The Relationship Between Stress and Addiction

The studies also identify a bilateral relationship between stress and addiction. A drug addict, for instance, is highly susceptible to stress, while a stressed individual is vulnerable to drug addiction or relapse. This article examines the relationship between stress and addiction and highlights the risks involved with both conditions and the various options for stress and addiction treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation.

Two common problems plaguing modern society are stress and addiction. Individually they are both potential killers, but when combined, the chances of death increase substantially. In the past, addiction was viewed as a physical phenomenon, and chemical compounds were attributed with the power to cause physical addiction.

However, while it is true that there is such a thing as physical addiction, this theory was flawed because it failed to consider the psychological aspects of addiction. This article will highlight both the physiological and psychological causes of addiction, emphasizing stress and its role in addiction.

Definitions of Stress and Addiction

Psychiatric theory states we exist in a state of physical and mental equilibrium, and stress results from that equilibrium being altered or thrown out of whack. When exposed to stressors, your body releases increased hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol. This increased amount of hormones can lead to stress-related symptoms such as heightened alertness and a feeling of being on edge, muscle tension, and higher blood pressure levels.

Stress is not a physical disease like a virus, but a mental and physical response to negative stimuli called stressors. As such, stress is a condition defined by its symptoms which can be emotional, psychological, and physiological.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of addiction emphasizes a feeling of being compelled or a chronic need. This need can be physiological, psychological, or both simultaneously. Typically, addiction will be in reference to a drug or substance.

This definition also includes the symptoms of addiction, including; increased anxiety, mood swings, shaking, and nausea.

Stress and Addiction Statistics

A 2019 Gallup poll found that approximately one-third of the world population reported regularly experiencing stress, and the 2017 Our World Data study showed anxiety disorder symptoms worldwide.

Two studies conducted in 2019 and 2020 by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that:

• At least three-quarters of Americans suffer from stress-related symptoms such as headaches, tiredness, or sleeping ailments.
• 21% of Americans experienced increased muscle tension
• 20% of Americans reported repeated mood swings as a result of stress
• 65% of Americans experienced stress as a result of future uncertainty
• 49% of American adults say that stress has detrimentally experienced their behavior.

The Causes of Stress and Addiction

The causes of stress can range from a feeling of being under pressure, a significant personal event, or problems in the work environment, to financial challenges, health issues, and many more. It may be a significant individual factor causing you stress, or it may be a combination of smaller factors. Here are some of the most frequently identified causes of stress and addiction.

Addiction is a chronic disease that typically involves cravings or urges. Researchers have identified a series of triggers or risk factors that can lead to chronic stress, drug use, and vulnerability to addiction. The greater the amount of triggers/risk factors, the greater the chances of a person becoming addicted. Vulnerability is categorized as genetic, environmental, and developmental influences.

The Relationship Between Stress and Addiction

Negative stress is a trigger factor that can alter how the brain functions, similar to addictive drugs. In response to stress, the brain releases hormones such as dopamine, adrenaline, and cortisol, which counter the stress by creating a feeling of pleasure or a high. This has led researchers to conclude that regular exposure to high-stress levels may lead to drug addiction.

Scientists have also suggested that this process may lead a person to become addicted to stress and anxiety, or perhaps more accurately, addicted to the brain releasing the hormones. An example of this is a person who becomes addicted to exercise or, more specifically, a person who becomes addicted to the feeling created by the release of adrenaline and dopamine triggered by exercise.

Stress and Addiction Recovery

With people piling their expectations on you and applying expectations on yourself, combined with peer group pressure and physical and mental withdrawal cravings, recovery can be a stressful and anxiety-ridden process. The reality is that addiction is easy to fall into but hard to recover from, and stress is one of the primary causes of addiction relapse.

To combat the effects of stress and minimize the probability of relapse, rehab experts recommend regular exercise that helps us focus on positive goals rather than current problems. Mental health experts also recommend learning to meditate, joining a support group, making sure you have a healthy, functional sleeping pattern, and, whenever possible, spending some time outside.

Stress Management and Addiction Recovery Worksheets

A worksheet can serve two purposes; firstly, it is used as a listing of tasks, and secondly, it is used as a written document that records completed or current work in progress. Stress and addiction worksheets are typically composed of a list of psychological and physiological activities designed to help patients manage stress and addiction.

Typically, these activities and techniques will include; gratitude exercises, specific psychiatric exercises, stress investigation, concentrating on self-care tips, breaking down goals, developing healthy coping strategies, family mindfulness, meditation, and perhaps most importantly, social support groups like those at Haven House and other rehabilitation centers.

Conclusion

There is an established connection between stress and addiction. Firstly, the brain’s reaction to stress is similar to the brain’s reaction to drugs. Both stress and drugs can trigger the brain to release dopamine and induce a state of feeling high. This process is called the brain’s “Reward System.” This mental reward system may even lead people to become addicted to stress as they seek to duplicate the rewarding feeling.

Secondly, negative stress may lead to depression, increased anxiety, and mental tension. To overcome these feelings, people may turn to drugs which cause their brain to produce dopamine and a sensation of being high. Lastly, stress-related addiction can be treated professionally, and long-term rehabilitation achieved.

How to Achieve Long-Term Rehabilitation

The goal of any addiction recovery program is to achieve long-term rehabilitation and kick the habit. To achieve long-term rehabilitation, psychological and physiological methods are employed in professional recovery programs like those at Haven House Drug Rehab in Murfreesboro.

At Haven House, they actually care and emphasize an individual approach. You are never just part of the system or treated as just another addict. The Haven House recovery program involves professionally run programs like social support groups with the long-term goal of complete rehabilitation.

If you are battling addiction, know someone who has a drug problem, or is a parent whose children are abusing drugs, you can rely on Haven House for care and effective treatment.