Addiction ‘is often a result of childhood trauma’ – Tabor Group

Tabor Group's annual report shows its two centres in Cork admitted 227 people last year

Tabor Group clinical director Mick Devine said the challenges facing families of people with addiction are compounded by intimidation of family members due to drug debt, and the stigmatising of substance use disorder. Picture: Brian Lougheed

A leading drug treatment charity says it is “clearer with each passing year” the prominent role that trauma plays in the development of drug and alcohol addiction.

Tabor Group in Cork said this trauma stems from adversity that children experience, “often due” to an untreated substance use disorder of a parent.

Clinical director Mick Devine said childhood trauma plays a significant role in the difficulties involved in recovery — and in the causes of relapse.

In its annual report for 2022, Tabor Group said 698 phone calls were made to the centre in 2022 and 323 assessments were completed.

Of these, 227 admissions were made, 70% of completed assessments.

Some 148 people were admitted to Tabor Lodge and 79 were taken into Tabor Fellowship.

Based in County Cork, Tabor Group provides residential and community-based addiction treatment programmes to men and women over 18 who are battling with addiction to alcohol, drugs, or gambling.

The group’s facilities comprise two residential addiction treatment centres: Tabor Lodge at Belgooly, Co Cork, and Tabor Fellowship at Spur Hill, Cork City, where it offers primary residential and integrated recovery treatment programmes.

It also offers a family support programme and a continuing care programme.

Mr Devine said that, of the 148 people who were resident in Tabor Lodge in 2022, 141 completed their programme and were discharged into the continuing care programme.

He said four counsellors work with the 14 people in Tabor Lodge at any one time. In Tabor Fellowship, six counsellors work with the 20 people resident at any one time.

He said that, of the 79 people resident in Tabor Fellowship in 2022, 53 completed the programme, of whom 44 transitioned to their ‘recovery living’ houses in Cork City for a further 12 weeks.

Mr Devine said returning to daily life in the community is “a huge challenge” for all of their clients — but particularly for those who are disadvantaged socially and educationally and who do not have secure accommodation. He said: 

To practice the skills of rehabilitation, in a social environment that still stigmatises people with substance use disorders, is an onerous task for even the most advantaged in our society.

He added that a relapse response programme was designed in the last quarter of 2022 in an effort to reach out and offer support to 26 clients who had relapsed.

He said a team of volunteers support family members through weekly networks.

“The families of those with substance use disorder have to contend with many challenges which are extremely stressful,” he said.

“Currently, this stress is intensified by the prevalence of intimidation of family members due to drug debts.

“In addition, families are also coping with the stigmatising of substance use disorder which imposes secrecy and shame on the family. In 2022, 240 family members attended Tabor Group’s four-week education and support programme, he said. A new community-based support programme of six-week duration was offered last year and was attended by 90 family members.

Mr Devine concluded: “It is clearer with each passing year that the underlying role played by trauma in the lives of our clients has a prominent part to play in the development of substance use disorder. In many cases, this is developmental trauma and is due to the adversity children often have to cope with from the very early days of their life.”

• You can learn more about Tabor Group's work on TaborGroup.ie or by phone on 021 4887110.