J.D. Murphy has published an article on Psychology Everywhere, discussing how many people turn to addiction and addictive behaviors to cope with symptoms of PTSD, especially childhood trauma. He writes,
Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) is a term used to describe every type of childhood trauma such as losing a parent, abuse, or other traumatic experiences. Studies have found that those who experience ACE have a higher risk of addiction. These addictions can be behavioral addictions such as compulsive eating, compulsive sexual behavior, gambling, or substance and alcohol abuse.
There are differing opinions as to whether to treat the addiction or the PTSD symptoms first, or to treat them simultaneously. No matter which method works best for you, treating the underlying symptoms and causes are an essential part of your recovery.
If you struggle with gaming, pornography, or other addictive behaviors, you may have underlying trauma that is complicating your recovery. Customized therapy that combines addiction treatment and trauma therapy may help you take better control of your recovery process.
Click here to read the full article.
Therapy can help
For experienced, evidence-based therapy that can help you recover from addiction and work through trauma in Pineville, LA, get in touch with J.D. Murphy, Master Addiction Counselor today. Contact him by phone or by filling out the contact form and clicking Send.