Addiction is usually thought of in terms of substances: alcohol, cocaine, opioids. But it can take less obvious and more socially condoned forms, like work, wealth, and status. A lot of the issues that we face in our adult life can be traced back to our childhood, how we connected to our families, and the role that we played. Our success, personal development, well-being, relationships, and financial status are greatly affected by the subconscious imprints that we carry from our family, our ancestors, and our childhood. Addictions can be physical or emotional in nature. For example, many people drink alcohol or take drugs to loosen. Others may stay busy watching a lot of television.
These are examples of addictions of a physical nature. An example of emotional addiction can be trying to be a high achiever because the times that we achieved as a child were the times that we felt loved by our parents. Another example of emotional addiction is the need to please people. Or, we may feel the need to receive approval from people, as it helps us avoid our fear and sorrow of not being loved. As already mentioned previously, addiction has its roots in childhood trauma. Trauma is something that happens inside. Rather than a specific incidence of abuse or toxic dynamics within a family, trauma is the loss of some essential part of you, like a sense of peace, vitality, or presence. The thing about addiction, workaholism included is that it’s never quite satisfying. Like any problematic repetitive behavior, being addicted to work, validation, or success. ''The goal of addictions is to help us avoid feeling the emotional pain''
How does childhood trauma lead to addiction?
Traumatic events shape you. Whether it’s a childhood experience or something you faced as an adult, these situations change how you see the world and how you view yourself. It’s not uncommon to hear that someone who has suffered a traumatic experience now struggles with addiction. Too often, trauma leads to alcoholism or drug abuse.
Childhood trauma leaves a deep and lasting imprint on the soul, shaping the course of one's life in ways that are often hidden. Children who face abuse, neglect, or the harsh realities of violence are more likely to struggle with addiction as adults. The reason lies in the way trauma rewires the brain, altering how an individual processes stress and emotions, making it harder to cope with life's challenges in a healthy way.
But the cycle doesn't stop there. When a parent has unresolved trauma and turns to substances like alcohol or drugs to numb their pain, it creates a dangerous ripple effect. Not only does it set a harmful example for the child, but it can also fuel abusive behaviors that inflict new wounds, perpetuating the cycle of trauma across generations.
A family history of addiction can significantly heighten an individual's risk of developing their own struggles with substance use. When addiction runs in the family, it often points to a genetic predisposition that makes one more vulnerable to falling into the same pattern. But the impact goes beyond genetics. Families affected by addiction often live with the constant weight of high stress, multiple traumas, and emotional chaos. These families may find themselves caught in a cycle of disorganized routines, fractured relationships, and crisis-driven coping strategies—creating an environment where the seeds of addiction can take root.
Addictions are generated by two main reasons:
1. To get a feeling from someone because we feel we lack that feeling inside of us e.g. a sense of worth.
2. To avoid a negative feeling because we don’t want to feel the pain inside of us that it relates to e.g. we get angry if someone doesn’t treat us well, because it makes us feel unloved.
They are layers of emotions within us that help us to avoid our fear and our grief. They are the so-called “subconscious” patterns of emotions that drive our behavior and actions. However, it is possible to become completely aware of them. Fear ranges from feeling un-relaxed and unsettled, too anxious, stressed, or worried, to feeling terrified. Grief is the overwhelming sadness and sorrow that is within our souls.
The emotions in our souls are in layers:
o Grief is at the bottom
o Fear covers our grief
o Our addictions cover our fear
o Anger covers our addictions
When we are angry we are denying a fear. When we are afraid we are denying grief, ''Our addictions cover up our fear and our grief so well that most of the time we can no longer tell that we have fear and grief in us''.
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I am here to serve. One of my principal mission is to change people's consciousness, skyrocket your inner awakening, and raise the vibration.
Much Love,
Sabine Patricia Poncelet
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