Dr. Biroc Sheds Light on the Link Between Childhood Trauma and Addiction

DANA POINT, Calif., May 20, 2020 (Newswire.com) - Dana Point Rehab Campus has announced that its therapist Dr. John Biroc has published a new feature for his biweekly column, entitled “Understanding Childhood and Adolescent Trauma to Shed Light on the Understanding of Addiction.” Dana Point Rehab Campus is a premier addiction treatment center in Orange County with science-based treatment programs for people with substance and alcohol use disorders.

Within the blog post, Dr. Biroc highlights an old myth about a young knight and warrior who is challenged to fight his way through a dangerous cave rather than go around the mountain that houses the cave. The myth serves as a metaphor for addiction therapy in that patients who struggle with addiction can receive therapy to “fight” the trauma and leave the cave as stronger individuals after having conquered their demons. He discusses how people who experienced trauma during childhood can face their trauma to overcome and recover from addiction successfully, much like how the warrior in the myth conquered demons and lived happily ever after.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that physical and emotional trauma significantly increases the risk of drug use and substance use disorders. Results from a study published in Depression and Anxiety reflect these same findings, stressing that exposure to trauma during childhood is linked to substance use disorders. In the highly traumatized population evaluated in the study, rates of lifetime dependence were 44.8 percent for marijuana, 39 percent for alcohol, 34.1 percent for cocaine, and 6.2 percent for opioids. Additionally, high levels of cocaine use were strongly associated with physical, sexual, and emotional abuse during childhood.

Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is used at Dana Point Rehab Campus to help patients recover from both their trauma and substance use disorder. This therapy helps patients face, address, and overcome the root cause of their substance use disorder, and teaches them how to cope with trauma in healthy ways without the use of drugs and alcohol. Combining trauma-focused CBT with substance abuse treatment can provide patients with the empowerment and education they need to achieve long-term sobriety.

Dana Point Rehab Campus is accredited by the Joint Commission and offers evidence-based addiction treatments including medical detox and inpatient residential rehab. Call 949-239-7557 today to learn more about drug rehab programs available at Dana Point Rehab Campus.

Contact:
Dana Point Rehab Campus - Drug and Alcohol Rehab Orange County
33861 Granada Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629