Exploring the Real Connections Between Trauma and Addiction and Loss

Trauma, addiction, and loss are deeply intertwined aspects of the human experience. They often feed off each other, creating a cycle that can feel impossible to break. Whether it’s the pain of childhood trauma, the numbing effects of addiction, or the devastating grip of loss, these experiences can leave lasting scars. Understanding the relationship between these elements is the first step toward healing.

For some, trauma may also lead to a sense of disconnection from others or the world around them. This disconnection can give rise to coping mechanisms, often in the form of addiction. Unresolved loss can exacerbate the symptoms of trauma and further embed a person in their addiction.

Dr. Gabor Mate, an internationally renowned expert in trauma, expresses this sentiment in the following quote, “Ask not why the addiction, but why the pain.” He expands on this perspective by asserting that lack of connection is the fuel for addiction, and encourages the exploration of the connections between addiction, trauma, and loss in his powerful video “How Childhood Trauma Leads to Addiction”.

Phoenix Center for Experiential Trauma Therapy in Pennsylvania shares sobering statistics which highlight the significant relationship between trauma and addiction. Consider that:

• 80% of women seeking treatment for addiction report a history of physical or sexual assault
• 70% of young people seeking treatment for addiction report a history of trauma
• Men with Substance Use Disorder are seven times more likely to experience PTSD
• Women with Substance Use Disorder are twelve times more likely to experience PTSD

Dr. Bruce Perry echoes the sentiments of Dr. Mate in his perspective that children have six core needs as described below:

• ATTACHMENT: being able to form and maintain healthy emotional bonds and relationships 
• SELF-REGULATION: containing impulses, the ability to notice and control primary urges as well as feelings such as frustration 
• AFFILIATION: being able to join and contribute to a group 
• ATTUNEMENT: being aware of others, recognizing the needs, interests, strengths and values of others 
• TOLERANCE: understanding and accepting differences in others 
• RESPECT: finding value in differences, appreciating worth in yourself and others

What happens when children like Marcie don’t experience all these needs? They often develop vulnerabilities which make them more susceptible to the lure of addiction as a “warm, soft hug” which comforts them in ways that they have not experienced before. Addiction can take many forms: alcohol, drugs, gambling, overeating, and more. This behavior is typically an attempt to alleviate the emotional turmoil caused by trauma, but it doesn’t resolve the underlying issues. In fact, addiction often exacerbates pain, creating a vicious cycle where the person feels both the emotional devastation of trauma and the physical and psychological consequences of their addictive behaviors.

For instance, someone who experienced emotional abuse as a child might develop a dependence on alcohol to numb the pain. Over time, this substance use can lead to more serious issues, including physical health problems, legal troubles, strained relationships, and financial ruin. But the root cause—the trauma—remains unresolved.

Trauma and addiction are both physical and psychological. The body does in fact keep the score, just as the body can change the score thanks to effective psychotherapy interventions and neuroplasticity. The brain and nervous system can engage in a phenomenal experience of repair and reconnection, which can be the catalyst needed for our clients to overcome addiction, trauma, and loss. It is important to note that addiction is not simply a form of self-destruction. It is often a misguided attempt to regain control over an uncontrollable situation or to cope with feelings that seem too overwhelming to face. Understanding addiction in this context helps to recognize it as a symptom of unresolved trauma, rather than a moral failing or weakness. 

The criminal justice system has certainly viewed addiction as a moral or legal failing of the individual, especially in people of color, where we see disproportionate numbers of non-White individuals criminally penalized for their relationship with substances. Clinicians can challenge this assumption by utilizing a trauma-informed and person-centered approach while also viewing the role of cultural identity as pivotal to a person’s experience with addiction. We also benefit from the perspective of Marta Green, a Mental Health Specialist at Riker’s Island Prison in New York City, who says: 

“You cannot mourn in jail. You have to be macho…any sign of weakness and you will be beaten, robbed or raped. The energy blocked from mourning goes to violence instead. The jails are violent because they contain frightened men and women who have been deprived of the numbing power of drugs that so many are used to as a means of not feeling. If they had the safety to mourn, they might have a chance to learn other means of coping, but the jail culture does not allow for this.”