UMADAOP Magazine

Individuals can be taught to change their situations or their reactions, and how to take good care of themselves.

Integrated treatment works best for victims of sexual abuse who are also addicts. Researchers have found a dramatic link between the

“ 1 out of every

 abuse addiction and sexual abuse greatly increases the chance can also experience greater joy and healing than if they were treated for substance abuse alone. Telling their story “trauma narrative.” In addition to telling their story by the spoken word or writing it down, they can also use drawing, narrative can then be shared with a safe person, like a trained survivor will be able to let go of some of the trauma. Healing can then take place. Another facet of CBT is behavior management training. Clients are encouraged to stay calm in an emotionally charged situation, manage their own responses, learn what limits are appropriate, handle challenging questions and learn how to prevent physical confrontations with others. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), survivors are also encouraged to do what they can to heal themselves. Good sleep and nutrition, exercise, and regular routines like starting and ending the day in a peaceful way are a good place to start for people from this background. regularly. Clients are also encouraged to use journaling and inspirational reading to further grow in their recovery. Finally, having a supportive group of friends and family will help an individual recover emotionally from this kind of trauma.

occurrence of sexual abuse and substance abuse. According to alcoholrehab.com, “sexual abuse victims are three times more likely to su er depression, six times more likely to su er PTSD, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs than those who have not been sexually abused.” €ey go on to say that one out of every six women and one in 33 men in America have been the victim of sexual assault or rape in their lifetime.

6 women and one in 33 men in America have been the victim of sexual assault or rape in their lifetime. ” -alcoholrehab.com

Integrated treatment

Treatment centers are beginning to recognize the need for integrated treatment techniques for victims undergoing substance abuse recovery. Since there’s such a high prevalence of sexual abuse among addicts, integrated treatment o ers a fuller recovery for sexual abuse victims. Trauma-focused Cognitive Behavior €erapy (CBT) is one common form of treatment. In CBT, individuals are o ered psychoeducation, therapy instructing and empowering them to deal with their condition in an optimal way. Stress management tools are also helpful. Individuals can be taught to change their situations or their reactions and how to maintain appropriate personal boundaries. €e regulation of emotions can be a challenge for a person who has been sexually abused. In CBT, clients learn what emotions are socially tolerable and they learn how to be ‹exible enough to permit some spontaneity. Survivors are also taught how to delay emotional reactions as necessary.