Ep20 - When Trauma Leads to Addiction

Trauma is a big and complex thing, and a topic we want to unpack in more depth in the future; but in today’s episode, we’re sharing the story of one man’s trauma, and the addiction and mental illness it led to.

Dr Mark McNear is a licensed clinical social worker in New Jersey in the US. As a child, Mark suffered significant trauma and abuse, which he did his best to numb himself from. It wasn’t until Mark was in his 50’s that his doctor noticed he’d been abusing prescription medication and referred him to a rehab centre that could help. 

Mark calls that day the best and worst day of his life. His wife drove him to rehab and checked him in for several months. As he began to get clean from his substance abuse, Mark was left with memories flooding back to him; recollections of the trauma he’d experienced that he’d suppressed his entire adult life and had never told anyone about.

With no way to run from the trauma, Mark had no choice but to acknowledge it, share it with others, and work towards healing. In this episode, Mark encourages listeners who’ve faced trauma with lessons he’s learned from his own journey, and shares with us how we as people of faith can walk alongside people we know who may be dealing with trauma or substance abuse. 

Mark’s book, Finding My Words: A Ruthless Commitment to Healing Gently After Trauma weaves his own story with powerful gospel truths, and reminds us that God is with us in the messiness of life and wants to see us recovering from trauma. You can contact Mark via his website here.

If you’re struggling with trauma or addiction yourself, please talk to someone to seek help. That might be a friend, family member, pastor, or your doctor. If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, there’s a list of helplines you can call here.