Treatment Modalities for Trauma-Based Chemical Dependency

Treatment modalities for trauma-based chemical dependency are really no different than the modalities used to treat chemical dependency no matter its cause. There is much speculation and difference of attitude concerning chemical dependency and its most effective treatments. For years, there have been several different approaches to treatment, albeit most had little efficacy in treating the disorder. In trauma-based chemical dependency, however, cognitive behavioral therapy seems to have become the leading and most effective form of treatment available.

Definition

• Trauma-based chemical dependency happens when individuals experience a traumatic event (such as a car accident, rape, attempted murder) that causes them to get "stuck" in a psychological state of despair. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an excellent example of this. Individuals who experience these events are oftentimes unable to function as they did prior to the event. Therapy is a must for these individuals, and even that alone can prove ineffective. Patients are often given a combination of medication and therapy to help alleviate the painful memories while allowing them to discuss their issues in therapy. For some, however, due to monetary or other reasons, therapy is not an option. These individuals are prone to either abusing medication they receive from a doctor or using other illegal substances to help them cope with their lives. Dependency on these substances is often the result.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, referred to as CBT, is a therapeutic approach that, according to nacbt.org, is "based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations and events. The benefit of this fact is that we can change the way we think to feel/act better even if the situation does not change."
  Like all therapy, however, it is not an immediate cure, and requires time and consistent sessions with a competent therapist so that he can work through issues with the patient and, in essence, help or guide him to change his way of thinking.

Detoxing

• Depending on the extremity of the chemical dependency the individual is experiencing, CBT may often not be an immediate option. If the sufferer is using illegal drugs such as heroin or other opiates, or anti-anxiety medications such as Xanax, withdrawal, which can be life-threatening, becomes the immediate concern. The patient must "detox," or be slowly weaned off the drugs, as to not cause a shock to the central nervous system.

Moving Towards CBT

• Once the patient is detoxed and brought to a state where he is actually able to not consistently be on the substance, CBT can begin. It is important to mention, however, that if an individual is resistant to therapy, it most certainly will not be effective. As with all therapies, the patient must want change and not be forced to undergo therapy. If he is resistant, the treatment will not work and relapse is likely.

Therapy Effectiveness

• CBT is the most (and arguably, only) effective method for obsessive compulsive disorder, where patients have reoccurring thoughts or ideas that cause them to repeat unhealthy behaviors consistently and to a point that it disrupts their lives. Trauma is no different. In CBT, the therapist will work towards getting the patient to address her thoughts concerning the traumatic event(s) that have caused this painful state in her life. Once recognized, the CBT therapist "trains" the patient to fight the anxiety and angst her memories of the event(s) cause.
  CBT therapists have also been known to go out "in the field" with their patients to help impose different thought patterns in stressful scenarios. For example, if a patient was in a car accident and someone she was with passed away, she may develop a fear of driving or even being just on the road. The therapist would then drive with her in the car, all along having her rate her anxiety levels as they increase/decrease over the time they spend in the "problematic area."