Trauma and substance use: the role of defences and religious engagement

Abstract

Substance use disorders commonly co-occur with posttraumatic stress disorder and are associated with greater impairment. There is some evidence to suggest that different coping strategies, including defence mechanisms and religious forms of coping, may buffer the relationship between trauma and SUDs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential moderating roles of defence mechanisms and religious coping on the alreadyestablished relationship between trauma symptoms and substance abuse. Data were gathered from a sample of college students (N = 380). Trauma symptoms were associated with increased substance use and abuse. The use of immature defences was significantly associated with trauma and substance use. Increased substance abuse was also associated with higher rates of negative religious coping. Individuals who endorsed trauma symptoms were also more likely to use positive and negative religious coping. Defences and coping did not moderate the relationship between trauma and substance use.

Playing the Second Fiddle - The Experiences, Challenges and Coping Strategies of Concerned Significant Others of Partners With a Substance Use Disorder: Informing Social Work Interventions

“…Participants experienced a partner's SUD and related behaviour as challenging to the point of neglecting their own wellbeing and household responsibilities, including financial obligations, and their relationships with family and friends (Hussaarts, Roozen, Meyers, Van de Wetering & McCrady, 2011;Nagesh, 2015;Randle, Stroink & Nelson, 2014). The CSOs shared how the manipulative, erratic and often reckless behaviour of a partner with an SUD caused tension in the relationship (Hawkins & Hawkins in McNeece & DiNitto, 2012;Hussaarts et al, 2011;Kinney, 2012;Prout, Gerber & Gottdiener, 2015). Paul explained: "…her behaviour was so chaotic, it almost became predictable … I wished I could control it, but there was no way."…”

The Relationship among Anxiety, Worry, Perceived Stress, Defense Mechanisms, and High Levels of Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms: A Discriminant Analytic Approach

“…Defense mechanisms are mental operations, generally unconscious and automatic, to protect the self from internal conflicts or stressful situations [ 47 , 48 ] and can be classified on a continuum of increasing cognitive distortion, which starts from mature styles characterized by absent or limited cognitive distortion, passes through mature styles, and finds immature styles at the other extreme [ 49 , 50 ]. While mature defenses have been highlighted as protective factors for mental health [ 51 ], the excessive use of immature and neurotic defense mechanisms was associated with harmful effects [ 52 ], including post-traumatic stress symptoms [ 45 , 53 , 54 ].…”

Christian therapists and their clients.

“…Negative religious coping—such as pleading with God or attributing negative life events to God’s punishment—is associated with increased anxiety, depression, and other forms of psychopathology (McConnell, Pargament, Ellison, & Flannelly, 2006). Religious individuals with substance use disorders are more likely to utilize negative religious coping than individuals without substance use problems (Prout, Gerber, & Gottdiener, 2015). Individuals that rely on maladaptive defenses (e.g., splitting, acting out, projection) also endorse increased reliance on negative religious coping when compared with those who use more adaptive defenses (Prout, Gottdiener, Camargo, & Murphy, 2018).…”