Every June, PTSD Awareness Month helps raise awareness about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), its symptoms, and the importance of early intervention and treatment.
While many people associate PTSD with military service, the condition can affect anyone who has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. This could include abuse, accidents, violence, natural disasters, or the sudden loss of a loved one.
PTSD can have a significant impact on mental health, physical well-being, relationships, and daily functioning. For some individuals, untreated trauma may also contribute to substance use as they attempt to manage difficult emotions and symptoms on their own.
PTSD Awareness Month helps increase understanding, reduce stigma, and encourage individuals throughout New Jersey to seek support when trauma begins affecting their quality of life.
PTSD Awareness Month Highlights the Connection Between Trauma and Addiction
PTSD Awareness Month is not only about recognizing the symptoms of trauma. It is also about understanding how PTSD often affects other areas of a person’s life, including their relationship with alcohol and drugs.
Mental health concerns continue affecting individuals and families throughout New Jersey. According to the New Jersey Department of Health, approximately 14% of adults in the state report experiencing frequent mental distress.
At the same time, research has consistently shown that PTSD commonly occurs alongside substance use disorders, making integrated treatment especially important for long-term recovery.
Many people living with PTSD experience symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, intrusive memories, sleep disturbances, and emotional distress. Without treatment, some individuals may begin using substances in an attempt to manage these symptoms.
PTSD Awareness Month helps bring attention to this connection while encouraging people to seek support before trauma-related symptoms begin affecting every aspect of their lives.
How Trauma Can Affect Daily Life
Trauma affects everyone differently. While some individuals experience symptoms shortly after a traumatic event, others may not notice difficulties until months or even years later.
PTSD symptoms often fall into several categories:
Intrusive Symptoms
Intrusive symptoms involve unwanted memories or reminders of a traumatic experience. These may include:
- Distressing memories
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Intense emotional reactions to reminders of trauma
These experiences can make it difficult to feel safe, relaxed, or fully present in everyday situations.
Avoidance Behaviors
Many individuals with PTSD actively avoid reminders of trauma. This may involve avoiding certain places, conversations, people, or situations that trigger uncomfortable memories or emotions.
While avoidance may feel helpful in the short term, it often prevents individuals from fully processing traumatic experiences and can contribute to worsening symptoms over time.
Changes in Mood and Thinking
PTSD can affect how individuals think about themselves, others, and the world around them.
Some people experience:
- Persistent feelings of guilt or shame
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Emotional numbness
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Loss of interest in activities they once enjoyed
These symptoms can sometimes resemble depression or occur alongside other mental health conditions.
Increased Arousal and Reactivity
Trauma can leave the brain and body in a heightened state of alertness.
Individuals may experience:
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Sleep disturbances
- Feeling constantly on edge
- Being easily startled
These symptoms can interfere with work performance, relationships, and overall well-being.
Why Some People Facing Trauma Turn to Drugs or Alcohol to Cope
One of the reasons PTSD Awareness Month is so important is that many individuals do not initially recognize the connection between trauma and substance use.
Alcohol and drugs may temporarily numb emotional pain, reduce anxiety, or help someone avoid difficult memories. Unfortunately, this relief is often short-lived.
Over time, substance use can increase mental health symptoms while leading to effects like dependence, addiction, strained relationships, financial difficulties, and declining physical health.
This pattern is often referred to as self-medication. While understandable, self-medication rarely addresses the underlying causes of distress and may make recovery more difficult in the long run.
For individuals experiencing both PTSD and substance use disorder, treating only one condition may leave important recovery needs unmet.
Treating PTSD and Substance Use Disorders Together
Because PTSD and addiction frequently occur together, many individuals benefit from dual diagnosis treatment that addresses both conditions simultaneously.
At Harmony Healing Center, treatment plans are designed to help individuals understand how trauma affects their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and recovery process.
Depending on individual needs, treatment may include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Detoxification
- Trauma-informed counseling
- Medication management
- Relapse prevention planning
- Mental health treatment
- Substance use disorder treatment
By addressing both PTSD and substance use concerns together, individuals can develop healthier coping skills while working toward lasting recovery.
How New Jersey Residents Can Recognize PTSD Awareness Month
PTSD Awareness Month offers an opportunity for individuals, families, and communities throughout New Jersey to support those affected by trauma.
Ways for New Jersey residents to participate include:
- Learning the signs and symptoms of PTSD
- Sharing mental health resources
- Encouraging open conversations about trauma and recovery
- Supporting loved ones who may be struggling
- Reducing stigma surrounding mental health treatment
- Encouraging professional help when symptoms begin affecting daily life
Increasing awareness can help more individuals recognize when they need support and connect them with appropriate treatment resources.
Finding Support for Trauma and Addiction Recovery
PTSD can affect every aspect of a person’s life, but recovery is possible with the right support.
At Harmony Healing Center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, we provide comprehensive mental health and addiction treatment for individuals experiencing PTSD, substance use disorders, and other co-occurring conditions.
Through evidence-based therapies and personalized treatment planning, we help clients address the underlying causes of distress while building a foundation for long-term wellness and recovery.
This PTSD Awareness Month, remember that seeking help is a sign of strength. Contact Harmony Healing Center today to learn more about our trauma-informed treatment programs and take the first step toward healing.
Sources
- New Jersey Department of Health. Mental Distress Among New Jersey Adults. Retrieved from: https://www-doh.nj.gov/doh-shad/indicator/summary/MentalDistress.html. Accessed on June 23, 2026.
- National Center for PTSD. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. PTSD Basics. Retrieved from: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/ptsd_basics.asp. Accessed on June 23, 2026.
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Retrieved from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd. Accessed on June 23, 2026.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Common Comorbidities with Substance Use Disorders Research Report. Retrieved from: https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/comorbidity. Accessed on June 23, 2026.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Recovery and Recovery Support. Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/recovery. Accessed on June 23, 2026.