title: Trauma and addiction: implications for helping professionals.
abstract: (1) Helping professionals and first responders often experience stressful and traumatic incidents on a daily basis, and sometimes several times per day. (2) Research in addictions suggests an important link between traumatic experiences and the potential for addiction. (3) The idea of self-medicating to cope with stress and trauma is common not only in patients but also in helping professionals and first responders. (4) Treatment of substance-related disorders, trauma disorders, and stress responses share an important common consideration--immediacy.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, School of Public Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 89154-3064, USA. Chad.cross@unlv.edu
authors.forename: Chad L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ashley
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*