Do I Need Integrated Treatment for Trauma and Addiction?

Do I need integrated treatment for trauma and addiction?When you are seeking treatment for yourself or someone you love, you want to be sure that you find the best treatment possible. If you are struggling with trauma and addiction, there are specialized treatment options available. Find out more about these specialty trauma and addiction rehab programs.

Integrated Treatment Makes Sense for Trauma and Addiction Care

When a person struggles with a co-occurring addiction and a mental health issue, this is considered a Dual Diagnosis and often requires integrated treatment. Integrated treatment makes sense for many people who struggle with addiction, as more than half of all addicted people also struggle with some kind of emotional or mental health issue. Trauma can cause a number of mental health issues including the following:

  • Depression
  • Posttraumatic stress disorder
  • Panic attacks
  • Anxiety disorders

Many people attempt to forget the trauma they have experienced through the use of addictive substances like alcohol or drugs. In some cases, a person may participate in dangerous or risky behavior such as compulsive gambling or shoplifting, or that person may become addicted to sexual activity or dangerous hobbies. Once an addiction has taken hold, the person finds him or herself in a spiral of addiction and unhappiness.

The more a person struggles because of an addiction, the worse mental health symptoms become. The cycle of addiction and trauma soon takes over, and only structured treatment can help. Integrated treatment works to heal mental health symptoms with psychotherapy, medication management and trauma counseling. Integrated treatment also works to heal addiction through detox, withdrawal management, education and support. If you need total wellness, integrated treatment is essential.

Specialized Trauma Treatment through Rehabilitation Centers

Because of the increase of traumatized soldiers returning from the Middle East, there has been an increase in trauma treatments. Doctors now recognize that trauma can come from a variety of areas including the following:

  • Loss of a family member or relationship
  • Witnessing a traumatic experience even if you were not directly involved
  • Experiencing a life-threatening incident such as an illness or accident
  • Experiencing an incident that felt life-threatening at the time, including panic attacks, traumatizing exposure to a feared object or a threatening environment
  • Abusive or violent relationships or environments

Basic substance abuse treatment will only treat the addiction symptoms and will do little or nothing to help heal trauma. Integrated treatment offers new treatment methods to help people overcome trauma and PTSD while they also receive substance abuse care. Some newer treatment methods being used for trauma in a rehab setting include the following:

  • Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy
  • Eye Movement and Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
  • Group treatment and support
  • Medical management of symptoms as needed
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Find Integrated Treatment for Addiction and Trauma Today

We can help you find the best care available. If you are seeking treatment for addiction and trauma, we can put you in touch with some of the best licensed treatment facilities in the United States. Our experienced phone counselors are available to help you arrange everything you need in order to begin treatment, including the following:

  • Insurance coverage for rehab
  • Transportation to and from treatment
  • Referrals to licensed and reputable treatment programs
  • Family support and addiction counseling