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Trauma Everywhere
What substance use and Instaglamour might have in common
“I’m so sorry,” she apologized profusely, catching her breath between sobs, “I’m trying my best.”
She called the hospital in a panic. Her neighbor had stolen her buprenorphine, a medication needed to prevent cravings and withdrawal for people who suffer from opioid addiction. The last time she went through withdrawal was three years prior, when she was using heroin and almost died from overdose. She got herself into treatment, and was abstinent from illicit drugs ever since. Now out of medication, she was in a physical turmoil of withdrawal symptoms — nausea, sweating, muscle aches, restlessness — in addition to the psychologic torment of betrayal, guilt, and the shame of reliving her prior IV drug use. “I feel so bad,” she said, expressing more regret than complaint, “I just never wanted to remember what this feels like.”
On any other day, my immediate thoughts would have been about other patients. I would have thought about the stories I’ve heard, the numerous recounts of living through trauma.
According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced a traumatic experience in their lives.
The Center for Disease…
