Trauma Response or Addiction Symptom? #nervoussystem #addictionrecovery #psychology

When patients relapse, shut down, or act out, is it addiction—or a trauma response? In this video, Dr. Arwen Podesta explains how trauma and addiction can look identical on the surface while requiring very different clinical interventions. Learn how mislabeling trauma responses as relapse can stall care, erode trust, and escalate dysregulation. This training helps clinicians distinguish compulsive behavior from nervous system survival responses so treatment can move beyond symptom management toward true, trauma-informed recovery.

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Dr. Arwen Podesta MD, DFASAM, DFAPA is a triple board certified physician specializing in functional psychiatry, addiction medicine, and forensic psychiatry. 🧠

🩺#ClinicalPsychiatry, #functional psychiatry, #drpodesta
🩺#MentalHealth, #BehaviorChange, #BrainChemistry
🩺#Neurobiology #Psychiatry #forensicpsychiatry
🩺#AddictionRecovery, #NervousSystemDisclaimer: This video is for educational purposes. Please consult with a licensed clinician or medical provider before starting new supplements or medications

00:00 – When Relapse Isn’t Just the Substance
00:53 – The Cost of Misreading Trauma as Addiction
01:23 – How Trauma Responses Mimic Addiction Symptoms
02:50 – Trauma vs Addiction: Different Drivers, Same Behaviors
03:40 – Why This Distinction Changes Treatment Outcomes
05:15 – Reading Behavior Through a Nervous System Lens
06:39 – Applying Trauma-Informed Care in Addiction Treatment
09:00 – From Symptom Management to True Recovery