Trauma.
It’s not a word we like to linger on, yet for many of us, it quietly shapes our entire lives.
Whether we acknowledge it or not, trauma leaves deep imprints on our hearts, minds, and bodies. It can come from childhood experiences, abusive relationships, loss, violence, neglect — any event that overwhelms our ability to cope, and in turn, leaves emotional and psychological wounds. These wounds shape how we move through the world, how we love, how we parent, how we view ourselves.
What do we do when the pain is too much?
When the memories of trauma flood our consciousness or the dull ache of it seeps into our every waking moment?
For many, the answer is addiction.
But addiction isn’t always the ugly picture painted of alcoholics or drug users in a dark alley. Addiction often comes in softer, more socially accepted forms — whether that’s scrolling endlessly through social media, diving into workaholism, losing ourselves in toxic relationships, or perhaps most commonly, leaning on substances like marijuana.
I’ve seen this time and again as a coach.
My clients — many of them incredible, heart-centered men and women — come to me because they feel lost, disconnected, or “numb” in their own lives.
Many are seeking healing for their trauma, but they’ve spent years leaning on behaviors or substances that have given them temporary relief, without realizing that these quick fixes are holding them back from true, lasting healing.
We often turn to addiction — whether it’s a substance or a behavior — to manage the overwhelm that trauma creates. It’s a way to regulate our emotions when we feel we can’t do it on our own. Alcohol, food, work, sex, or drugs — each of these allows us to escape the crushing weight of unhealed pain, even if only for a little while.
Addictions mask what is really going on inside us.
Instead of facing the emotions, we look for ways to quiet them.
The truth is, addiction is not a sign of weakness or failure — it’s a symptom of unprocessed trauma. The brain wants relief, and in the absence of healthier coping mechanisms, it will latch onto anything that offers a reprieve.
For marijuana users, the drug offers an enticing escape. The high can give a sense of calm, of relaxation, a softening of the edges of reality. It’s become increasingly accepted, even celebrated, as legalization spreads around the world. It’s often seen as harmless, a “natural” remedy for stress, anxiety, and trauma. And while marijuana certainly has medical benefits in specific circumstances — such as pain relief for cancer patients or those with severe chronic illnesses — in the realm of trauma healing, it often does more harm than good.
There’s a dangerous misconception that marijuana can aid in healing trauma.
Clients come to me and say, “I smoke to relax,” or “I use marijuana to calm my anxiety and process my emotions.”
But what many don’t realize is that marijuana isn’t helping them process their emotions at all.
It’s doing the opposite: it’s suppressing them.
When we use marijuana to numb ourselves, we bypass the very emotions and sensations that need to be felt and processed in order to heal. Marijuana dulls the edges of pain, but it also dulls the edges of joy, connection, and presence. It creates a sense of distance between us and our bodies, keeping us locked in a state of dissociation rather than inviting us to reconnect with ourselves.
Trauma is stored in the body.
It shows up as tension, pain, fatigue, and emotional triggers, to name a few manifestations of it.
The process of healing trauma involves becoming present with the body — feeling the sensations that arise, allowing old emotions to surface, and finding safe ways to release them. This is why somatic therapies such as bodywork, myofascial release, light therapy, and other integration practices are so powerful. They help us tap into the places where trauma has lodged itself in the body and allow us to release it.
But marijuana hinders this process.
When you’re numbing yourself, you can’t be fully present with your body. You can’t feel the subtle tensions or blocks that need attention. You can’t connect deeply with others in a way that fosters healing. The drug creates a barrier between you and the trauma that needs to be processed, delaying the healing journey and often making it more difficult in the long run.
One of the most insidious aspects of marijuana use for trauma survivors is the illusion it creates — that sense that we’re managing our trauma, that we’re “healing” because we feel calmer or more relaxed after using it. But this is false healing. It’s surface-level relief that doesn’t touch the deeper wounds inside.
True healing requires presence.
It requires us to sit with the discomfort of our trauma, to feel the emotions that come up, and to work through them in a conscious, embodied way. This is why body-based practices are so effective — they help us reconnect with the sensations and emotions that we’ve been avoiding for years.
I’ve worked with countless clients who have leaned on marijuana to “feel better,” only to realize later that it was preventing them from doing the deeper work required for real healing. They came to me seeking help after months, or even years, of feeling stuck — unable to move forward, unable to heal, despite their use of marijuana to manage their trauma.
One client in particular stands out. She’d been smoking marijuana daily for years, convinced it was helping her manage her anxiety and PTSD. But when we started working together, it became clear that she was using it to avoid the very emotions that needed to come up for healing. As we worked together through somatic practices, she began to realize that the marijuana was keeping her disconnected from her own body — and from the deeper healing that was possible. When she stopped using it, she was finally able to feel the emotions she’d been suppressing and start the real work of healing.
If you truly want to heal trauma, there’s no shortcut.
The only way out is through.
Healing requires us to be fully present with ourselves, our emotions, and our bodies. It requires us to be present with others, too — to form deep, authentic connections that allow us to feel safe enough to heal.
Marijuana, by its very nature, takes us out of presence. It dissociates us from our bodies and our emotions. It blocks the natural healing processes that occur when we allow ourselves to feel and release trauma. And it hinders our ability to connect deeply with others — a key component of trauma healing.
Somatic practices, on the other hand, invite us to come back into our bodies. They encourage us to feel what we’ve been avoiding, to release old pain, and to reconnect with our emotions in a healthy, embodied way. Practices like fascia release, light therapy, and body integration work are powerful tools for trauma healing because they help us release what’s been stored in our tissues — something that marijuana use blocks.
There is an urgency here.
If you are using marijuana to numb your trauma, you are delaying your healing. You are prolonging the pain. Numbing yourself might feel good in the moment, but it’s not real healing. Real healing comes from presence, from feeling, from connection.
If you truly want to heal your trauma, you need to lean away from numbing yourself — whether that’s with marijuana or any other substance. You need to allow yourself to feel, to be present with your emotions and your body, and to seek out the right support — whether that’s through somatic therapy, bodywork, or coaching.
Healing is possible.
But it requires presence, connection, and a willingness to feel what you’ve been avoiding. If you’re ready to stop numbing yourself and start the real work of healing, reach out. I’ve worked with many women just like you, and together, we can create a path toward true, lasting healing.
𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
If you’re struggling with trauma and find yourself leaning on marijuana or other substances to cope, I invite you to reach out to me. I’ve helped many clients break free from the numbing cycle and begin the journey of true healing through body-based practices and integration work.
The path is not always easy, but it is worth it.
Healing is possible, and you deserve it.
Reach out today, and let’s start this journey together.
Or Drop ME in the comments for a FREE 15-minute discovery call and.
As always loving you from here,
#traumainformed #traumarecovery #trauma #traumareleasecoach #traumarelease #traumahealing #empowermentcoach #empowerment #marijuanaismedicine #marijane #womensupportingwomen #menscoach #CoachingForMen #coachingforwomen #addictionstruggles #addictionrecovery #addiction #addictionawareness #SomaticTherapy #somatichealing #structuralintegration #bodywork
—
This post was previously published on medium.com.
***
Does dating ever feel challenging, awkward or frustrating?
Turn Your Dating Life into a WOW! with our new classes and live coaching.
Click here for more info or to buy with special launch pricing!
***
—–
Photo credit: Rene’ Schooler(Author)
I’m guessing that using marijuana could be counted as an ‘avoidance’ behavior? trying to ‘run’ from a trauma doesn’t work though. Great write! thank you 🙂