Trauma is the emotional and psychological response to a distressing, frightening, or overwhelming event. Trauma can result from a single incident, such as an accident or assault, or from ongoing experiences such as abuse, neglect, or chronic stress.

What are the common signs of unresolved trauma?

Common signs of unresolved trauma may include anxiety, depression, emotional numbness, irritability, difficulty trusting others, flashbacks, nightmares, trouble sleeping, and avoidance of certain people, places, or situations. Symptoms can vary significantly from person to person.

Can trauma lead to substance abuse?

Yes. Many individuals turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with painful emotions or memories related to trauma. This is often referred to as co-occurring trauma and substance use disorder, and both conditions should be treated together for the best outcomes.

How is trauma treated?

Trauma treatment typically includes evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), trauma-informed counseling, and other therapeutic approaches designed to help individuals process traumatic experiences and develop healthy coping skills.

How long does trauma treatment take?

The length of trauma treatment varies depending on the individual, the nature of the trauma, and any co-occurring mental health or substance use disorders. Some people benefit from short-term therapy, while others may require ongoing support as part of their recovery journey.

Does Decision Point Center treat trauma and addiction together?

Yes. Trauma and substance use disorders frequently occur together. At Decision Point Center, our integrated treatment approach addresses both trauma and addiction simultaneously, helping clients understand underlying causes, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and build a strong foundation for long-term recovery.

Trauma Treatment

Heal from the Past. Reclaim Your Future.

Trauma can have a lasting impact on emotional well-being, relationships, and daily life. Whether the result of a single event or ongoing experiences, unresolved trauma can contribute to anxiety, depression, substance use, and other mental health challenges. At Decision Point Center, we provide compassionate, trauma-informed care designed to help individuals process difficult experiences, build resilience, and move forward with confidence.

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WHAT IS TRAUMA

Understanding Trauma and Its Impact

Trauma is an emotional response to distressing or overwhelming experiences that can affect how individuals think, feel, and interact with the world around them. With the right support and treatment, healing is possible and lasting recovery can begin.

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Trauma Treatment Center in Prescott, AZ

Overcoming Traumatic Experiences and Addiction, Together

In the United States, 61% of men and 51% of women report exposure to at least one traumatic event in their lifetimes. Exposure can happen in early childhood, adulthood, or anytime in between, and 90% of clients seeking behavioral health services have experienced trauma. Substance use disorders are no exception.

If you’ve experienced trauma, you are at risk of developing multiple mental health conditions, as well as unhealthy coping mechanisms. To deal with or forget what happened to you, you might turn to drugs and/or alcohol. Unaddressed trauma can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addiction, and many negative physical and mental health outcomes – and drug addiction can lead you to experience traumatic situations.

To truly treat drug and alcohol use disorders and dual diagnoses, you must deal with trauma in a safe and sensitive way.

What Is Trauma?

According to Psychology Today:

“Trauma is the experience of severe psychological distress following any terrible or life-threatening event.”

Triggers for trauma include accidents, assaults and acts of violence; child abuse and neglect; domestic violence, active-duty military, rape and sexual abuse; and the death of a close friend or family member.

Survivors of these events can develop a litany of mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and survivor’s guilt. According to a Wiley-Blackwell study, about 70% of people seeking treatment for substance use disorders also experience mental health symptoms related to trauma. Researchers at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS) have also found a clear link between trauma and substance use disorders.

Psychological trauma can also produce several physical and emotional symptoms, such as:

Shock, denial, or disbelief
Insomnia and nightmares
Flashbacks (reexperiencing the traumatic event)
Confusion and difficulty concentrating
Fatigue or agitation
Feeling jumpy and afraid
Muscle tension
Aches and pains
Guilt and shame
Avoidance and self-isolation
Intrusive thoughts and memories
Anxiety and depression
Thoughts of suicide

Because these symptoms are serious and occur in many different mental health conditions, you will need to be diagnosed by a medical professional. You will also need to develop a treatment plan that works for you. Our “you-based” programs at Decision Point Center can help.

How Trauma Can Lead to Addiction

Regardless of age, background, or lifestyle—trauma can affect anyone. While many people turn toward healthier coping mechanisms, others turn to drugs and alcohol as a way to numb their emotions. When trauma goes unchecked, self-medicating can lead to the development of addiction issues.

Our experienced therapists and staff have helped countless clients cope with traumas related to:

Physical assault
Sexual assault
Domestic violence
Emotional abuse
Verbal abuse
Parental neglect
Natural disasters
Bullying
Harassment
Terminal illness diagnosis
Accidents like car accidents or fires

Trauma can create mental scarring and negative, self-limiting beliefs that, if left unaddressed, can push us into making self-destructive decisions that only worsen our condition. There are positive steps you can take to overcome trauma, and our team wants to help.

Coping and Treatment

Dealing with trauma can be scary, and it certainly isn’t easy. At Decision Point Center, we understand this, and we understand why you might have turned to drugs and alcohol to deal with the pain.

Our compassionate team will never judge you, but we will help you learn positive life skills and offer trauma therapy to help you cope with what happened. We can also help dissociate your traumatic experience from the urge to self-medicate using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EDMR) psychotherapy, which is an effective tool for treating trauma-based co-occurring disorders.

In addition to our proven therapies, we focus on your whole health and wellbeing. This means we offer holistic enrichment activities like arts and active recovery.

When you walk through our doors, we see more than just your trauma and substance use disorder, and we develop your treatment around what works for you as an individual. By the time you leave, you will have the tools you need to stay healthy and sober, as well as a lasting support system you can call anytime.