Anxiety and Stress Causes Substance Abuse

Have you ever experienced something so wrong that you had to drink or take drugs to manage the stress or “leave” the intolerable reality you are forced to face?

In this modern world where the human brain is so unprepared and unevolved to match the stressors and anxiety triggers brought about by our own-done modern technology, we are all prone to mental and emotional illnesses. Hence, anxiety and stress are common in today’s society, and coping with drugs or alcohol has become common for most of us.

Whether it is a weekend binge or a nightly help for sleep, people use drugs and alcohol to restore mental and emotional comfort.

What is the connection between substance or alcohol abuse and mental illness?

Not one of them begets the other, but they can co-occur in a person.

One situation is when a person suffering from a mental condition attempts to tame down their symptoms by self-medicating on drugs or alcohol. Sometimes, they do so in congruence with taking their prescribed medicines - this makes things significantly worse.

The thing is that mental illnesses can have debilitating symptoms that you don’t want to mix with the debilitating symptoms of drug or alcohol intoxication.

Alcohol and drugs are bad enough for a healthy to abuse. But why do people go for these temporary reliefs anyway?

How do alcohol and drugs reduce stress?

It is an unfortunately common thing for many people to self-medicate with substances like drugs and alcohol when suffering from mental illness or discomforts like stress and anxiety.

Substances like alcohol and drugs directly affect the central nervous system. Mostly, it mixes up your hormones like oxytocin, dopamine, endorphins, or oxytocin, which are related to your happiness, stress, and the rest of your emotions.

To put things simply, the substances block bad feelings and enhance the ones we like. This effect makes it natural for us to enjoy the substances and keep on using them, especially when we are facing dire situations.

Plus, the high feeling that these substances give you makes them significantly addictive.

Substances seem to help us deal with problems by keeping us from mentally or emotionally breaking down. But the problem is that we do not naturally fix things by doing so - when left without the drugs or alcohol, we feel the need for it and become dependent.

You become high or drunk for a while, which gives you feelings that you like. Then the substance reduces in your blood, and you need another shot or dose.

Then, as you build a tolerance for the substance you abuse, you will have to increase your dose from time to time. This act leads to more toxins that your brain and body have to deal with.

Yes, these chemicals are considered poison by your body.

Hence, the problem is that the effects will unquestionably not be all good. You will indeed have to suffer the consequences of your good time.

The dependence has many side effects, and we can categorize them as short-term and long-term.

The short-term and most direct harmful effects of alcohol and substance abuse include the following, usually as a result of intoxication:

• Vehicular accidents
• Crime
• Unwanted sex and/or pregnancy
• Overdose
• Self-harm
• Accidental harm

The long-term destructive effects of alcohol and drug abuse include the following:

• Quickly deteriorating physical health
• Quickly deteriorating mental health
• Quickly deteriorating finances
• Quickly deteriorating relationships
• Job loss

Whether it is methamphetamine, alcohol, heroin, opioids, nicotine, or other substances, you can take pleasure in them but usually end up suffering more.

So is it worth indulging in these substances for a temporary release from stress and anxiety?

The correct and only answer is no. And that judgment is just by the diseases that you might get...

• Liver cirrhosis leading to liver failure
• Cancer
• Heart disease
• Lung problems
• Kidney failure
• Stroke
• Exacerbated mental illness

These effects will bring you significantly more pain in the near future if you don’t stop abusing alcohol and substances.

Hence, the best way to cope with stress and anxiety is proper professional help. Do not self-medicate with drugs and alcohol, or you will suffer more in the future.

But if you are already doing this or know someone who is coping with anxiety and stress with substances and is potentially out of control, help is needed, and support is available.

People who suffer from stress and anxiety, with these conditions alone, already need help. When they have alcohol and drug problems on top of their mental state, they will need extra attention.

The problem is that such people are medicated by these adverse substances, and they will experience worsened symptoms of their mental illnesses without the drugs and alcohol. Hence, they cannot break the habits without breaking down unless they are given complete medical assistance.

Hence, it is best to ask for professional help at addictionanswers.com and go for a monitored detoxification process in a facility where a patient can have 24/7 monitoring and complete medical attention. Call (844) 311-6980 today.