Trauma and Addiction: Ending the Cycle of Pain Through Emotional Literacy

by Tian Dayton

For the past decade, author Tian Dayton has been researching trauma and addiction, and how psychodrama (or sociometry group psychotherapy) can be used in their treatment. Since trauma responses are stored in the body, a method of therapy that engages the body through role play can be more effective in accessing the full complement of trauma-related memories.

This latest book identifies the interconnection of trauma and addictive behavior, and shows why they can become an unending cycle. Emotional and psychological pain so often lead to self-medicating, which leads to more pain, and inevitably more self-medicating, and so on--ad infinitum. This groundbreaking book offers readers effective ways to work through their traumas in order to heal their addictions and their predilection toward what clinicians call self-medicating (the abuse of substances [alcohol, drugs, food], activities [work, sex, gambling, etc.] and/or possessions [money, material things].) Readers caught up in the endless cycle of trauma and addiction will permanently transform their lives by reading this book.

Therapists treating patients for whom no other avenue of therapy has proved effective will find that this book offers practical, lasting solutions. Case studies and examples of this behavioral phenomenon will illustrate the connection, helping readers understand its dynamics, recognize their own situations and realize that they are not alone in experiencing this syndrome. The author deftly combines the longstanding trauma theories of Van der Kolk, Herman, Bowlby, Krystal and others with her own experiential methods using psychodrama, sociometry and group therapy in the treatment of addiction and posttraumatic stress disorder. While designed to be useful to therapists, this book will also be accessible to trade readers. It includes comprehensive references, as well as a complete index.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Audiobook, Addiction, Counselling, Mental Health

432 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

About the author

Tian Dayton has a masters in educational psychology and a PhD in clinical psychology and is a board certified trainer in psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy. She is a certified Montessori teacher. Dr. Dayton is the director of The New York Psychodrama Training Institute. She is a nationally renowned speaker, expert, and consultant in psychodrama, trauma and addiction, ACoAs and self help related issues. Dr, Dayton was on the faculty at NYU for eight years teaching psychodrama. Dr. Dayton is a fellow of the American Society of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy ASGPP, winner of their scholar’s award, editor in chief of the Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy and sits on the professional standards committee. She is also the winner of The Mona Mansell Award and The Ackermann Black Awaard. Dr. Dayton has been a guest expert on NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Montel, Rikki Lake, John Walsh, Geraldo. Tian blogs for Counselor Magazine, Recovery View and The Huffington Post

From the author's website.

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really good! As a therapist myself it was useful and inspiring. I knew little about psychodrama group therapist, so I learned a lot.

[Simona Diguta-Turcanu · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is absoluting touching to see how personal and professional experience can create real support.It is touching, inspiring and more then that , it brings hope.
"Trauma and Addiction" it is not only a book that every person working in the field of mental health needs to have it, but as well every adult that recovers or tries to heal past trauma will find it useful in her/his journey.
Reading this book was not easy for me. It was like somebody was inside my mind and was expressing what many parts weren't able to express. It was absolutly liberating and terrifying in the same time. Somebody knows how it feels and I am not alone..
It was astonishing how not giving up in this reading, helped me to get in touch with parts in me still trapped or still in suffering. Maybe it was easier to not give up because for some months now, I am in a psychodrama group and I had some insights how the method and this king of therapy works..and in the same time it helps me to acknowledge where I am , aknowledge that I need to take it even more slowley so I can observe what is happening inside myself. What was done doesn't have a quick fix.How I survived and still am repeating unhealthy patterns of living, doesn't have a quick fix.
It was a good reminder of the fact that takes time to change, takes time to trust, takes time to heal. And even so life still is worth living.And all is worth it and healing can happen.
The amount of information that Tien brings in "Trauma and Addiction" is huge. You see the science, the knowledge coming together and personal experience reflected in writing, and this experience actually makes it easy for the reader to digest. So I would confidentley say it is for everybody and everybody can take something from it.

[CeeCee Brewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book a 4 star because it is slow at some points of the book. It is a lot of information at once. Now, I do love this book when they introduced how important it is for a person to have emotional literacy. Dayton talks about how trauma and addiction goes hand in hand and explains the neuroscience behind it. (I LOVED IT). She explains how drugs or alcohol can block certain parts of the brain which "numbs" the pain. She states that people that have addiction struggle because they are unable to tolerate intense emotions without feeling overwhelmed, hence the need for the drug. She states that "once we understand our own emotions, we can share or communicate them to someone else. This is the beginning of feeling OK." She discusses the stages of grief and includes strategies for mental health professionals to use to help their clients with that process. (LOVE THAT). Some of these strategies include: The Social Atom (psychodrama that can represent an inner map of relationships at any point in one's life), journaling, photographs as a healing tool, and a psychodrama. I recommend this book to anyone who is trying to understand the relationship between trauma and addiction.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my all time favorite psychology book I have ever read. Most of this book was focused on the studies of different individuals, which I loved. I related so much to a lot of the personal stories that were told from victims and it helped me feel more seen and understood in a way. Addiction to alcohol has ran through my family and I’m currently struggling to not go down that path due to past hurts and traumas. I want what’s best for my future family and this book truly helped me see why it is so important to work on myself for that reason. Addiction is a generational curse and I believe anyone can break it with self discovery and surrounding themselves with people who love them!

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was quite informative, but I think the title should more accurately describe the content (healing trauma and addiction trough the lens of psychodrama), because even though it states so in the "about" part it was not clear to me how focused it would be on healing/dealing with that through psychodrama specifically.

[Gabriann Tilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great educational book! Everyone who's been down the path of addiction or has someone in there family that suffers from addiction or even if your just interested to learn more about the subject, I recommend!

[Agatha Glowacki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, full of wisdom and applicable knowledge

[Calling-Bear Blackhorse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Understand the correlation between trauma and addictions. Easy to read and understand

[Katie De · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book! I’m a psychology major and as someone who grew up with an alcoholic father, I felt that I could relate to this book immensely.

[Oliver Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Should be in every mental health counselors library.