Research indicates that the use of alcohol and domestic violence often occur simultaneously. Domestic violence treatment programs report that many of the victims who are receiving help overcoming the adverse effects of abuse are also seeking treatment for substance abuse.
Victims of domestic violence and abuse are much more likely to become dependent on drugs and alcohol then individuals who have not been subjected to abuse. Alcoholics are more likely to have experienced physical or emotional abuse as a child then people who do not have a substance abuse problem. Studies have shown that children who are subjected to abuse are more likely to become reliant on drugs and alcohol, and domestic violence increase the likelihood that an individual who develop a substance abuse problem later in life. It is not difficult to understand why this pattern exists.
All of the various forms of domestic abuse are extremely painful and traumatic for the individual who is being subjected to this detrimental behavior. An individual who is trapped in an abusive environmentphysical abuseStudiesshelters recognize that substance abuse problems must also be addressed for an individual to cope with their traumatic experiences and regain control over their lives.
While some domestic violence treatment programs focus on altering the behavior of the abuser, other programs devote resources to confronting the negative effects of abuse that a victim may be experiencing. Domestic violence treatment will usually include therapy for the victim, which will help the victim to face the psychological consequences of violence and abuse, and assist them in developing effective methods of combating these effects. It is essential that an individual who has been subjected to abuse receive domestic violence treatment, so that they develop a successful means of coping with the trauma that they have experienced, instead of turning to substance abuse to ease their long term psychological pain.
