13 May Acadia Healthcare Treatment Addresses Connection Between Trauma and Addiction

The relationship between trauma and addiction is complex but well established. Studies show traumatic experiences, including abuse, neglect, and violence, lead to a higher likelihood of developing substance use disorders. Acadia Healthcare’s network of affiliated behavioral health facilities, offers treatment programs for those who have suffered a trauma and for patients who suffer from co-occurring conditions across behavioral health and addiction concerns.

Unfortunately, one of the common issues for many who experience trauma is the use of substances to self-medicate or manage overwhelming emotions. That’s just one of many possibly harmful outcomes of untreated trauma.

On its website, Acadia Healthcare points out PTSD can have long-lasting impacts on the lives of children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. Left untreated, post-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related disorders, such as acute stress disorder or adjustment disorder, can worsen.

For younger children, this can cause developmental delays, particularly in brain, speech, and language development. Without timely intervention, children and teens may experience challenges in school, forming friendships, and maintaining jobs. Some may turn to substance use. Untreated trauma in adults contributes to significant life struggles, which could include relationship breakdowns, financial instability, and addiction.

“While the effects of PTSD and other trauma-related concerns might sound overwhelming, getting professional treatment can make an individual’s symptoms manageable,” Acadia shared on its web page about PTSD treatment.

What Is Trauma?

Trauma  can forever change a person’s life. Causes of trauma can include witnessing a traumatic event or, in some cases, learning that a loved one has gone through a traumatic event. These events include a natural disaster, a severe car accident, a plane crash, a terrorist attack, military deployment, physical or sexual assault, or child abuse.

Reactions to trauma differ by person and as noted on their website, can include “fear, anxiety, anger, aggression and even the numbness of disassociation in which a person feels like their mind has separated from their body.” Some people experience frequent nightmares about the traumatic event. Others do all they can to avoid reminders of the event or any type of distress. 

“Acadia Healthcare is proud to offer a number of treatment options within our vast network of treatment facilities that are designed to help those who are struggling with PTSD and other trauma-related concerns,” noted Acadia Healthcare. “When an individual chooses to heal at an Acadia treatment facility, they work with professionals who use evidence-based tools to help them learn to manage their symptoms and alleviate their day-to-day distress.”

The Trauma-Addiction Cycle

Acadia Healthcare’s network of affiliated facilities incorporates the latest thinking about trauma and its impact on addiction. 

When someone endures trauma, particularly at a young age, it can alter their brain’s function, especially in areas related to stress and coping, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Traumatic experiences can affect brain circuits involved in reward, motivation, and impulse control, which are also implicated in addiction. As a result, many trauma survivors develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, including substance use.

Trauma doesn’t just mean significant life events like violence or abuse. It can also stem from ongoing stress related to discrimination, systemic racism, or familial conflict. Long-term or chronic stress can leave individuals vulnerable to addiction because they may turn to substances to manage emotional pain and anxiety.

Many people who develop substance use disorders have experienced trauma at some point in their lives. A 2017 analysis cited by NIDA showed that millions of Americans suffer from co-occurring disorders, meaning they experience both a mental health condition, such as PTSD or depression, and substance use disorder. In particular, childhood trauma can lead to substance abuse in adulthood, with adverse childhood experiences strongly associated with addiction later in life.

NIDA highlights that early-life stressors like neglect, violence, or the loss of a parent or caregiver increase a person’s vulnerability to addiction. Trauma can shape the way the brain reacts to future stressors, making it difficult to manage emotions or resist the pull of addictive behaviors.

Acadia Healthcare Offers Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Care

Acadia Healthcare’s affiliated network of facilities approach the treatment of trauma-related behavioral health with a comprehensive and trauma-informed care model. Recognizing that trauma often plays a significant role in the development of substance use disorders, they integrate evidence-based treatments that address both the trauma and the addiction simultaneously.

Treatment centers offer various levels of care, including detoxification and inpatient and outpatient services. During the treatment process, patients receive individualized care plans tailored to their specific needs. These plans typically include individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy, all conducted in a trauma-sensitive manner to ensure patients feel safe and supported. Acadia Healthcare’s affiliated network also offers experiential treatment modalities, such as art and music therapy, to complement traditional therapeutic approaches, helping individuals heal.

An essential component of their approach is the recognition that unresolved trauma can lead to self-medication through drugs or alcohol. By addressing the root causes of trauma and equipping individuals with healthier coping mechanisms, these Acadia Healthcare affiliated facilities help prevent relapse and promote long-term recovery. 

Additionally, Acadia Healthcare offers services specifically designed for first responders. Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders frequently face traumatic events as part of their job. Repeated exposure to such trauma sometimes leads to PTSD. 

Recognizing the presence of post-traumatic stress is the first step toward addressing it. Some common signs of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty remembering or reluctance to discuss an incident, avoiding people, places, or situations associated with the event, trouble sleeping, constantly feeling on edge or in danger, and withdrawing from family and friends.

Identifying these symptoms early and seeking support is crucial in managing the effects of post-traumatic stress.

• If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.govor call 800-662-HELP (4357).
• US. veterans or service members who are in crisis can call 988 and then press “1” for the Veterans Crisis Line. Or text 838255. Or chat online.
• The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. has a Spanish language phone line at 1-888-628-9454 (toll-free).

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Last Updated on July 26, 2025 by Marie Benz MD FAAD