Northbound Treatment
Editorial Team
You'll see how trauma and substance use get treated together at each Northbound level of care, so you can decide where to start.
If you're dealing with both PTSD and a substance use problem, PTSD and addiction treatment in Orange County works best when one team treats the trauma and the drinking or drug use together, not one after the other. At Northbound Treatment in Garden Grove, that care runs from detox through residential and outpatient levels. Below, you'll see how each step handles trauma symptoms, so you can tell which one fits where you are right now.
If you're in a crisis, please call 988 or 911.
Most people with PTSD who also drink or use drugs didn't set out to build a second problem. Alcohol or pills quiet the nightmares, the jumpiness, or the flashbacks for a few hours, and over time the substance becomes part of how the person gets through a day. That's why treating only the drinking tends to leave the trauma sitting right where it was, and why stopping the trauma work until someone is "sober enough" often means it never starts.
Northbound's approach rests on the idea that trauma is at the root of almost every addiction. Treating the root means the same clinical team works on both at once, using trauma-focused methods such as EMDR and somatic approaches alongside addiction care. Addiction is treated as a chronic brain disease that responds to treatment, not as a failure of willpower, and that framing matters for someone who already carries a lot of shame about what happened to them.
In practice, a person coming in with PTSD and substance use can expect an interdisciplinary team to build the plan with them rather than hand them a fixed track. The team looks at the trauma history, the substances involved, and what withdrawal or anxiety symptoms are showing up now. Then they adjust as things change.
You don't have to share the details of what happened to you on day one. Early care focuses on getting you physically stable and feeling safe, and the deeper trauma work comes as you're ready for it. About a third of our staff are alumni of the program, so many of the people supporting you have stood where you're standing.
The clearest sign is timing: your drinking or drug use gets heavier around reminders of what happened, like an anniversary, a certain smell, a loud noise, or a night when sleep won't come. If you reach for a substance to get through those moments, the two problems are already working together.
Other patterns show up often in people who have both. You might notice some of these in yourself or in someone you love:
That fourth sign is worth taking seriously. Withdrawal can make trauma symptoms louder for a while, which is one reason people who've tried to quit alone often say the PTSD "got worse" and use again. It doesn't mean you failed. It usually means the trauma needed treatment alongside the detox, and a clinical team can plan for that from the start.
If you're checking this against your own life, you don't need to match every sign or have a diagnosis in hand. An admissions counselor can talk through what you've noticed, and the clinical assessment that follows looks at both the trauma history and the substance use together. Many people arrive unsure whether what they've lived through "counts" as trauma. It's fine to say that out loud and let the team sort it out with you.
Trauma symptoms change as you move through treatment, so the level of care that fits you in the first week usually isn't the one that fits you in the third month. Northbound's levels of care are built to be used in sequence, and the trauma work travels with you from one to the next.
Detox comes first when your body needs to clear alcohol or drugs under medical watch. Because withdrawal can make flashbacks, panic, and sleeplessness louder, the goal at this stage is stabilization and feeling physically safe, not processing memories. Residential treatment at our Garden Grove campus, The Grove, is where most of the deeper trauma work begins. You're away from the triggers of daily life, and the team can pair therapies like EMDR with addiction care while you have round-the-clock support.
Partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient come next for many people. You sleep somewhere else but keep a full or part-time treatment schedule, which lets you test coping skills against real situations while a clinician is still checking in. Sober living adds a structured home base if your own place isn't steady yet. Online treatment gives you a way to keep attending sessions if distance or work makes in-person visits hard. Aftercare keeps you connected once formal treatment ends, which matters because trauma reminders don't stop showing up.
You don't have to pick the level yourself. The clinical assessment looks at your trauma history, the substances involved, and how severe your symptoms are right now, and the team recommends a starting point. If you're stepping down from a higher level, they'll explain why they're moving you and what changes.
Residential care at The Grove means you live on campus with staff around you around the clock, and you're not cut off from ordinary life for the whole stay. Northbound uses its InVivo® model, which means "in life." Real-world responsibilities, activities, and choices come back gradually as you progress, so you practice daily living with support instead of waiting until discharge to find out how it feels.
Early on, expect the first days to be quiet and structured. If you came through detox, you're still settling physically, and the team's priority is sleep, steadiness, and getting to know you. Nightmares and jumpiness are common at this stage, and you can tell staff when they happen. You'll meet with your interdisciplinary team, who build your plan around your trauma history and the substances involved, and you'll begin the individual and group work that goes with it.
As you stabilize, the team starts bringing back pieces of everyday life. That can mean phones, time with other people, independent activities, and life-skills outings like grocery trips. For someone with PTSD, these steps matter because crowds, noise, and unplanned moments are often where symptoms spike. Meeting them with a clinician close by gives you a chance to use coping skills in real time and talk through what came up afterward.
Trauma-focused therapy, including EMDR and somatic approaches, happens alongside addiction care, and the pace follows your readiness. You decide how much you share and when. Because about a third of our staff are alumni, you'll likely be around people who understand what it's like to start this work.
For specifics like daily schedules, what to bring, or how visits and phone access work in the first week, ask admissions when you call. They can tell you what to expect for your situation.
A real person answers the line, and it's open 24/7, so you can call at 2 a.m. after a rough night as easily as on a weekday afternoon. You don't need a diagnosis, a plan, or the right words. Most callers start with something like "I think I'm using to cope with something that happened."
The admissions counselor will ask about what you're using, how often, and when you last used, because that tells them whether you need medical detox first. They'll also ask about your mental health, including any trauma symptoms like nightmares, flashbacks, or feeling on edge. You can say as much or as little as you want about the trauma itself. Nobody needs the story to start a conversation about care.
If you have insurance, the counselor can verify your benefits on the same call. It helps to have your insurance card nearby, along with a list of any medications you take and any past treatment you've been through. If you don't have those handy, call anyway and fill in the rest later.
From there, the counselor explains which level of care looks like the best starting point and what the clinical assessment will cover. That assessment looks at your trauma history and your substance use together, and the team uses it to decide whether you begin with detox, residential, or something less intensive. If you're calling for a loved one, you can ask the same questions, though the person who'll be in treatment will need to take part in the assessment.
Calling doesn't commit you to anything. You can ask about timing, what to pack, how the first days work, and what your coverage looks like before you decide. If the timing feels urgent, say so, and the counselor will tell you what's possible.
Call Northbound admissions at (866) 311-0003, or reach our team online if you'd rather write first.
Yes, a past relapse doesn't disqualify you from care, and it's more common than most people expect. Relapse is part of many recovery journeys, and our team treats it with compassion rather than judgment. When you do the assessment, tell them what happened before, including what triggered the return to use. That history helps them plan around your trauma symptoms this time.
No, trauma comes from many experiences, including assault, abuse, accidents, sudden loss, and childhood neglect. You don't need to fit a particular story for your PTSD to be treated alongside substance use. Our care is built for adults 18 and older with trauma and addiction together, and the team works from your own history rather than a category.
Don't stop any medication on your own, and bring a list of what you take to your first conversation. The clinical team reviews your medications as part of your assessment and plans around them. Any changes are decisions you make with the care team, not something to do before you call. Ask admissions how medication is handled for your situation.
Family can play a real role, and it's reasonable to ask admissions how your loved ones can be involved. Many people feel unsure how to talk about trauma with relatives, and the team can help you think through what to share and when. For specifics like family sessions or visiting rules, ask when you call so you get the details that apply to you.
You don't have to decide before you talk to someone. The assessment looks at your trauma history, your substance use, and your current symptoms, then the team recommends a starting level, which might be something less intensive than residential. If you're unsure, say so on the call. The counselor can explain the options and what each one would mean for your daily life.
About the Author
In This Article
Tags
You'll be able to tell whether your loved one needs treatment that handles OCD and substance use together, and what the steps from detox to aftercare look like.
You'll be able to tell whether a rough night of greening out is a one-time event or a sign of a pattern that calls for care. You'll also know what to do next if it's the pattern.
People with substance use disorders are about twice as likely to have a co-occurring mood or anxiety disorder.
Take the Next Step
Our admissions team is available 24/7 — confidential, no-obligation, and judgment-free. Let us help you or your loved one find the right path forward with medical detox, residential treatment, or outpatient care in Orange County.
