Being Pimped Through Trauma
In a society where trauma is monetized, there is a fine line between exploitation and liberation- DISCERNMENT is key!
The Moment It Clicked
It happened in stillness.
One of those moments where the world finally stops moving long enough for something to reveal itself.
I don’t know if it was meditation, or just that my mind had been piecing things together for weeks, months—maybe even years—but suddenly, it hit me:
Trauma was running the whole damn show.
I had already noticed it in myself and people around me. The addictions. The patterns. The numbing. The avoidance.
The friend who couldn’t sleep without a bottle of wine.
The cousin who cycled through toxic relationships like seasons.
The coworker who worked 70-hour weeks just to avoid sitting with themselves.
The person who never had a moment of silence—always had the TV on, music blasting, scrolling endlessly.
Everywhere I looked, people, including myself were chasing relief. And then I followed the money.
Of course. That’s when everything locked into place.
It didn’t matter what your addiction was—as long as you were spending money on it.
And the sickest part? Even if you sought "help", the system still found a way to cash in.
Go to therapy? They’ll put you on medication (maybe).
Feel anxious? Here’s a prescription.
Struggling with depression? Take this pill—it won’t fix the pain, but you’ll keep coming back for refills.
They don’t actually want you healed. Because healed people don’t make good customers.
That was the moment I saw it clearly. Trauma wasn’t just an individual battle.
It was a business model.
And the first time I heard it put into words? It was from a professor of mine. She had struggled with popping pills most of her adult life. One day, she made the choice to face her pain instead of numbing it, and she posted a simple, powerful statement on her Facebook page:
"Trauma is the GATEWAY drug."
That sentence stuck with me because it was the truth. And the system was designed to keep people hooked.
Pimped by Trauma: The System That Profits Off Your Pain
When you don’t take the wheel of your own healing, you become a cash cow, being pimped by your trauma.
Our society celebrates numbing, running, suppressing, and denying pain, emotions, and especially trauma.
First, they normalize it.
“That’s just life.”
“Everyone goes through something.”
“You just have to keep pushing.”
But eventually, that silent thorn in your side gets unbearable. And when the mask cracks, society doesn’t offer healing—it offers relief. But what is that relief? It’s the very thing that keeps you in the cycle.
The Economy of Pain: How They Make Money from Trauma
Society is traumatizing, but they don’t promote healing—because trauma is too profitable. Instead, they steer you toward self-destructive behaviors that feed industries built on pain.
The Addictions Society Condemns vs. The Addictions They Promote
Society loves to talk about and condemn certain addictions—particularly drugs and alcohol. They create entire narratives around "substance abuse crises" while simultaneously profiting off liquor stores on every corner and pushing pharmaceuticals as the solution to every problem.
But what about the silent or invisible addictions? The ones they don’t openly call out, because they are the foundation of the economy?
1. Sex Industry
Hypersexuality is a common trauma response—so they glorify hookup culture, porn addiction, and sex as escapism.
The adult industry thrives off broken people seeking validation and connection through sex, rather than healing intimacy wounds.
2. Drugs & Alcohol
Substance abuse is the ultimate form of self-medication.
The alcohol industry thrives off people drowning their pain in bottles.
The war on drugs? A joke. They criminalize addiction while pushing pharmaceuticals that do the same thing legally.
3. Codependency & Toxic Relationships
If you’re stuck in cycles of chasing love, seeking validation, or tolerating abuse, there’s a whole market designed to keep you there.
The dating industry, relationship ‘gurus,’ self-help books—they sell you the illusion of fixing external relationships instead of healing internally.
4. Food Industry (Emotional Eating & Binge Culture)
Trauma often manifests as disordered eating.
Processed food addiction is a real thing—and companies know exactly how to engineer products that keep you hooked on sugar, fat, and salt.
“Eat your feelings” is not just a phrase—it’s a business model.
5. Workaholism & Capitalism
Grind culture glorifies work as an escape.
If you’re constantly working, you never have time to reflect, process, or heal.
“Hustle harder” isn’t just motivational—it’s a trap to keep you exhausted, distracted, and emotionally numb.
6. Excessive Consumerism
Retail therapy? Another coping mechanism disguised as self-care.
Buy happiness. Buy beauty. Buy status. Buy distraction.
The more people chase external validation, the richer these industries get.
7. Entertainment & Social Media: Keeping You Distracted
A dysregulated nervous system craves overstimulation.
If you can’t sit in silence, you’ll seek out constant noise, TV, social media, endless scrolling.
The root of ‘entertain’ means “to keep (someone) in a certain frame of mind.”
Entertainment isn’t just a distraction—it’s reinforcement. It keeps you consuming, keeps you avoiding, keeps you from waking up.
Entertainment isn’t just a distraction—it’s reinforcement. It keeps you consuming, keeps you avoiding, keeps you from waking up.
Your Next Step: The Call to True Freedom
So now, I ask you—what will you do with this awareness?
Will you continue feeding the machine, or will you choose radical self-liberation?
Will you remain stuck in cycles that don’t serve you, or will you step into the highest version of yourself?
Will you let trauma define your path, or will you reclaim your power and heal?
The choice is yours.
Drop a comment, share your thoughts, or tag someone who needs this message today.
Because the moment you heal, you stop being profitable.
And that? That’s the most dangerous and powerful thing you can do.