The Power and Courage in Feeling: Substance Use, Trauma, and Healing
For many survivors of trauma, processing and sharing about that trauma can be deeply painful. Our brains and bodies are wired to keep us safe, often reacting in ways that prioritize survival above all else. So if confronting a thought or memory evokes the same fear as the original event, it makes sense that we might push that thought aside in an effort to protect ourselves.
The challenge is that avoiding a thought or memory as powerful as a traumatic event is rarely sustainable. And while the alternative—facing and processing those emotions—can be even more difficult, it’s often the only path forward. In response to this struggle, some individuals begin to rely on substance use to help them avoid the trauma and its painful emotional residue. In many cases, substance use—regardless of how it began—becomes a way to cope with the ongoing effort to suppress trauma. Substances can feel like effective short-term solutions, but over time, they tend to reinforce the very pain they’re meant to numb.
This is where things get tricky. People often use substances to quiet their minds and escape the noise of trauma because, in the moment, it seems to work. But when we avoid processing trauma, the brain continues to store it as something dangerous—something to fear—rather than a memory that can be safely integrated. The more we avoid it, the more it becomes a kind of hot spot in our minds and bodies, a source of ongoing pain. And so, the cycle continues: using substances to find relief, to feel safe, only to end up reinforcing the pain that led to the use in the first place.
There’s a similar cycle between trauma, self-esteem, and substance use. While not always the case, it’s common for trauma—and its aftermath—to deeply impact a person’s sense of identity and self-worth. Likewise, addiction itself often carries consequences and social stigma that further erode self-esteem. Many of my clients found themselves trapped in a cycle: what started as an attempt to manage trauma symptoms through substance use eventually became a way to escape the shame they felt about their addiction.
Sitting with reminders of trauma, with shame, with despair—these are profoundly painful experiences. Facing them head-on is not easy. In fact, it’s likely one of the hardest things we ask our clients to do. And yet, for someone who has spent a lifetime running from these feelings, allowing even a little space for them is a necessary step toward healing. For many, this process can be as empowering as it is frightening. There is real relief in feeling safe and supported enough to stop running—and simply breathe.
