How Can You Avoid Retraumatization During Treatment?

The Newport Beach Recovery Center team uses a trauma-informed approach that lowers the risk of re-traumatization for individuals recovering from substance use disorder (SUD). Our team can provide excellent personalized care for individuals with co-occurring trauma-related mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or generalized anxiety disorder. According to Clinical Psychology, “Among individuals with PTSD, nearly half (46.4%) also met criteria for a SUD and more than one-in-five (22.3%) met criteria for substance dependence.” We understand that trauma and substance misuse often negatively interact and cause increased side effects or symptoms.

What Is Trauma-Informed Care?

The trauma-informed care includes various services that make our facility more comfortable and secure. According to the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW), professionals trained to provide trauma-informed care have the ability “to better understand services through the eyes of their clients; uncovered inadvertent trauma triggers; and generated concrete changes necessary to become a more trauma-informed system.” At Newport Beach Recovery Center, we treat all our clients with compassion and respect. Our care team considers each client’s preferences when creating therapy sessions.

Trauma-informed care applies to the following:

• Treatment and aftercare planning
• Peer interactions
• Policies and procedures
• Facility accommodations
• Interactions between the client and care team

Why Does Newport Beach Recovery Center Use Trauma-Informed Care?

We use trauma-informed care to make our facility more inviting and safe for individuals who have experienced trauma. We believe that most people who attend treatment centers for SUD have experienced some form of trauma they would benefit from working through in therapy. Past traumas common among individuals with SUD include:

• Sexual abuse
• Neglect
• Physical abuse and domestic violence
• Trauma-related to war or terrorism
• Witnessing or surviving a natural disaster
• Childhood abuse or neglect
• Witnessing or experiencing a severe accident, illness, or injury
• Human trafficking
• Workplace harassment
• Dysfunctional family dynamics, including family members with untreated SUD
• Experiencing or witnessing an overdose

The evidence-based and alternative holistic therapies we offer can help you heal from trauma and relieve symptoms like anxiety, panic, self-harming ideations, or depression.

How Can Trauma Responses Impact Recovery?

Trauma responses can increase stress and make you feel less safe. Triggers are different for everyone, which means that a specific setting or group might feel comfortable for one person and threatening to someone else. The most common types of trauma responses people encounter during treatment include:

• Being easily startled and jumpy around unexpected noises or movements
• Feeling disconnected from others or dissociating
• Experiencing flashbacks or intrusive thoughts and sensations
• Specific phobias

The care team and support staff at Newport Beach Recovery Center use trauma-informed personalized care to ensure you have the best experience possible. Our team will work to avoid potential triggers and create a safe space for healing and personal growth.

What Is Re-Traumatization?

Re-traumatization occurs when someone encounters a trigger that sets off trauma responses, including distressing thoughts, feelings, or flashbacks. For example, individuals in recovery can experience re-traumatization if they hear, see, smell, taste, or feel something that reminds them strongly of a traumatic event.

The side effects of re-traumatization include:

• Reduced sense of self-worth and self-efficacy
• Increased stress and more severe symptoms
• Difficulty trusting others

The goal of therapy is to address current and underlying issues that contribute to substance misuse and may increase the risk of relapse. We attempt to avoid triggers except in cases where the client is in a controlled environment with active support to help them learn how to rewrite the trauma responses. Experiential and exposure therapies can provide significant relief from trauma and allow clients to reprocess distressing memories, making them less disruptive over time.

How Can Trauma-Informed Care Decrease the Risk of Re-Traumatization?

The Newport Beach Recovery Center care team can help you avoid re-traumatization by providing tools for coping with stressors, preventative strategies to avoid or overcome triggers, and a healthy structure of social support. You will never have to face these moments alone during treatment until you reach a place where you feel confident in your ability to cope with them.

Trauma-informed care can prevent relapse by doing the following:

• Providing you with a space where you feel heard, respected, and understood
• Giving you exposure to positive social interactions that reduce stress
• Allowing you to build deep and trusting relationships
• Exposing you to various triggers in a controlled environment

Overcoming long-term trauma is a process; most people need months or years of therapy to move forward with their lives successfully. At our facility, we use short-term methods that provide long-term positive results. For example, experiential therapy and other treatments can help you rewire how your brain stores and responds to traumatic memories. As a result, you can heal from the effects of trauma and SUD.

The Newport Beach Recovery Center care team actively listens to people to ensure they can access the accommodations and resources they need to feel safe and secure during treatment. Many people with substance use disorder have a history of experiencing or witnessing trauma. You can avoid re-traumatization by collaborating closely with your care team to ensure they have all the necessary information to create a tailored treatment plan. Most people benefit from treatments focusing on the underlying cause of trauma and stress. Once you know how to identify potential triggers, you can find ways to avoid or cope with your symptoms. Newport Beach Recovery Center uses evidence-based therapeutic methods to ensure you feel safe and secure during the rehabilitation program. To learn more about the therapies offered at our facility or to set up an appointment, call our office today at (855) 316-8740.