When Trauma Reminders Trigger Craving: New Research Helps Explain Why
For many people who have experienced trauma, reminders of difficult events can bring up intense emotions. New research by DeGrace and colleagues (2026) suggests those emotional reactions may play an important role in triggering substance cravings among trauma-exposed individuals who use substances. The study collected findings from 32 experimental studies to better understand how trauma reminders influence substance craving. Researchers found that trauma cues (i.e., things that remind one of a previous traumatic event) led to greater substance craving than neutral cues and, in some comparisons, even substance-related cues. The findings suggest that trauma reminders may serve as powerful triggers for substance craving among some individuals with trauma histories. Importantly, the researchers found that the impact of trauma cues was explained by an overall increase in negative affect (i.e., distressing emotional states such as anxiety, sadness, or emotional discomfort), which in turn was associated with greater substance craving.
The findings build on what researchers call the self-medication hypothesis: the idea that some people may use alcohol or other substances, at least in part, to cope with painful emotions or trauma-related distress. Over time, trauma reminders can become tied to patterns of coping that include substance use. A reminder of a traumatic experience may trigger emotional discomfort and, as a result, increase the urge to use substances as a way to find relief. By identifying emotional distress as a potential pathway between trauma reminders and craving, the study adds support for trauma-informed approaches that help people develop strategies for managing difficult emotions and trauma-related triggers. This review of experimental studies also adds to the broader literature that has brought attention to the link between trauma, negative affect, and substance use.
While the study focused on research conducted in controlled settings, its message has real-world relevance suggesting that helping people recognize trauma-related triggers and develop healthier ways to cope with emotional distress may be an important part of supporting long-term recovery. For people in recovery, family members, clinicians, and community partners, this information draws attention to an important reminder: cravings do not occur in a vacuum. By better understanding those connections, greater efforts can be made toward strengthening treatment approaches, and supporting recovery in ways that are compassionate, trauma-informed, and responsive to people’s real-world experiences.
Reference
DeGrace, S., Smith, M. M., Ethier-Gagnon, M. A., Cosman, T., Sherry, S. B., Romero-Sanchiz, P., Bird, B., Tibbo, P.G., Yakovenko, I. & Stewart, S. H. (2026). When trauma triggers craving: meta-analytic evidence for the mediating role of negative affect among trauma-exposed individuals who use substances. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 17(1), 2645996.