Can Adverse Childhood Experiences Cause Addiction?

SHOW GUEST: John Mabry

Whether it’s a broken bone, perpetually scraped knees or a healthy fear of the dark, no one leaves childhood unscathed. At some point, we were all faced with events in our past that left us scarred, scared or both. These events, though frightening at the time, help the body and brain development and mature. Unfortunately, some children suffer from far more traumatic experiences than others. As children are exposed to things like neglect, abuse or addiction in the home, these adverse childhood experiences can cause lifelong stress, pain and suffering. Children struggling to cope with ACEs often grow into adults who abuse substances to numb the pain of their past. According to our guest John Mabry, host of Addiction Campuses’ ‘High Sobriety’ podcast, trauma many times plays an unrecognized part in addiction and we are coming to understand that for many, it many be the root of their addiction.” With approximately 35 million children in the United States suffering from at least one traumatic childhood event, it’s more important than ever to understand how easily childhood trauma can turn into an addiction