When someone experiences a traumatic event, their sense of safety and well-being can be shattered. Traumatic events can involve single exposures to an overwhelming danger or threat, or they may consist of multiple events that contribute to a person’s lived experience of trauma.
Traumatic events come in many different forms. They can include sexual assaults, serious accidents, relationship violence, military conflict, physical abuse, and natural disasters. What these different experiences often have in common is their ability to cause intense physical and emotional distress and put people’s coping skills under great pressure. In the aftermath of a painful or terrifying event, it can be crucial for someone to have access to meaningful support so that they can move forward from the event in a healthy and life-affirming way. When someone experiences ongoing difficulties related to trauma and finds themselves unable to manage these challenges on their own, they might receive a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
A person who is working to heal from PTSD or the lingering effects of trauma may also be living with another behavioral health concern. At Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery Center, we provide focused treatment for adult men and women who have trauma-related concerns, including PTSD, that co-occur with primary substance use disorders.
Having a diagnosis of PTSD and an addiction is quite common. In one study highlighted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), 46.4% of people who suffered from PTSD during their lifetimes also met criteria for a substance use disorder. VA also reports on the overall prevalence of PTSD in the U.S., sharing that about 5% of adults suffer from PTSD each year, and in 2020, around 13 million Americans were living with PTSD.
For some people, substance use can seem like a viable way to cope with or block out the distressing symptoms of PTSD, which can include flashbacks, avoidance of trauma reminders, feelings of detachment, and difficulty sleeping. But substance use can also cause symptoms of traumatic stress to worsen and may increase someone’s risk for experiencing new or repeated trauma. Getting professional care for PTSD or the effects of trauma can allow a person to access the resources and support they need to reclaim a healthy life.
At Blue Ridge, we offer expert support for people whose struggles with addiction are complicated by PTSD or the effects of trauma. We understand that each person faces different challenges on the road to healing and has unique needs. Viewing each person as a unique and valuable individual, our staff offers care that draws on various treatment modalities to promote success and allow people to build on their existing strengths.
The modalities we may use include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), rapid resolution therapy, expressive therapies, and a person-centered approach. We can also offer accelerated resolution therapy (ART), experiential therapy, and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) to support clients who have been impacted by trauma. Combining a variety of therapies and services, we aim to help each person who is struggling with co-occurring effects of trauma or PTSD stabilize and form a plan for their continuing care when our residential program ends.
Each person who receives treatment for PTSD or a trauma-related concern at our center has the chance to benefit from individualized care and an approach that honors their unique learning style. As our teams deliver treatment, they present concepts one at a time, remain flexible in their approach, and provide as much repetition and support as clients need.
Everyone in our program should ideally feel a sense of acceptance, belonging, and competence as they work toward their treatment goals. We believe that the ability to find healing from trauma is present within each person. With personalized support, a brighter future is possible for everyone who has struggled with PTSD or the harmful impacts of trauma.
