Addiction: Childhood Trauma, Stress and the Biology of Addiction

Abstract

Rather than choice, chance or genetic predetermination, it is childhood adversity that creates the susceptibility for addiction. Humans and animals require nurturing from a caregiver in order to survive, When a child does not receive consistent, secure interactions, or experiences painfully stressing ones, maldevelopment results. In vivo studies have shown that marked alterations in neurotransmitter systems occur within one week of separation from the mother, whereas animals receiving various kinds of nurturing contact during their infancy have shown more efficient brain circuitry for reducing anxiety as adults. Moreover, in vivo studies have demonstrated that animals exposed to prenatal stress exhibit characteristics of drug addiction, alcoholism and increased risk of self-administration of drugs. Early trauma has consequences for how human beings respond to stress. Trauma in children, such as sexual, physical or emotional abuse or abandonment alter the child's physical stress mechanisms and, as a result, the child is more reactive to stress throughout their adult life. Studies of drug addicts find high percentages patients have experienced childhood trauma of various sorts, including physical, sexual and emotional abuse. The three dominant brain systems in all addictions-the opioid attachment-reward system, the dopamine-based incentive-motivation apparatus and the self-regulation areas of the prefrontal cortex-are all exquisitely fine-tuned by the environment. To various degrees, in all addicted persons these systems are not functioning properly Accordingly, this article explores the relationship between childhood emotional loss or trauma and addiction, demonstrating a fourth brain-body system implicated in addiction: the stress-response mechanism.

Traumatic brain injury of tangata ora (Māori ex-prisoners)

“…This is an area of critical health need, yet little is heard about the plight of children with head injury or the general impact that may make on a child’s life. It is critical to identify and treat TBI early (American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Committee, 1993; Arciniegas et al, 2005; Hwang et al, 2008; Maté, 2012). Managing in schools, managing early relationships and the development of co-existing disorders can be an outcome of failure to diagnose early.…”

“…TBI can greatly impact people’s behaviour and their cognitive functioning (Perry, 2012). One example of the way that brain injury can impact a person’s quality of life shows that people with one or two head injuries are more likely to have higher alcohol and drug use in the year prior to imprisonment (Maté, 2012). Another example is international research on homelessness that correlates a connection between imprisonment, TBI and homelessness (Hwang et al, 2008; Morrell, Merbits, Jain, & Jain, 1998; Slaughter, Fann & Ehde, 2003; Schofield et al, 2006).…”

“…In later life, the consequences of TBIs can be long-term unemployment, changes in relationships, loss of jobs and homelessness. High-risk-taking behaviour can be an outcome of trauma, and this can result in higher levels of motor vehicle accidents and higher numbers of injuries in sports (Maté, 2012; Willer & Leddy, 2006).…”

“…While we did not survey alcohol and drug usage here, it is likely that it was a factor in some of the incidents. Higher use of drugs and alcohol is connected to early life trauma (Maté, 2012). Maté states that drug usage is a frequent way of self-medicating trauma.…”

Childcare outside the family for the under-threes: cause for concern?

“…The stress of maternal separation can produce changes in the neural-circuit functions, which can appear as dependence or substance abuse in later life. 6…”