Trauma and substance use disorders go hand in hand. While not everyone who experiences trauma develops an addiction, and not everyone with an addiction has a history of trauma, the overlap is significant and well-documented.
What Is Trauma?
There is no single “correct” definition of trauma, it affects people in diverse and deeply personal ways. However, we can look to standard definitions to help frame the discussion:
- Merriam-Webster defines trauma as “a disordered psychic or behavioral state resulting from severe mental or emotional stress or physical injury.”
- The American Psychological Association adds that trauma is “any disturbing experience that results in significant fear, helplessness, dissociation, confusion, or other disruptive feelings intense enough to have a long-lasting negative effect on a person’s attitudes, behavior, and other aspects of functioning.”
What’s important to recognize is that trauma is subjective—what deeply affects one person may not impact another in the same way.
Where Does Trauma Come From?
Trauma can originate from many different life experiences. For some, it begins in childhood through ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) such as:
- Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
- Neglect
- Domestic violence
- Parental substance use or mental illness
- Loss of a parent due to death, incarceration, or separation
Trauma can also occur later in life through experiences like:
- Natural disasters
- Car accidents or physical injuries
- Experiencing or witnessing violence
- The death of a loved one
- Chronic medical illness
- War or combat exposure
In short: trauma is not defined by the event itself but by how the individual experiences and processes it.
How Trauma Affects the Brain and Behavior
Trauma reshapes the nervous system and can lead to a range of psychological responses. It may show up as hypervigilance, emotional numbness, sleep disturbances, intrusive memories, or intense anxiety. These symptoms don’t always present obviously, which can make trauma hard to identify—especially when it’s buried under layers of coping strategies like substance use.
Trauma can be both a cause and a consequence of addiction. For example, someone may turn to substances to dull the pain of unprocessed trauma, or they may experience new trauma through risky behaviors associated with substance use.
The Link Between Trauma and Addiction
The relationship is backed by decades of research. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse,
“Children and adolescents who experience trauma are particularly susceptible to developing a substance use disorder later in life. Many people who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) also have a substance use disorder.”
In his book Traumatic Stress, Bessel van der Kolk highlights two studies that show:
- 60% to 80% of patients seeking treatment for PTSD also suffer from alcohol or drug dependency (Branchey et al., 1984; Keane et al., 1988).
- Individuals often use opioids, alcohol, and benzodiazepines to self-medicate the emotional pain caused by trauma (Bremmer, 1994).
These substances are not random choices—they target brain systems affected by trauma, temporarily soothing symptoms of anxiety, dissociation, and emotional overwhelm. But the relief is short-lived and can spiral into dependency.
Why This Matters in Recovery
At Jeremy Frank & Associates, we know that treating addiction without addressing trauma often leads to relapse or stalled progress. Lasting recovery means treating the whole person—not just the symptoms.
That’s why our clinicians use trauma-informed care, which recognizes the impact of trauma, prioritizes emotional safety, and supports clients in building new ways of coping and healing.
For more information on how we can help with trauma, visit our get started page
