Trauma Treatment

Trauma Treatment in Asheville

At Oasis, we understand that addiction is complex, and there is often a history of trauma involved. Our clinical team is certified, trauma treatment program-informed, highly trained, and experienced in working with trauma through evidence-based therapeutic modalities– many of our staff members are in long-term recovery themselves! From personal experience and expert training, when it comes to trauma treatment, the Oasis team has an extensive range of diverse psychotherapeutic specializations to cater to each client’s needs and specific traumas. 

Our goal is always to provide comprehensive and  individualized care that meets each individual where they are. Through addressing the trauma that is likely causing or contributing to your substance use, our staff is able to effectively facilitate healing amongst guests as they recover from addiction.  

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a uniquely challenging experience, one that often leaves its victims feeling disempowered and estranged from the world. In many cases, this sense of detachment can lead to an individual engaging in self-destructive behavior as a means of coping. For those who are prone to substance abuse, this usually manifests as seeking out alcohol, opioids, and other prescription drugs as a way of self-medicating and easing the pain they feel. In many ways, this tendency makes perfect sense. After all, these substances provide users with a temporary escape from the realities of their day-to-day lives.

But for those with underlying mental health issues like anxiety or depression, these substances can trigger an additional round of traumatic stress – one that ultimately has a detrimental effect on their overall wellbeing. With that being said, it’s important to note that trauma and addiction aren’t always linked in negative ways.

In fact, there’s ample evidence suggesting that both conditions are often intimately connected in complex ways not yet fully understood by modern medicine. This is true even when one has never used drugs or alcohol prior to their initial exposure to trauma – which is why it’s also imperative to understand how trauma affects someone at risk for addiction as early warning systems may otherwise be unnoticed until it’s too late.

What Is The Trauma Treatment Program? 

Many individuals struggling with addiction have a history of exposure to traumatic events. One research study on substance use, childhood trauma, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) published in 2010 states, “Traumatic life experience, such as physical and sexual abuse as well as neglect, occurs at alarmingly high rates and is considered a major public health problem in the United States. […] In surveys of adolescents receiving treatment for substance abuse, more than 70% of patients had a history of trauma exposure.”

Since trauma can have a huge impact on addiction and recovery, at Oasis we have developed a comprehensive program for clients that treats both substance use disorders and trauma simultaneously. Our clinical team is trauma-informed, highly-trained, and experienced in working with trauma through evidence-based therapeutic approaches. 

In addition to our traditional addiction treatment offerings, the Trauma Treatment Program at Oasis incorporates trauma-specific therapies into a client’s individualized treatment plan. Each client is assigned an individual psychotherapist to work with throughout their treatment at Oasis. 

Some of our Trauma Treatment therapies include: 

• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR): A treatment that helps the patient focus on the traumatic memory while also receiving bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which results in a reduction in the intensity and emotion associated with the memory. 
• Somatic Experiencing Therapy: A type of alternative therapy designed to help people with intense past trauma that is based on the idea that trauma gets stored and trapped in the body. Practitioners are there to release the stress of trauma stored in the body.
• Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy: Traumatic experience can result in a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms, and this form of yoga aims to alleviate them by providing a gentle teaching approach and a safe environment in which to cultivate compassionate awareness of what is happening in one’s body at present. 
• Brain Spotting Therapy: A type of alternative medicine that uses spots in a person’s visual field to help them process trauma. The subcortical brain, which handles motion, consciousness, emotions, and learning, is the part of the brain that is involved with this type of alternative medicine. 

How Trauma and Addiction Interact

Trauma and substance abuse are both symptoms of a broader mental health issue. This means that, for those who struggle with one, it’s likely that the other is also an issue. With that being said, there are a number of ways in which these two conditions can interrelate:

• Traumatic events can prompt use of substances as a coping mechanism. For example, many people who experience trauma, whether they have a mental health condition or not, turn to alcohol or drugs as a means of self-medicating and coping with their feelings of stress and despair. 
• Individuals with underlying mental health issues and a propensity for substance abuse can be triggered by traumatic events. This can happen in a number of ways. For example, some people may experience an immediate increase in stress that leads to increased levels of anxiety. This, in turn, can prompt them to turn to substances as a means of managing their feelings of stress, much like someone who has a physiological predisposition to substance abuse. 
• Individuals who have a history of trauma and a propensity for substance abuse may be more likely to experience a traumatic event. This can happen in a number of ways. For example, someone with a history of trauma may be more likely to be exposed to a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster or a violent crime. 

These are just a few examples of how trauma and substance abuse are interrelated. 

How Trauma Affects Mental Health

While it’s important to note that trauma and substance abuse are often linked, it’s also critical to understand how they interrelate. Specifically, mental health conditions like anxiety and depression can be triggered by trauma. This can happen in a number of ways. For example, some people may experience an immediate increase in stress that leads to increased levels of anxiety. This, in turn, can prompt them to turn to substances as a means of managing their feelings of stress, much like someone who has a physiological predisposition to substance abuse.

Another way in which trauma and mental health conditions are linked is that someone who has a history of trauma and has a propensity for substance abuse may be more likely to experience a mental health condition like anxiety or depression. This may happen in a number of ways. For example, someone who has a history of trauma may be more likely to experience a mental health condition if they’ve experienced repeated trauma, which can lead to increased levels of stress. Simply put, it’s important to understand how trauma and mental health conditions interrelate because these are often fundamental components of a person’s overall wellbeing.

In Conclusion

Many people who experience trauma, whether they have a mental health condition or not, turn to alcohol and drugs as a means of self-medicating and coping with their feelings of stress and despair. Eventually, this behavior can become an ingrained habit. Here at Oasis, we aim to help break this toxic cycle by targeting both the trauma and substance use collectively, rather than individually.

While addiction is a complicated issue, it frequently involves history of trauma. The Oasis team consists of highly qualified, trauma-informed, and experienced professionals who can work with trauma using evidence-based therapeutic techniques. Many of our employees have been in long-term recovery for many years. We have a wide range of therapeutic specialties to aid anyone who has been affected by trauma. 

Call Today To Learn More

If you are seeking addiction and trauma treatment in North Carolina, call Oasis Recovery today. Our treatment specialists work with all individuals to create a treatment plan that suits their individual needs. You do not have to struggle with addiction alone. Help is available. At Oasis Recovery, we are family and we will do everything in our power to ensure that you are comfortable, supported, and empowered at all stages of treatment and beyond. Call an addiction specialist to get started today.

Addiction and mental health disorders can affect anyone. Oasis Recovery was founded from firsthand experience of addiction and recovery, with a mission of providing a space where people can heal from addiction in a compassionate, creative, open-minded, and heart-centered environment. We believe recovery is always possible. Our experts work with you to design a treatment plan that fits your needs. Common treatment programs include:

• Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP)
• Full-time Addiction Treatment on campus
• Aftercare Services

You no longer have to struggle with trauma alone. Oasis is here to help you. We look forward to meeting you and assisting you in your recovery journey!