San Diego-based Shoreline Recovery Center addresses how childhood trauma fuels the cycle of addiction.
Childhood trauma is a powerful predictor of substance misuse and addiction in adulthood.
Many individuals who experienced abuse or neglect early in life turn to drugs or alcohol as an adult to self-medicate.
It starts with the parents.
“Adults who were abused as children often turn to drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism for dealing with their childhood trauma,” said Shoreline Recovery Center therapist Max Kubota, LMFT.
Unfortunately, substance use later in life also increases the likelihood that as adults they will perpetrate abuse through their own children across generations through the use of alcohol and drugs.
“Parental substance misuse significantly affects a child’s overall well-being and development since they are unable to effectively function as a caregiver,” said Shoreline Recovery Center Clinical Director Mike Gallagher, LPCC.
Roughly one in eight children in the U.S. live with at least one parent who abuses alcohol or drugs, according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Although the cycle can be broken, it often takes victims of abuse a long time to heal while they understand the trauma that was passed onto them. When compounded with addiction and additional stressors such as poverty, job loss, and/or illness, the challenges only intensify.
This type of upbringing creates conflict, emotional instability and instills fear. The children exposed to this environment are also more likely to receive mental, verbal abuse. In fact, parents with a substance use disorder are three times more likely to physically or sexually abuse their child, according to American Addiction Centers.
Children with addicted caregivers or parents are also more likely to develop eating disorders, experience teenage pregnancy, have poor academic performance and suicidal thoughts or actions.
Addiction treatment is an essential step for adults seeking recovery and looking to break the intergenerational cycle of child abuse and neglect.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Trauma-Focused CBT are two main methods used to help patients understand the link between trauma and addiction. By targeting negative thought patterns and trauma-related responses, these therapies foster healthier coping mechanisms.
“Committing to professional help allows parents with addiction to get the necessary help they need while ensuring that their children are free from further abuse and neglect,” Kubota said. Shoreline Recovery Center specializes in mental health, individual drug and alcohol treatment plans and strategic aftercare. Its team of highly credentialed addiction doctors, therapists, counselors and mentors coach clients through a blend of evidence-based therapies and clinical best practices.
For those struggling with substance abuse or addiction, getting information is the first step toward building better lives for themselves and their families. Shoreline Recovery Center addresses the underlying issues, with treatment-based therapies and specialized programs for individuals seeking support for trauma in treatment.
Break the cycle of addiction and abuse for generations to come and begin the path to recovery today.
