Addictions

“The high rate of addictions among incest survivors occurs for two reasons. First, chemical use/abuse/addiction serves a survival purpose. It numbs pain, & creates a sense of aliveness or excitement for one who may feel “dead” inside. Also, each disorder may provide a secondary & specific protection: for instance, fat provides a sense of protection from exposing raw nerves to and unsafe world.” Secret Survivors by E. Sue Blume

This is an older book which I have not read.  I  do have some issues with the quote.   First the term addictions which is metaphorical and used to describe a host of symptoms manifested in the survivor of childhood sexual abuse (CSA).  Addiction even as metaphor is an inherently pejorative term with stigma. Also when thus defeined these symptoms are then miss interpreted as primary rather than read as sign posts or symptoms of  CSA.  Thus the CSA is ignored.

So many survivors I have observed get caught up in "programs" the purpose of which is to treat the  so called addiction using a behavioralist approach. These 12 step "programs" up shaming and blaming the victim for the symptom or behavior that is not primary and is in fact, when interpreted correctly and particularly when multiple symptoms or "addictions are present, sign posts of CSA.

Often once the "addiction" is overcome the tendency for the survivor of CSA is to remain in such "programs" and celebrate their "recovery."  So the 12 step "programs" provide yet another avenue for the survivor to avoid and deny the real issue of CSA.  Thus these "programs" as well as the miss interpretation for the symptoms or miss diagnosis of the symptoms as primary deny the survivor the process of healing that is really being called out for by the symptoms. The 12 step "recovery programs" become methods of retruamatization for the survivor.

 which remains hidden, since nobody in these "programs" wants to hear about anyway.  Such "fellowships" can also be a safe harbor for perpetrators since "they deserve to overcome their addictions" as well.  Second the description of substance abuse as symptom is flat as well. I have already commented on the dubious quality of labeling substances abuse as "addiction" for the survivor.  Substance abuse can also be a way to remember what has been repressed or denied or uncovering the amnesia. And thus is a form not of self-medication but of self-therapy. Steering the anonymous -- the survivor who does not yet know he/she is a survivor to "programs"  that supposedly provide "recovery" from such addictions without empirical data to back up these claims denies the survivor the right the ability and the mechanism to see the "addiction"  outside the paradigm of the "program".  In addition to the evasion of the real issue the harboring of perpetrators these "recovery programs" can be harmful to the survivor in other ways.  The labeling so prevalent  in these "fellowships" the false hierarchies that develop can be shaming for the survivor.  Also so many survivor having overcome one addiction shuffle off to other 12-step groups to deal with yet another "addiction" that has popped up. Thus the survivor can spend years treating addictions in a never ending shame spiral facilitated by "programs" for which there is no empirical data to support efficacy even of treating the symptom in the first place, and which provides safe harbor for perpetrators who think they are safe sharing their perpetration stories from the very podium. the survivor is indoctrinated to  revere, particularly if the perpetrator is ranked high in the hierarchy of time.  Thus one more time the survivor is discounted and objectified.  What madness is this?  Some fellowships actually encourage behavior that is symptomatic of the survivor of CSA. For example, Narcotics Anonymous  celebrates  honors and encourages sexual promiscuity.  There is really nothing good nor any place in the literature for applying the term addiction to any of the symptoms manifested by the survivor of childhood sexual abuse.  In fact it is harmful to do so.