The Margarita’s Salty Truth
Dear reader,
I’m going to begin this article by speaking to a truth that we’ve all experienced. How many times in your life have you gone through a break-up, lost someone dear, or generally been through a ‘rough patch’, to which a friend would advise could be solved by a night out? We all know the next morning doesn’t feel great, the pain remains, and yet, we find ourselves seeking this cycle throughout life’s stressors. Unfortunately, what this cycle often leads to is addiction, who’s primary partner is more often than not, trauma. I will share here that even with more awareness coming into what defines trauma, trauma has, and always will be subjective to the individual.
Trauma at any stage of life can result in substance abuse as a way to cope with the stress. What is more often than not witnessed with individuals embroiled with chronic addiction, is childhood trauma, which actually affects the way the white matter in your brain develops. A healthy developing brain has the chance to engage stress, and form healthy neuropathways to access internal stress reduction or what is often referred to as, emotional regulation. When the mind has been unable to develop coping patterns around stress responses, it is only natural that someone wants to feel better, and so turning to drinking or other forms of substance use is common.
Assessing trauma, and trauma responses should be a point of focus for any mental health professional you trust with your care, as it will help evaluate if co-occurring disorders are present. It was Greg Perez BMS, MS, MSW, CPT (RET.), LPC, NCC, LMSW, when I discussed this topic with him that shared how it’s often a bitter cycle where in order to heal an internal wound, people will consume poison to alleviate the pain (going out on girls’ night after a break-up). Therefore, alcohol is not only a way people cope with trauma, but also manifests itself as a new chronic trauma in addiction. A continued heavy use of substances not only compromise the body’s natural way to recover, but the mind’s ability to cope as well.
The truth of addiction, and trauma is, unless someone receives outside support from a mental health facility, the cycling of emotional dysregulation, or the inability to disengage from the past memories will only lead to repetitive self-destructive behaviors. If after reading this article you come to a sometimes-difficult realization you are experiencing a co-occurring disorder seeking proper treatment is key. That treatment journey starts with seeking a medical professional to determine if you will need medical intervention to assist in stopping substance use, which is often referred to as medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and seeking out a trauma counselor who can work with you to lessen flashbacks, understand emotional dysregulation, and realize a life out of your trauma cycle. You can always stay with the same therapist for a process known as aftercare, where you have achieved sobriety are ready to engage in coping strategies and can now work on uncovering environmental factors that could cause a relapse.
What truth I want to make very clear for you to hold onto, is that you are not alone, in fact I can’t think of one person who hasn’t gone out to forget something or someone with a salty margarita. Just remember understanding and evolving through trauma is as common as seeking out a drink with friends. The difference between the two although is stark, while trauma occurs throughout the human experience, giving a proper place to heal it, like a physical wound is the next step I’m encouraging you to take here. Let’s put the salty truth behind us together, reach out, and heal the unspoken stories swallowed with tequila.
Written by former Monarch Behavioral Health Therapist.
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