Our Blog
Making Sense of Trauma and Addiction
Welcome to our blog, where we delve into the complex intersection of trauma and addiction. In this space, we seek to shed light on the profound effects of trauma on individuals experiencing addiction. Join us as we navigate this sensitive and critical topic with empathy, insight, and a commitment to understanding the connections between trauma and addiction.
We also explore mental health and trauma through an understanding of the nervous system. This approach offers a fascinating perspective on how our experiences shape our well-being and challenges.
Explore topics including:
The link between trauma, mood-altering, and addiction disorders
The impacts of trauma on the nervous system
How trauma sets people up for mood-altering and addiction disorders
The neuroscience of trauma and addiction
Making sense of your nervous system
Helpful tools for recovery
Click on a link below to explore these different topics.
10 Trauma Myths That Make Healing Harder
There are many unhelpful beliefs about trauma and the journey of healing trauma. It's time to talk about misbeliefs that keep people stuck in the painful experiences of unresolved trauma. Trauma was overwhelming. The process of recovery doesn’t need to be.
Into Oblivion: The Vortex of Addiction
Addiction is a vortex - it pulls people further into something they cannot escape. Learn more about the Vortex Model of Addiction.
Summarizing the Vortex Model of Addiction
The Vortex Model of Addiction demonstrates how traumatic experiences contribute to the transition into addiction. Read a summary of this important information.
6 Things That Make A Sober Month Difficult
Does the thought of stopping alcohol for a month leave you feeling nervous? Does a sobriety challenge make you uneasy? Find out some reasons that a sober month might be difficult for you.
What Happens When Addiction Treatment Doesn’t Address Trauma?
It is vital that addiction treatment addresses underlying trauma. If not, a person faces additional difficulties in their recovery from substance use and addiction disorders.
What Happens When Addiction Treatment Doesn’t Address Trauma? (Clinician Edition)
If mental health clinicians want to be helpful in supporting people seeking recovery from addiction, it includes addressing trauma as an impactful and unacknowledged experience for many of them.
Trauma and Addiction: The Link We Can’t Ignore
Trauma often paves the way for a person to use substances or compulsive behaviours as a way of self-medicating. Learn more about the link between trauma and addiction disorders.
Trauma and Addiction: The Link. We Can’t Ignore (Clinician Edition)
The research is clear: trauma is a contributing factor to the development of substance use and addiction disorders. This is a “must-read” article for anyone who works in mental health and addiction treatment.
Adverse Childhood Experiences And Addiction
The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study is a ground-breaking study that demonstrates childhood traumas are a significant contributing factor in addiction disorders.
Pleasure Hijack: How Substance Use Messes With Your Brain
The power of addiction lies in its ability to hijack and rewire brain circuits meant to help us survive.
Life Gets Messy When Stress and Substance Use Collide
Things get messy when people try to deal with stress by using alcohol, cannabis, or other substances.
7 Things About Co-Occurring Mental Illness and Addiction
It's important to understand the impacts of substance use and addiction among those who experience mental illness.
10 Reasons To Make September Your Recovery Month
Read about 10 great reasons to make addiction recovery a priority this September.
7 Ways Self-Pity Impacts Addictions and Why Gratitude Matters In Recovery
Self-pity can be a dangerous thing for people in recovery from addiction disorders.
3 Ways Addiction Destroys Parts of Self
Addiction brings a loss of many important parts of self: self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-control.
Co-Occuring Addictions Keep You Stuck
Ask anyone who struggles with addiction whether they have more than one thing they’re addicted to … the answer is usually “yes”.
Life Gets Messy When Anxiety and Substance Use Collide
Anxiety is a struggle. But things get messy when people medicate their anxiety symptoms with alcohol, cannabis, or other substances.
10 Signs Addiction Recovery Should Be Your New Years Resolution
Here’s an infographic that identifies 10 great reasons to make addiction recovery your top New Year’s resolution.
3 Reasons People Drink Too Much At Christmas
Christmas can be a really hard time - especially for those who struggle with family challenges and substance misuse.
The Link Between Suicide and Childhood Trauma
Adverse childhood experiences increase the risk of suicidal ideation as well as suicide attempts.