Stress and Addiction

According to the World Health Organisation, stress

‘Stress can be defined as a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation. Stress is a natural human response that prompts us to address challenges and threats in our lives.’

By this definition, we can understand stress as an unfortunate but normal component of our lives. However, The difficulty with stress is in how we act in its presence. The way that we manage stressful situations is often referred to as our ‘coping mechanisms.’ Some coping mechanisms are healthy ways to deal with the complications that arise from different situations. Other coping mechanisms, however, can worsen our stress. This is because some stress management methods are ‘maladaptive,’ meaning that they can cause us greater harm in the long run.

Stress can be caused by many different things. Some events or changes believed to cause a considerable amount of stress include:

• Financial issues
• Relationship dissolution
• Academic or professional pressure
• Big deadlines or tests
• Health concerns
• Caring responsibilities
• Death of a loved one
• Becoming a new parent

Stress is both a physiological and a psychological response – it stimulates our bodies as well as our brains. In the short term, stress may feel or look like this:

• Tightness in the chest
• Stomach upset
• Rashes or skin complaints
• Tiredness
• Change in appetite
• Worsening physical health
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Social withdrawal
• Memory issues
• ‘Short fuse’

After a while, if the stressful situation does not seem to be improving, the toll of the sustained physiological arousal that occurs in high stress can begin to cause health issues. These include:

• Change in weight
• Difficulty sleeping
• Reduced immunity
• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of stroke
• Increased risk of heart attack
• Digestive difficulties
• Aches and pains

An addiction occurs when an individual develops a chemical or behavioural dependency on a specific thing. It’s possible to become addicted to substances (such as alcohol or heroin) or behaviours (such as shopping or binge eating).

By nature, addictions have negative impacts on our lives. An addiction is present when, even though engagement with a particular thing is harming us, we do not feel that we have the power to stop it. This can lead to:

• Obsession or fixation
• Cravings
• Reduced physical health
• Insomnia
• Social withdrawal
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Paranoia
• Social difficulties
• Professional complications
• Financial troubles

Addiction and stress often go hand in hand. This is often due to ‘maladaptive coping.’ A development of maladaptive coping is often a reaction to uncontrollable or ‘chronic’ stress – stress that occurs over a long period and often begins to wear us down. When we are in this headspace, we often feel the need to do anything we can to alleviate our sense of discomfort. The issue with this is that we can chase short-term release despite knowing the impact of longer-term consequences. This repeated turning to maladaptive behaviours – such as heavy drinking, binge drinking or drug use – can quickly spiral into an addiction.

Stress and alcohol addiction

Lots of people may drink more than usual when they are going through a difficult period. One study found that the frequency of ‘heavy drinking’ (drinking more than 4-5 drinks at a time) increased by:

• 24% with every additional stress reported by men
• And 13% with every additional stress reported by women

Stress and drug addiction

High levels of distress are linked with an increased risk of drug abuse. Many people turn to specific drugs as a ‘one-off’ to manage difficult symptoms. However, this can consolidate an association between drugs and relief, leading to a reliance on drugs as a method of stress management.

If you are dealing with chronic stress and addiction, the best option is often to access specialist rehab support. This can blend psychotherapies, medical interventions, mindfulness and lifestyle-based treatment.

Here at Banbury Lodge, we can help you to take the steps towards an addiction-free future.  Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation with our team. We are here to lend a listening, non-judgmental ear and guide you through potential options for specialist, holistic addiction and mental health support. We are available to talk you through the bespoke rehab packages we offer to help identify the most appropriate treatment for your needs.