Addiction and Trauma: Unravelling the Cycle of Self-Medication

Readers’ Response

There are many ‘sober’ people who still believe that addiction often originates from a bout of boredom or simple recklessness, where a person consumed recreationally but became heavily hooked on a substance that eventually destroyed their life and, by extension, even the lives of loved ones.

In the book What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience and Healing, co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Bruce D. Perry (M.D., Ph.D.) writes in regard to self-medicating trauma, substance abuse, and addiction:

“But here’s what’s interesting about drug use: For people who are pretty well-regulated, whose basic needs have been met, who have other healthy forms of reward, taking a drug will have some impact, but the pull to come back and use again and again is not as powerful. It may be a pleasurable feeling, but you’re not necessarily going to become addicted.

“Addiction is complex. But I believe that many people who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse are actually trying to self-medicate due to their developmental histories of adversity and trauma. …”

Decades ago, I, while always sympathetic, looked down on those who had ‘allowed’ themselves to become addicted to hard drugs or alcohol. Yet, I myself have suffered enough unrelenting PTSD symptoms to have known, enjoyed, and appreciated the great release upon consuming alcohol or THC.

Addictions and addicts are still largely perceived by sober society as being products of weak willpower and/or moral failing. At the same time, pharmaceutical corporations have intentionally pushed their own very addictive and profitable opiates, resulting in immense suffering and overdose deaths — indeed, the actual moral crime! — and got off relatively lightly, often only through civil litigation.

The unfortunate fact about self-medicating is: the greater the induced euphoria or escape one attains from it, the more one wants to repeat the experience. Conversely, the more intolerable one finds their non-self-medicating reality, the more pleasurable that escape will likely be perceived. In other words: the greater one’s mental pain or trauma while not self-medicating, the greater the need for escape from one’s reality — and thus, the more addictive the euphoric escape will likely become.

When substance abuse is due to past formidable mental trauma, the lasting, solitarily suffered turmoil can readily make each day an ordeal unless the traumatized mind is medicated. Not surprisingly, many chronically addicted people wouldn’t miss this world if they never woke up.

Still, societally neglecting, rejecting, and therefore failing people struggling with crippling addiction should never be an acceptable or preferable political, economic, or religious/morality option. They definitely should not be consciously or subconsciously perceived by sober society as somehow being disposable.

Too often, the worth (or worthlessness) of the substance abuser is measured basically by their ‘productivity’ or lack thereof. They may then begin perceiving themselves as worthless and accordingly live and self-medicate their daily lives more haphazardly.

Frank Sterle Jr.
White Rock, B.C.
Canada

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May ’75 and the Price of Progress

Sada Reddi’s “May 75 Student Protest: A Personal Recollection” offers a poignant and deeply insightful look into a pivotal moment in Mauritius’s history. It’s a reminder that truly transformative change often springs from the raw emotion of injustice, articulated not just by grand pronouncements, but by the quiet suffering of individuals and the collective outcry of a generation.

Mr Reddi’s opening image of students being sent home for unpaid fees is heartbreakingly evocative. It paints a vivid picture of a system that, while perhaps unintentional, was cruelly discriminatory, snatching away futures from those least able to afford them. This wasn’t just about money; it was about dignity, opportunity, and the fundamental right to education. The sheer desperation of parents pawning wedding chains speaks volumes about the societal burden placed on families striving for a better life for their children. It’s a testament to the quiet heroism of ordinary people battling extraordinary circumstances.

Furthermore, Mr Reddi’s personal connection, as a teacher at John Kennedy College, adds an invaluable layer of authenticity. His portrayal of Anand Mulloo, the inspiring history teacher, is particularly illuminating. Mr Mulloo’s innovative approach, taking students beyond textbooks to engage with societal issues like poverty, highlights the very essence of what education should be: not just rote learning, but a tool for understanding and transforming the world. This progressive pedagogical philosophy is a powerful illustration of how educators, through their commitment to critical thinking, can inadvertently sow the seeds of societal change.

The detailed account of the initial spark at John Kennedy College – the outrage over the Chinese letter – shows how seemingly small injustices can ignite a larger movement when the ground is already fertile with discontent.

Ultimately, the announcement of free education in December 1976, while potentially an election manoeuvre, stands as a monumental victory – a direct consequence of the May ’75 mobilisation. Mr Reddi’s observation that the electorate wasn’t immediately swayed by the announcement in his constituency doesn’t diminish its significance. Instead, it underscores how profound policy changes can take time to fully embed and for their benefits to be truly appreciated. The long-term impact on the emancipation of women, previously disadvantaged in a patriarchal system where boys’ education was prioritised, is a particularly powerful and often overlooked aspect of this legacy.

P. Lim Yan
Roches Brunes

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Chagos: A Delicate Balance

The recent Chagos agreement, hailed as a “geopolitical reset” by last week’s Mauritius Times editorial, is undoubtedly a significant moment in the long and painful history of these islands. The return of sovereignty to Mauritius is a crucial step towards rectifying a colonial injustice, and the recognition of past wrongs by the UK government.

The mounting pressure from international legal bodies, particularly the unequivocal rulings of the ICJ and the UN General Assembly, had rendered the UK’s continued hold on the archipelago morally and diplomatically untenable. The admission that previous Conservative governments had already conceded the principle of sovereignty further underscores that this agreement was not a sudden act of altruism, but a pragmatic move to manage an inevitable outcome and secure strategic interests. In this regard, the deal certainly avoids a more humiliating international defeat for the UK.

From a geopolitical perspective, the 99-year lease for Diego Garcia is a clear win for the UK and US. The extensive control mechanisms – the buffer zones, the ban on foreign military presence on other islands, exclusive GPS control – ensure that the military base, a vital asset in the Indian Ocean, remains firmly under Western operational authority. This aspect cannot be overstated in the current global climate, particularly with the rising influence of China. The editorial rightly highlights that, strategically, the UK retains much of what it previously enjoyed.

The term “sovereign handover in name only,” as some critics argue, gains traction when one considers the vast powers retained by the UK and US over the archipelago’s strategic heart. For Mauritius, while gaining symbolic sovereignty and financial compensation, the practical limitations on its control over a significant portion of its territory, particularly in military and security matters, raise questions about the true extent of its newfound sovereignty. This delicate balance, while perhaps a “realigned pragmatism” in a changed world, risks entrenching a form of neo-colonialism where powerful nations continue to dictate terms under the guise of shared interests.

SK Dharma
Vacoas

Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 30 May 2025