The Lived Experience: Insights from Addiction, Trauma, and Dissociation
This work synthesizes the phenomenological accounts of individuals, drawing parallels between their experiences of addiction, trauma, and dissociation, and highlighting the consistent themes that emerge in our Addiction as Dissociation research (O’Brien, 2023a).
Importance of Qualitative Inquiry
This study emphasizes that capturing the lived experience of addiction through qualitative means is essential. This approach is critical because quantitative inference alone may overlook crucial nuances and inherent biases present in the phenomenon of addiction. The existing clinical literature notably lacks systematic qualitative reviews that specifically explore the intricate interplay between active addiction and trauma-related symptomology.
This methodological choice underscores the study’s commitment to understanding the subjective reality of addiction directly from the perspective of those who experience it, rather than solely relying on external, measurable criteria. It directly addresses a recognized gap in the existing body of research. The emphasis on qualitative research, particularly phenomenology, represents a direct challenge to the historical dominance of quantitative, “medical model” approaches in the field of addiction. It argues that understanding the subjective, internal experience of addiction is paramount to truly defining and effectively treating the condition, rather than merely measuring observable symptoms. This implies that the complete understanding of addiction is not solely found in brain scans or behavioral checklists, but profoundly resides in the individual’s felt reality. If the prevailing “gold standard” in research, often quantitative and symptom-focused, is incomplete in its understanding of addiction, then alternative methodologies become indispensable to fill these critical gaps. Qualitative research, through its capacity to explore lived experience, allows for the emergence of rich, nuanced themes directly from individuals’ accounts, providing a depth of understanding that quantitative methods alone cannot achieve.
Further development of concepts presented in addiction-as-dissociation is warranted, but this research suggests that evidence-based practices are built on the same universal experience of healing memories, with memory reconsolidation being at the core of the process. For this to occur, dual attention presents as adaptive dissociation that is readily accessible to everyone. When dual attention can be achieved through regulation, then healing happens, and as a mechanism of action, dual attention is easily achieved because all individuals dissociate. Because we now possess the knowledge that we can directly help people heal from the experiences that continue to affect them, there is an obligation to help everyone find forgiveness for actions they took against themselves or for what others did to them. On this path, a new hope is possible; however, old ways of understanding must be suspended or dissociated from for new change to occur or a new era to begin. What this research demonstrated to this researcher is that we need to continue to question authority, recognize addictive processes on an individual and global scale, and challenge old paradigms of thinking and ways of doing things.
As it is our inalienable right to heal and maintain wellness with whatever healing methods have demonstrated effectiveness, all the different ways of creating states of healing should be readily available to everyone. The freedom to heal is a birthright, and the universal principles of dissociative healing cannot be owned by anyone or taught by any one profession. However, systems of denial and avoidance are woven into the fabric of our societal structures, institutions, and culture that are really fuel a fear-based mental economy. Reliably, healing is an intricate part of our collective story, and when we share about that, life returns. There is enough historical context to doubt these systems of governance and unconscious profit motives of industrialized business. If we miss the opportunity to see addiction-as-dissociation for what it truly is, then we miss the opportunity for true change to occur in our lifetime. Once we realize what we are dependent on and it is a unconscious choice, then we are more willing to get to know the unconscious, related to it, and eventually accept it. Those who do not, are not seen to be in recovery.
Historically, the need for collective security and safety has delayed or denied research that has truly caused more harm than one can readily account for. Any avoidance of free access to healing knowledge implies that those who are denying it are benefiting from it not being readily available or are so afraid of the truth that they dare not look deeply into themselves that they find themselves again on the other side of themselves. When we combine established qualitative methods with quantitative analysis we get closer to the answer we are apparently looking for; however, it may not be what we want or the real “powers that be” will allow.
The lived experience of those who have been there and lived in the universal denial system need to require recovery on a global scale. Accountability to the systems that should have known better is expected but is not likely going to happen. If it did, however, this would be the impetus for a spiritual revolution or cultural awakening. Recovery and healing as a movement need only be guided by those that have been there. The lived experience is essential to our understanding of what is “right” and “wrong” and now we know more about “where”, “how”, and “why” these decisions are unconsciously made.
Trauma resolution, memory reconsolidation, and conscious or adaptive dissociation are examples of the universal healing that we all have innate within us. The good news is that recovery models are transferable to normative addictions. As the bigger picture becomes clearer to the reader, we have to answer this question honestly… “Is there a place for the hopeless sinner who has hurt all mankind, just to save their own? (Marley & Mayfield, 1977)” – Only love can fill our deepest needs, heal our eternal grief, and sooth our lost love.
For if we let history be the judge, then they will be able to see what Stage of Change we are currently at as an individual, professions, a society, or culture. To see what stage of moral development a society or culture is at, one only needs to look to how mental health has been labeled or treated by those who see themselves as separate from trauma, dissociation, and addiction. Until the lived-experience is accepted as an equal science by systems of quantitative design, then the continued blind spot of the field will continue and stigmas will remain.
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References
O’Brien, A. (2023a). Addiction as Trauma-Related Dissociation: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Addictive State. International University of Graduate Studies. (Dissertation). Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/courses/addiction-as-dissociation-model-course/
O’Brien, A. (2023b). Memory Reconsolidation in Psychedelics Therapy. In Path of the Wounded Healer: A Dissociative-Focused Phase Model for Normative and Pathological States of Consciousness: Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/courses/addiction-as-dissociation-model-course/
O’Brien, A. (2023c). Path of the Wounded Healer: A Dissociative-Focused Phase Model for Normative and Pathological States of Consciousness: Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2024a). Healer and Healing: The re-education of the healer and healing professions as an advocation. Re-educational and Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2024e). Path of the Wounded Healers for Thrivers: Perfectionism, Altruism, and Ambition Addictions; Re-education and training manual for Abusers, Activists, Batterers, Bullies, Enablers, Killers, Narcissists, Offenders, Parents, Perpetrators, and Warriors. Re-Education and Training Manual and Guide. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
O’Brien, A. (2025). American Made Addiction Recovery: a healer’s journey through professional recovery. Albany, NY: Wounded Healers Institute. Retrieved at woundedhealersinstitute.org/
For more on our work and cause, consider following or signing up for newsletter or our work at woundedhealersinstitute.org or donating to our cause: HERE.
