Celebrities Like Prince Harry are Sharing Their Stories of Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Healing
In recent weeks, Prince Harry has made headlines by sharing his story of stepping down as a senior member of England’s royal family. He and his wife, Meghan Markle, decided to sit down with Oprah Winfrey to share their story which included revealing details about their experience as members of the royal family that no one could have imaged.
Shortly after that interview, Prince Harry announced that he had made a commitment to his own mental well-being and was actively participating in therapy to help him overcome the trauma associated with the death of his mother, Princess Diana. He also revealed that he had taken advantage of a trauma-based form of therapy known as EMDR which is short for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy takes a patient through traumatic events in such as way to help them start to work through the negative emotions.
Prince Harry’s Story
Losing a parent at any age is hard. However, losing a parent at the age of 12 as a result of a terrible car accident is particularly devastating. On August 31, 1997, Prince Harry’s life would change forever when his mother, Prince Diana, tragically died in a car accident in the Pont de l’Alma in Paris after being chased by paparazzi. Just a few days later, the world would watch as Prince Harry, his brother Prince William, his grandfather, Prince Philip and his father, Prince Charles would slowly process behind the coffin of Diana. On top of the flag draped coffin were flowers and a single envelope with the word “Mummy”.
Until Prince Harry decided to step away from the royal family he never actively spoke about the death of his mother. Although he would partner with his brother regarding certain events that would commemorate the life of Princess Diana, Prince Harry did not feel comfortable speaking about this tragedy. This is likely due to the fact that he was too young to be able to process how he was feeling about her death at 12 years old and never received the therapeutic care that he needed at that time. Instead, he masked his feelings and tried to live up to his family’s expectations.
The Link Between Trauma and Substance Abuse
Prince Harry has been brutally honest with the fact that he turned to alcohol as a way to self-medicate the way that he was feeling as a result of the stress of being a part of the royal family as well as the loss of his mother. Like so many other people around the world, he wasn’t sure how to process how he was feeling so, instead, he decided to numb it. Prince Harry disclosed that it was Meghan Markle who encouraged him to seek therapy after a fight that they had. According to Harry, this decision led to him making healthier decisions for not only his own life but for the lives of his growing family.
Trauma Therapies at The Source
At The Source, we understand the unique connection between trauma and substance abuse which is why we work closely with our patients to provide them with the opportunity to take advantage of trauma therapy such as EMDR. Whether you need to enroll in a program for drug rehab or alcohol rehab, our team goes above and beyond to provide you with the support that you need to work through an addiction treatment program. Reach out to us today at (800) 204-0418.
Prince Harry opens up about EMDR therapy in new show l GMA – YouTube
The Source quite frankly saved my life and got me back on track, never giving giving up on me. When you are thinking about and looking through all of the different places to go for treatment this is the one that should stand out from the rest.
