While anxiety can be addictive, it does not appear to be nearly as addictive as other substances, especially nicotine, alcohol, and opioids. Many patients can overcome those addictions, sometimes even naturally.
However, if you're someone who feels addicted to worrying, your nervous system is likely stuck in this physiological state in a chronic and ongoing way. There could be various reasons for this. It could have started through trauma experiences, particularly relational trauma or attachment disturbances in early life.
First, you may want to start with a simple deep breathing exercise called the 5-5-5 method. To do this, you breathe in for 5 seconds, hold your breath for 5 seconds, and then breathe out for 5 seconds. You can continue this process until your thoughts slow down or you notice some relief.
Talk therapy can help people with anxiety and addiction. A psychiatrist can individualize their talk therapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is talk therapy that focuses on role-playing and facing fears. A person changes their thinking so they can change their behaviors from the current moment onward.
To quiet anxiety and turn off your fight-or-flight response, it's important to re-train your brain to send chemicals to counteract this powerful biological response. Otherwise, anxiety can become an addiction.
While anxiety can be addictive, it does not appear to be nearly as addictive as other substances, especially nicotine, alcohol, and opioids. Many patients can overcome those addictions, sometimes even naturally.
In an effort to cope with their symptoms, it is not uncommon for people with anxiety disorders to misuse alcohol or drugs. In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that individuals with anxiety are twice as likely to suffer from substance abuse as the general population.
Look for symptoms such as: fatigue, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, insomnia, a change in appetite, anxiety, irritability, depression, withdrawal, and a compromised immune system. Those with high levels of stress are also more prone to other addictions, such as drug or alcohol abuse.
And stress may even be as addictive as drugs. In addition to the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, stress also releases dopamine, a “feel good” chemical. Dopamine encourages repeat behaviors by activating the reward center in our brain and may be at the heart of many addictive behaviors and substance abuse issues.
The four levels of anxiety are mild anxiety, moderate anxiety, severe anxiety, and panic level anxiety, each of which is classified by the level of distress and impairment they cause.
It is based on the three "C's" of recovery calm your body, correct your thinking, and confront your fears.
One important step in reversing the anxiety cycle is gradually confronting feared situations. If you do this, it will lead to an improved sense of confidence, which will help reduce your anxiety and allow you to go into situations that are important to you.
We don't often think about having an addiction to our thinking, but the truth is that overthinking is one of the hardest addictions to break.
Studies found that people with a mental disorder, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), may use drugs or alcohol as a form of self-medication.
Substance use disorders also co-occur at high prevalence with mental disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder,6,9–11 attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),12,13 psychotic illness,14,15 borderline personality disorder,16 and antisocial personality disorder.
Stress Abuse
Stress junkies are people who, without even knowing it, use their own physiological responses as a mood-altering device.
Our bodies are not set up to tolerate such a high level of unremitting stress. Ultimately, it can become addictive, as high cortisol establishes a new set point in your body, around which you organize the rest of your life. Put another way, cortisol used to be on our team, and now it's working against us.
Changes in physical appearance, such as wearing inappropriate or dirty clothing and a lack of interest in grooming. Altered behavior, such as an increased desire for privacy. Drastic changes in relationships. A noticeable lack of energy when performing daily activities.
The most common roots of addiction are chronic stress, a history of trauma, mental illness and a family history of addiction. Understanding how these can lead to chronic substance abuse and addiction will help you reduce your risk of becoming addicted.
And fear could actually be addictive. "We know people who are adrenaline junkies who want more and more experiences to get excited because just like a drug or alcohol. If you use that over and over you need more of that to get the same effect," said Dr. Sheridan.