POVERTY, TRAUMA, AND ADDICTION
Authors: James, D., Hughes, M.
Publication Date: 01/01/2026
Pages: 185-197
DOI: 10.4324/9781003638476-16
Abstract:This chapter explores the intertwined realities of poverty, trauma, and addiction through lived experience. It reflects on how early adversity, unstable environments, and systemic failures shaped a life marked by alcoholism, homelessness, and relentless scrutiny. Recovery emerges not as a linear path but as a fragile, ongoing process complicated by poverty and stigma. The narrative challenges assumptions about choice and neglect, highlighting the profound role of empathy over judgement. Ultimately, this chapter reframes addiction as a trauma response and poverty as a barrier—not a measure of worth—offering insight into resilience, identity, and the transformative power of understanding.
Source: Scopus