Stress And Addiction
STRESS AND ADDICTION: THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND MANAGEMENT
Author: Barbara Reade, M.S.,L.C.
P.C., copyright 1997
1. What is stress? The type of stress that will be discussed is defined
as an experience that necessitates the physical and psychological
adaptation of the person in a particular circumstance. This type of
situation must demand a significant readjustment in ones life. And the
chemical changes described in answer #2 must also be present.
Sustained, chronic stress causes lasting changes in the physical and
psychological makeup of the individual. It can ultimately lead to
severe physical disease and/or addictions..
2. What role does it play in addiction? A number specialists in the
addiction field see addiction as a response to stress or anxiety that
has no avenue for solution. With this in mind, a major key to
successfully dealing with and halting addiction, can be the
understanding of stress and the use of appropriate tools to regulate
it. With regulation addictive response can then be stopped before it is
acted on, again. So the cycle of addiction can stop. According to this
viewpoint, the more a person practices these stress reduction
strategies, the better they will be at maintaining non-addictive
behavior.
3. How does stress physically affect the body? When a person is
subjected to stress, the body goes into a 3 stage reaction in it's
effort to adapt. The first stage is called the "alarm" stage, the
second, the "resistance" stage, and the third stage is the "exhausted"
stage. When stress first occurs the body automatically secretes high
levels of hormones. The biochemical change that follows is complex. The
hypothalamus releases a chemical called "corticotrophin releasing
factor(CRF). This chemical goes to the pituitary gland, causing the
chemical ATCH to be released into the bloodstream. The ATCH activates
cortisol, in the adrenal gland, that then causes the body to produce
extra blood sugar, resulting in extra energy. CRF also triggers
neurotransmitters that stimulate the release of epinephrine ( also
known as adrenalin) and norepinephrine. The former, causes extra
glucose to go to the muscles, and the latter, speeds up the heartbeat.
A feedback loop is built into this system, going back to the pituitary
gland, which then decides how much ATCH to continue to send out. When
all of these chemical reactions have taken place and been completed,
the body goes into "SHOCK". In the second stage of the situation the
person appears to have adapted to increased stress. This stage is
called resistance. In this stage, this condition may well maintain
itself unless the stressful condition becomes chronic, or new stresses
are added.. In this case the body then goes into stage
three---exhaustion. Physical disease, caused by stress, occur when
stress continues for a prolonged period, because the body's natural
defenses system becomes overworked and weakened.
4. How does addiction become part of the stress cycle? Although
the body can handle a certain amount of stress and adapt by becoming
resistant to that stress level, there is a level at which no person can
physically continue to function easily, after prolonged stress. For
some people, when their adrenalin "rush" has become uncomfortably
intense, their answer becomes drug addiction, to numb or subdue he
adrenal effects. For some people the psychological feeling of ‘going
too fast’ becomes the motivate for beginning the drug addictive cycle.
The feeling of fear, which is accompanied by adrenal increase, can lead
some people into addictive behavior, to quiet the discomfort they are
feeling from intense fear. These are some of the common motivations,
inspired by stress, that can fuel the addictive cycle. 5. Personality
vs. event--Which is more important? Research debates whether the
circumstance or the personality type contribute more to ones response
to a stressful situation. The way inwhich one assesses an event does
influence ones response. This assessment, it is believed by many, is
caused both by the personality type of the individual, and his social
conditioning, thinking, perception, personal life experience, and
coping skills that are brought to that situation. In terms of the
addictive response, that follows for some people, research is still
working to determine if genetic-biological factors,
personality-genetically based factors, and/or environmental conditions
contribute most strongly to ones drive to use addictive processes to
cope with stress. It is difficult to argue against using stress
reduction techniques, to help addictive processes, whether the
environment or the person’s biology has inspired this problem.
6. What coping skills can benefit people most in stressful situations?
This answer is difficult to generalize because each person and each
circumstance do have at least some, unique features. However, certain
habits, incorporated consistently in ones daily living, can help a
person's coping abilities significantly when times of high stress do
occur.
Important Stress Reduction Habits include:
· Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.
· Get regular daily exercise.
· Eat well balanced, healthy meals, in appropriate quantities,
preferably eating smaller portions more frequently in the day, to help
maintain even blood sugar.
· Take at least 30 minutes to yourself once a day. Relax,
meditate, leave daily problems behind. Let this be a time when you can
'clear your thoughts' and allow your body to let go of unwanted stress
signals (sore, tense muscles, headaches, body aches, etc.)
· Maintain a sense of humor. Make a special effort, if needed to see
the funny, silly, truly amusing events that do happen around you daily.
· Prioritize your chores. Decide what is really important and what is really unnecessary.
· Allow yourself to 'simplify'. Let go of the extra work, or tasks, that stress you too much, and benefit you little.
· Find ways to give and receive care to and from others in your life. Make this a daily part of your living.
· Develop or nurture a strong, positive support group for
yourself. You may want to join various support groups in your community
if you do not have a support group at present.
· Recognize that even the most stressful feelings, will change,
and you will feel better, given time, and healthy self care.
· When applying this to addictive problems, discover what your
triggers are, in terms of stress, and then develop ways to avoid that
type of stress, or problem solving strategies for issues that need
immediate resolution, to reduce as much stress as possible in these
situations.
· Prioritize your problems. Just take the most important one, at
a time. Work through it as much as possible, then begin to approach the
next issue.
EMDR therapy has been proven to be highly effective in reducing and
eliminating these symptoms. If you are experiencing these symptoms
contact a mental health professional in your area for help. These
symptoms can be relieved successfully with appropriate treatment from a
licensed mental health professional with this area of expertise.
Medications may also be helpful. You need to consult your Primary Care
Physician or a psychiatrist for advice concerning to medication
appropriateness.
Barbara Reade LCPC
http://www.advanced-recovery-therapy.com
410-241-6107
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By:Dana Posted: Feb 24 2008 07:26:52 PM