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San Diego Therapist Specialties:
Addiction or Substance Abuse
Therapy and Treatment
Short and Simple Symptoms of Addiction
• Drink/use more than you intended
• Experience negative consequences
• Need more substance to get the same resullt
Trauma therapists understand that psychological injury and its aftereffects can cause a person to seek escape from the uncomfortable and negative thoughts and feelings that seem to take control. The easiest and most available escape in this culture is substances. The numbing “high” or quick relief experienced from drugs or alcohol is a welcome break from the depression, anxiety, craziness, stress, or trauma that underlie the discomfort and which the individual, on his own, is unable to manage. Making the nightmare go away with a substance, however, can lead to addiction, and then the individual has two disorders instead of one. The "co-occurring disorders" must both be treated.
The negative fall-out from addiction does not always appear right away, so it can become more difficult for a person to learn from the negative consequences of his actions. They do not always show up immediately. Sadly, the suffering gradually worsens. Since the process of addiction is rather subtle, it can go on without interruption until loved ones clamor or until the addicted person hits bottom.
When the addict is ready to accept the reality of addiction with its negative consequences and takes responsibility to start healing the traumas that initially caused him to drink or use, he has reached a turning point. It is essential that any healing plan include treatment of the underlying trauma, as well as the physical addiction. Otherwise, once the person is clean of the substance, there is the risk of traumatic feelings, thoughts, and flashbacks returning in full force. Those intense feelings often trigger relapses. Therefore, we invite you to tame the trauma at the same time you tame the addiction. Our specialists are eager to help and support your progress.
Back to Psychotherapy Specialties for San Diego
San Diego trauma therapists treating substance abuse, addiction, co-occurring disorders, trauma, PTSD |
San Diego Therapists Specializing in Addiction or Substance Abuse Treatment:
Melodee Arnold, RN, LMFT, CGP
San Diego
Susan Brown, LCSW, BCD, AC
La Mesa
Sara G. Gilman, LMFT
Encinitas
Scherry Messic, Ph.D., AC
Chula Vista
Kathleen Rapp, MSW, LCSW
Solana Beach
David M. Ross, LCSW
San Diego
Dana Terrell, LCSW
San Diego
Jeffrey Smith, LMFT, AC
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