Unresolved traumatic experiences are an unfortunate reality for many adults, teens, and children. They’re especially common for members of the LGBTQ+ community. In many cases, the sources of these experiences are the same regardless of sexual/gender orientation or identity. However, LGBTQ+ Americans also face some unique trauma risks. What’s more, lingering traumatic experiences often overlap with substance abuse and addiction. For this reason, an LGBTQ+ addiction therapy program may need to include trauma treatment.
Need a trauma therapy program that takes your needs as an LGBTQ+ adult into account? You’ll find it at Pride Institute. We feature trauma-focused care for those in recovery from drug or alcohol problems. The treatments we offer help you process your past traumatic experiences. In this way, they can add an essential element to your recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). Call Pride Institute at 952.934.7554 or reach out online to learn more.
Trauma Exposure in the LGBTQ+ Community
No human society or group is spared from exposure to traumatic experiences. These experiences directly or indirectly expose you to high-stress situations that do things such as:
- Seriously disrupt your sense of normality
- Create an actual risk to your life or someone else’s
- Make you believe that such a risk is present
Research shows that America’s LGBTQ+ community has a disproportionately high rate of trauma exposure. Not only do members of the community experience traumas common to people of all backgrounds. Far too often, they also face situations created specifically by bias against or hatred of LGBTQ+ individuals. This fact helps explain the community’s outsized exposure to verbal and physical assault.
How Trauma Impacts Your SUD Risks and Recovery
Serious substance problems are also particularly common among LGBTQ+ teens and adults. This is true for a variety of reasons. And quite often, the list of these reasons includes lingering trauma. Trauma can increase your risks of developing an SUD by:
- Destabilizing your sense of security and well-being
- Increasing the odds that you will self-medicate with drugs or alcohol
- Boosting your chances of drinking or using drugs in excessive amounts
Some affected people develop diagnosable, trauma-based mental health conditions. The prime example of this kind of condition is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If PTSD or a similar condition occurs alongside a SUD, you have what’s known as a co-occurring disorder. In this situation, you need more than drug or alcohol treatment. In addition, you need some kind of trauma treatment program.
What Happens in a Trauma Therapy Program?
How does a trauma therapy program in Minneapolis support your recovery? By providing treatment that helps you process past traumatic experiences. Trauma treatment programs often make use of group therapy sessions. These sessions allow you to speak directly with your therapist. They also help you learn from your therapist’s interactions with others in your group. The specific methods used in group therapy can vary from case to case.
The Value of an LGBTQ+ Trauma Therapy Program
Why should you consider enrolling in an LGBTQ+ trauma therapy program? This kind of program gives you a space to talk openly about your experiences as an LGBTQ+ individual. It also helps you work through traumas rooted in society’s response to your gender/sexual identity or orientation. In this way, an LGBTQ+ trauma treatment center can provide unique, vital support for your recovery.
Turn to Pride Institute for a Trauma Therapy Program in Minneapolis
For an LGBTQ+ trauma treatment center that helps you restore sobriety and well-being, turn to Pride Institute. We feature a range of options for the treatment of SUDs. Whenever appropriate, those options include a research-based trauma therapy program. For more information on our inclusive approach to effective care, just call us today at 952.934.7554. You can also get in touch through our online form.