Trauma and addiction: implications for helping professionals.
(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.
Cross
Chad L
CL
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, School of Public Health, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 89154-3064, USA. Chad.cross@unlv.edu
Ashley
Larry
L
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*