Quick Summary
Women with PTSD are at higher risk for substance use disorders because trauma survivors often turn to alcohol, drugs, or prescriptions to self-medicate symptoms like flashbacks, insomnia, and anxiety.
Trauma can rewire the brain over time, making both PTSD and addiction worse in a cycle that requires professional support.
Dual-diagnosis treatment programs address both the addiction and the underlying trauma together, offering therapies like CBT, DBT, somatic therapy, and options such as inpatient care, Partial Hospitalization, or Intensive Outpatient programs.
Key Takeaways
- Women experience PTSD at higher rates than men, often stemming from sexual assault, domestic violence, childhood trauma, workplace harassment, or high-stress careers.
- Substance use can temporarily numb pain but rewires the brain over time, creating a vicious cycle where trauma increases addiction risk and continued use worsens mental health.
- Common signs of co-occurring PTSD and addiction include emotional numbness, anxiety, depression, mood swings, difficulty sleeping, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoiding social situations, and increased substance use.
- Dual-diagnosis treatment that addresses both PTSD and addiction together is essential for lasting recovery, and women-only treatment environments can provide peer support and a judgment-free space for trauma survivors.
When a woman is battling addiction, there is a high likelihood that she is also struggling with unresolved trauma and/or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The truth is that underlying trauma can often be a contributor to addictive behaviors, but many people don’t realize the connection between their trauma and coping strategies.
If you are a trauma survivor, then you might find yourself turning to substance use as a coping mechanism to navigate the inner struggles that you are experiencing. This experience is common for trauma in many forms, including first responders, veterans, corporate professionals, and abuse survivors.
Even though you can’t go back in time and change the experiences that inflicted trauma, there is good news: healing is possible. At Avery Lane for Women, we offer tailored treatment solutions that help with breaking the cycles of PTSD and addiction in women. Our dual-diagnosis treatment programs are designed to support patients with co-occurring conditions, in overcoming addiction while also healing from underlying trauma at the same time.
You’re invited to learn more about our safe, women-only treatment programs by reaching out to us at your convenience. We offer full-service solutions and customizable addiction recovery services so that you can turn things around and overcome the challenges that are keeping you stuck in addiction.
PTSD Affects Women Differently: Why it Often Leads to Addiction
Why is there such a demand for dual diagnosis treatment for women? The reality is that PTSD affects women at higher rates than men. Women are more often carrying trauma wounds from:
- Sexual assault
- Domestic violence
- Childhood trauma
- Workplace harassment
- Discrimination
- High-stress careers
- First responders
- Veterans and military service
The traumatic experiences you have been through in the past can continue to influence your current and future well-being. Even if you aren’t a victim of assault, abuse, or violence, it’s possible that demanding career environments can also contribute to a woman’s trauma. We are seeing this trend among career-focused women across California and throughout the country, particularly in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and San Diego.
When trauma is left untreated, then it’s common for women to turn to alcohol, drugs, and even prescriptions as a way to self-medicate. Substance abuse usually starts small in the beginning, but can eventually turn into bigger problems in the future – especially when the underlying trauma is still affecting your mental wellbeing.
Why Women’s Trauma and Substance Abuse Go Hand-in-Hand
Why is there such a strong connection between women’s trauma and substance abuse? While researchers are still learning more about why these issues often go hand-in-hand, there are some clear connections about why substance abuse is a growing concern among women with unresolved trauma. Studies show that the rates of trauma exposure among women are striking, and exploring the correlation between trauma and substance use in women helps clarify why so many women arrive at treatment carrying both wounds at once.
Here are a few of the findings about the connection between PTSD and addiction in women:
- Self-Medication: It’s common for women to use self-medication as a way to cope with the stress and trauma that feels like too much. Different types of substances can temporarily numb the pain and are often misused to manage symptoms associated with trauma, such as flashbacks, insomnia, and anxiety. Some of these substances might include alcohol, sedatives, stimulants, and/or prescription painkillers.
- Rewiring the Brain: Did you know that using substances can actually rewire the brain? Over time, this rewiring makes PTSD worse. It’s a chicken-or-the-egg scenario because trauma increases the risk of substance abuse, then the continuing use of substances can result in more trauma and mental health concerns.
- Vicious Cycle: The reality is that substance abuse among trauma survivors can turn into a vicious cycle that requires professional support to overcome these issues. Women start to feel an increasing reliance on substances so that they can function. You might be feeling more triggers, hypervigilance, and even disassociation relating to substance abuse.
Treating the Underlying Trauma for Successful Addiction Recovery
Even though the symptoms of substance abuse and addiction are the most prominent, the reality is that these are just surface-level symptoms of the underlying concerns that need to be treated: trauma. The problem isn’t just addiction. The root cause is found in the trauma that is fueling the stress within the body and causing a woman to have an unrelenting need for relief through substance abuse.
While there are many detox therapies that can help with withdrawals and stopping the immediate addictive behavior, the cycle is going to continue as long as the trauma is unresolved. Addiction recovery without addressing underlying trauma is like putting a Bandaid on a bigger wound – it isn’t enough for the true healing and recovery that is needed.
For this reason, it’s critical that you find a recovery program that offers dual diagnosis treatment for women. You need a team of professionals who address both the substance abuse symptoms as well as the underlying trauma that is feeding the cycle of addiction.
Watch for These Common Signs of PTSD and Addiction in Women
Learning the signs of PTSD and addiction in women is critical to knowing when you need to seek addiction recovery services for yourself. At the same time, you might be able to recognize when a friend or family member might be suffering from addiction and PTSD.
Here are some of the common signs and symptoms that occur in women with trauma and addiction:
- Emotional Numbness
- Anxiety, Depression, Mood Swings
- Difficulty Sleeping and/or Nightmares
- Hypervigilance
- Avoiding Social Situations
- Difficulty Trusting Others
- Struggles in the Workplace
- Stress and Trauma Triggers
- Increased Substance Use
At Avery Lane for Women addiction treatment, we often hear from our patients that they feel like they are “holding it together.” The pressures from their careers, family responsibilities, and life in general can feel overwhelming. It often feels impossible to keep up with everything when they are secretly struggling with deep emotional wounds. For women navigating PTSD alongside addiction, learning what trauma-informed residential care looks like day to day can clarify what to expect from the recovery process.
Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward your recovery. We are here to help with more than just temporary relief. Our goal is to help you experience real healing so that you can move forward in your life, free from the heavy impact of the deep emotional wounds that are impacting your physical and mental health.
How We Can Help: Avery Lane for Women Addiction Treatment
The only path to true recovery is when both PTSD and addiction in women are treated together. This is the reason why we offer dual-diagnosis treatment for women, so that we can address the root cause (and not just the symptoms).
When you choose our team at Avery Lane, you will receive trauma-informed care in a private, women-only setting. This combination of evidence-based therapies and lifestyle modifications creates the perfect blend to support your deep healing process.
We offer a variety of treatment programs that are customized to your unique needs, including:
Rest assured knowing that our treatment options are flexible and can be adjusted based on your unique lifestyle needs. For example, you can choose inpatient PTSD treatment for women, or talk to us about an Intensive Outpatient (IOP) or Partial Hospitalization (PHP) if you are trying to balance your recovery with other responsibilities at home and/or work.
The Best Healing in a Women-Only Environment
There is a common trend among trauma survivors: these women are often victims of trauma inflicted by men. As a result, there are times when women feel unsafe or misunderstood when they are in mixed-gender treatment settings.
At Avery Lane for Women, we offer a women-centered approach to ensure that you receive the best results possible. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from our addiction and trauma treatment programs:
- Peer support from other like-minded women.
- A judgment-free environment.
- Full confidentiality so you feel safe to open up about trauma.
- Programs that are designed to accommodate women’s needs, emotions, and recovery goals.
Residential treatment gives women the time and structure needed to heal trauma at its roots, and understanding Healing Trauma: The Core of Residential Treatment for Women can help women and their families make informed decisions about care.
At Avery Lane, we provide an empowering and all-female community where you have the full support and care to heal your underlying wounds. If you need women’s trauma and substance abuse, then we invite you to learn more about our addiction treatment programs.
Taking the First Step: Help is Available for PTSD and Addiction
We understand that taking the first step can feel challenging. Too often, women delay support because of fear, shame, and social stigmas. They mistakenly feel like they need to handle these struggles alone.
You deserve to have access to the help and support that you need. Healing is possible, especially when you choose Avery Lane and our trauma-focused treatment programs that address PTSD and addiction together.
For more information about available treatment options, we invite you to schedule a confidential consultation. We’ll discuss your needs, provide information about available treatment programs, and help you take the next step toward recovery.
At Avery Lane for Women, our belief is that recovery isn’t just about quitting substances. This process is about healing from trauma so that you can reclaim your life. Contact us today for a consultation.
