According to a recent study a link exists between childhood trauma, drug use and incarceration. The study published by the National Library of Medicine states that the impact of trauma as a child was directly connected to drug and alcohol use and later incarceration as a negative consequence of the problem. It was conducted with 500 women who were serving sentences in a correctional facility.
The primary incident of childhood trauma was abuse; both physical and sexual but the sexual abuse caused more trauma overall setting the victim up for later abuse issues. While the study indicated that drug abuse prevention was key in stopping the cycle from occurring, another solution is to keep children safe and unexposed to trauma which will cause them major problem later in life.
The Cycle Of Trauma And Addiction And How It Occurs
Traumatic situations occurring with a child can happen in many environments. Some children experience these issues with friends or even family members. Others are exposed to trauma with strangers. Either way, this can scar a child permanently and leave them looking for a solution to deal with the pain, fear and anger of the traumatic incident. Some find this with drugs or alcohol because of the numbing effecting that they create on those using them.
As the person uses drugs for the first time they will “appear” to solve the problem or take away unwanted feelings. For this reason they are assigned value and the individual continues to use them. Because they are addictive substances the person will become both mentally and physically hooked and unable to stop taking them. From this point the addiction will progress and when “under the influence” the individual will feel like the drugs are help them. When they stop using them, they will crash, bringing back a flood of unwanted feelings coupled with withdrawal effects that include physical problem as well as mental issues like depression, anxiety and mood swings.
The Importance Of Keeping Children Safe
Narconon drug addiction has found, in working with thousands of addicts, that there are several solutions for preventing childhood trauma and dealing with the after effects of it. These include making sure that your child is not left unsupervised or in the hands of a stranger. In addition to this educating your child on the different types of abuse and how to handle the situation, should it arise is also beneficial. Children should be told that if anyone tries to hurt them, it is important to tell a trusted family member so that they can get immediate help.
If a child is exposed to trauma giving them all the support, love and assistance they need is key. They should also be educated on drugs, their effects, risks and potential for addiction so this does not become a solution. Children can be given other options to handle trauma like sports, art, music or other creative and uplifting activities that they can get enjoyment out of.
How To Help If There Is Already A Problem
If someone has suffered trauma and is now using drugs or alcohol, or has been incarcerated because of it the only solution is through drug rehabilitation. A long term program that is completely drug free and can address the physical and mental needs of the individual can help them to deal with the trauma in a healthy way. The goal is to allow the individual to free himself from the guilt, anger, sadness and fear of the situation and allow him or her to move on with life without the use of drugs or alcohol.
For more information on this topic or to get help for a loved one contact Narconon drug addiction treatment centers today.
Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1586137/
