma and substance use disorder. Studies indicate that individuals with a history of trauma—especially childhood trauma—are significantly more likely to struggle with addiction. This is because trauma impacts the brain’s stress response system, making it harder to regulate emotions and increasing the risk of self-medicating.
Some key ways trauma contributes to substance use include:
Emotional dysregulation – Trauma disrupts the brain’s ability to manage stress, leading to intense emotional swings that substances may temporarily soothe.
Hyperarousal and dissociation – Some people turn to substances to either calm a constantly activated nervous system or escape from emotional numbness.
Negative core beliefs – Trauma can lead to feelings of shame, unworthiness, or hopelessness, which may drive someone to seek comfort through alcohol or drugs.
At Creating Space Therapy in Batavia, IL, our trauma-informed approach to substance use therapy helps individuals process their trauma safely while developing healthier coping strategies. By addressing both the emotional pain and the behaviors linked to it, we empower our clients to build lasting healing and freedom.
Not Everyone With Trauma Develops Substance Use Issues
While trauma can be a major factor in substance use, it is not the sole cause. Many people experience trauma without developing a substance use disorder, while others who have never experienced trauma may still struggle with addiction. The difference often comes down to risk factors and protective factors—the elements that either increase or reduce a person’s likelihood of turning to substances.
Risk Factors: What Increases the Likelihood of Substance Use?
Certain factors make someone more vulnerable to using substances as a way to cope with trauma, including:
Early Exposure to Trauma – Childhood trauma, such as neglect, abuse, or household dysfunction, is strongly linked to higher rates of substance use in adulthood.
Mental Health Conditions – Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other disorders often contribute to substance use as an attempt to manage overwhelming emotions.
Lack of Support – Without a strong social or emotional support system, individuals may feel isolated and turn to substances for relief.
Dysregulated Nervous System – Trauma can make it difficult to manage stress, leading to heightened emotional reactivity or dissociation, which substances may temporarily alleviate.
Genetic Predisposition – A family history of substance use disorder increases the likelihood of developing similar struggles.
Protective Factors: What Helps Reduce the Risk?
Not everyone with trauma develops substance use issues, and that’s often due to protective factors that help buffer the impact of difficult experiences, such as:
Healthy Coping Skills – Learning effective ways to manage stress, emotions, and trauma-related triggers can reduce the need for substances.
Strong Support System – Having close, trusting relationships with family, friends, or therapists can provide emotional stability and encouragement.
Access to Trauma-Informed Therapy – Engaging in therapy that addresses both trauma and substance use—like the approach at Creating Space Therapy—can make a significant difference in long-term healing.
Sense of Purpose and Meaning – Engaging in meaningful activities, such as creative expression, spirituality, or community involvement, can foster resilience.
Emotional Regulation Skills – Practices like mindfulness, meditation, and DBT-based techniques can help individuals manage distress without turning to substances.
At Creating Space Therapy in Batavia, IL, trauma counselor Lydia Gedmin, LSW, helps clients understand their own risk and protective factors. Whether substance use has become a coping mechanism or there’s a desire to strengthen resilience after trauma, we provide compassionate, trauma counseling to support healing.
Finding Freedom: Steps Toward Healing
Healing from both trauma and substance use is not about willpower—it’s about finding new ways to cope, process pain, and rebuild a sense of safety within yourself. The journey looks different for everyone, but some key steps can help:
Acknowledge the Connection – Recognizing that substance use may be linked to past trauma is an important first step. This isn’t about blame—it’s about understanding what your mind and body have been through.
Seek Trauma-Informed Support – Working with a therapist who specializes in both trauma and substance use, like Lydia Gedmin, LSW, at Creating Space Therapy, ensures that both aspects are treated together.
Build New Coping Strategies – Learning skills to regulate emotions, manage stress, and tolerate distress can help reduce the urge to use substances for relief. Approaches like DBT, TF-CBT, and experiential therapies can provide lasting tools for resilience.
Surround Yourself with Support – Healing is easier when you’re not doing it alone. Whether through trusted friends, family, a therapist, or a 12-step program like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA), having a supportive community can provide accountability, encouragement, and connection. Some people also find value in alternative recovery groups, such as SMART Recovery or Refuge Recovery, depending on what resonates with them.
Be Patient with Yourself – Recovery isn’t linear, and setbacks don’t mean failure. Healing from trauma takes time, and every step forward—no matter how small—is progress.
You’re Not Alone—We’re Here to Help
If you’re struggling with substance use and suspect that trauma may be a part of the story, there is hope. Healing is possible with the right support, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. Trauma therapist, Lydia Gedmin, LSW, at Creating Space Therapy in Batavia, IL, specializes in trauma-informed substance use therapy, helping individuals like you break free from the cycle and reclaim their lives.
Take the first step today. Call (630) 601-3460 to get started, or click here to schedule a free consultation with Lydia.
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