Twin Rivers approach
Twin Rivers Rehab fully appreciates that mental health and addiction treatment mostly requires trauma-informed individual psychotherapeutic care. Just treating the symptoms of mental health issues or addiction and not exploring past life events can lead to very tragic consequences for the client. That is why the dual diagnosis approach at Twin Rivers Rehab is so incredibly important and leaves nothing to chance by working on both areas simultaneously.
The 3 Types of Trauma
There are many different types of traumas but the three most recognisable and referred to types are acute, chronic, and complex trauma. It’s essential to understand what the key differences between them are when dealing with someone with an addiction and mental health disorder which is why the support of a psychologist or psychiatrist during treatment is imperative.
Acute Trauma
Acute trauma refers to a specific traumatic incident. In other words, there was an incident that happened and was not repeated. This may include events such as rape, a road traffic accident, or a natural disaster.
Chronic Trauma
Chronic trauma is exactly what the name suggests; chronic (continuous). This type of trauma is most often associated with physical, emotional, and sexual abuse or bullying that carries on for an extended period, even many years.
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma is when chronic trauma leads to long-term physical and emotional symptoms that negatively impact one’s development and ultimate sense of safety. This is when trauma has shifted to severe psychological distress creating possible Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and classic signs of stress such as hyperarousal for example. This type of trauma is caused by a number of different trauma experiences that bolt together creating a complexity that can gradually be unravelled over time with trauma-based psychotherapy.
The Impact of Trauma on Mental Health & Addiction
It doesn’t matter which type of trauma you go through; we all see and absorb traumatic events in different ways. To some a car accident might create long-term anxiety and depression and for others, once the bruises fade, they’re pretty much back to normal. Others might get severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and experience intrusive thoughts, affected sleep patterns, nightmares and flashbacks and an inability to manage the feelings that surround these traits.
It is these debilitating mental health signs and symptoms that people try to anaesthetise which can quickly lead to an uncontrollable addiction disorder. Those who struggle to engage healthy coping mechanisms or are incapable of reaching out and asking for help ultimately end up self-medicating and continue to rely on the external source that makes them feel better, temporarily! Eventually, the drugs or alcohol wear off causing further stress and anxiety and the desperate need for more drugs or alcohol grows.
If you have any more questions regarding trauma, mental health or addiction, or you want to reach out and find help for yourself or a loved one, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Twin Rivers.