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Understanding Trauma Relapse: What is Retraumatization?

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Understanding retraumatization is crucial, and it starts with a solid grasp of what trauma is and how it manifests in people. Researchers are continually uncovering more about the link between trauma, mental health, and addiction. Traumatic or extremely distressing events such as accidents, sexual assault, abuse, fires, floods, or other natural disasters trigger experiences of shock and denial. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that stems from experiencing trauma. 

Difficulties such as unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, dysfunction in relationships, and physical symptoms such as headaches and nausea can all result from trauma. Trauma affects mental, emotional, and physical health. People who experience trauma are often unaware that the symptoms they experience stem from their trauma and may struggle to cope with them. However, there is hope. Trauma-informed care, an innovative and promising approach to treating PTSD and addiction problems, offers a path to healing and preventing re-traumatization. By understanding the impact of trauma and providing personalized care, we can help individuals affected by trauma regain control of their lives.

What is Trauma Relapse?

Trauma relapse or retraumatization occurs when an individual with the diagnosis of PTSD has a setback in progress because of exposure to people, incidents, or environments that cause them to relive their past trauma. Triggers are circumstances, places, people, or any similarities to the original trauma that cause the complex emotional response of trauma relapse. Immediately, the trigger recalls feelings of loss of power, control, or personal safety as felt in the original trauma. The experience is typically temporary and after treatment, which includes learning positive coping mechanisms that can bring relief.

What Causes Retraumatization?

Traumas are carved deep into our psyche along with feelings, emotions, environments, and people that surround the traumatic experience. When retraumatization occurs, the past trauma is re-experienced and appears authentic in the moment. It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact trigger of trauma relapse, but it is often an exposure to additional violence, abuse, or relationship dysfunction. Being exposed to additional dangerous environments can trigger these problems.

Causes of retraumatization may include witnessing any of the following:

  • Child abuse
  • Movies, fictional television shows, or news reports representing similar traumas
  • Natural disasters
  • Warfare or terrorist attacks
  • Encountering threats of violence
  • Any possibility of harm
  • Dysfunctional or abusive relationships
  • Death or injuries

The Cycle of Trauma and Addiction Relapse

Dual diagnosis occurs when there is a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder co-occurring. According to the National Center for PTSD and the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, 44.6% of individuals with lifetime PTSD also met the criteria for an alcohol use disorder or substance use disorder. When a dual diagnosis is present, an integrated treatment plan is necessary to treat each disorder separately. However, during retraumatization, there is an elevation of risk for addiction relapse. 

It takes time to learn new coping mechanisms, identify triggers, and manage the uncomfortable experiences of trauma relapse. Preventing retraumatization is vital to reducing addiction relapse risk. It’s a complex journey into recovery, but the treatment teams are aware of the challenges. Adding trauma-informed care is beneficial to the treatment process.

What is Trauma-informed Care in Rehab?

What is trauma-informed care, and how was it developed? Trauma-informed care speaks to the impact trauma makes on emotional, physical, and psychological health. 

It is vital to teach individuals the complexities of trauma and how to promote safety and trust while empowering them to address the root cause of trauma-related symptoms and behaviors. Trauma-informed care is beneficial for PTSD treatment and substance use disorder rehab. 

Fundamental principles of trauma-informed care include the following:

  • Safety: The goal is to create a safe and supportive environment for treatment, integrating confidentiality, boundaries, respect, and trust. 
  • Trustworthiness and transparency: The goal remains to build open communication and transparency to foster a willingness to participate in treatment. 
  • Empowerment and choice: The goal is to empower individuals to make informative choices during treatment and recovery. 
  • Collaboration and mutuality: Clients remain partners in the treatment process, and the staff values their perspectives, strengths, and experiences. 
  • Cultural humility and responsiveness: Speaks to the essential understanding and respect of diversity, cultural backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, and inclusivity. 
  • Resilience and strength-based approach: The goal is to recognize and nurture resilience and the capacity for personal growth and healing.

Strategies Used to Prevent Trauma Relapse

For those with a dual diagnosis or who are seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder from exposure to trauma, the horizon is vast when trauma is the cause. It is vital to use every tool available to limit or prevent trauma relapse while treatment continues. Avoidance behaviors are a coping mechanism for trauma or pain from trauma. It is essential to identify the traumatic triggers individuals are avoiding. Every trauma has a personal component to identify through intense forms of therapy. 

Those who experience trauma seek safety and protection. Retraumatization is a momentary setback to overcome, but it may provide clues into identifying additional triggers to address before the trauma relapse occurs. Trauma-informed care is essential to understand the roots of each personal trauma. Sierra Health & Wellness Center offers additional components of care, such as Conscious Recovery and The Eight Dimensions of Wellness model, to incorporate with other evidence-based therapies.

The Importance of Personalized Care in Rehab

Personalized treatment is essential in determining a treatment plan for each individual. Healthcare providers with specialized training can provide clients with crucial insights into treatment modalities to address each individual’s unique needs. Including the most recent and innovative treatment combinations to address the needs of those who need trauma care is an invaluable consideration. For the best outcomes in addiction and mental health treatment, the whole-person treatment approach can address the individual personal recovery needs of a diverse population.

Healing Trauma to Prevent Relapse in California with Trauma-Informed Care

Deciding to address dual diagnosis or mental health concerns is a giant leap of faith. Sierra Health & Wellness understands that the best outcomes occur with the whole-person treatment agenda. Trauma remains the connector to addiction and mental health conditions. Healing trauma is essential for long-term recovery and living the best sober lifestyle. Contact Sierra Health & Wellness to obtain a valuable journey in their healing environment toward self-discovery and personal growth while healing from a traumatic past.