Stress and addiction-Drug Addiction

Stress that leads to addiction can be very dangerous to human life.

We are surrounded with things and situations which in many ways cause is to be stressed and disturbed mentally. Too much money adds lots of responsibilities in management which can be very stressful and on the other hand too little or no money at all can also be stressful since this brings with it luck of basic commodities and services like food, clothing, accommodation and medication. Because of these life situations many of us may suffer from or will experience stress at some point in our lives. Stress appears to be a condition of modern life and even more so for those of us who are asset rich but time poor.

Stress and addiction-Too much stress can lead to addiction

The pace and different dynamics of life has speed up and resonated up over the past few decades or so and many at times we find ourselves continually trying to keep up! Juggling with the demands of work with family and friends can be difficult and the pressure emanating from this often leads to stress. But the problem with stress is that it affects people differently. What one person finds stressful another sees it as a challenge to deal with.

Stress and addiction-Causes of stress

To understand this well we will need to ask ourselves this common question “from where do we start?” and I say, we first identify some of the common and potential stressors in individuals life, they include employment, family, money worries, moving house, bereavement, divorce etc. In fact the list is endless however there is a list of the most stressful life events in life which include the following:

• Moving house
• Financial difficulty/bankruptcy
• Redundancy
• Death of spouse/partner

These listed above are just but some of the most likely causes of stress and addiction. We know that a small amount of stress or to be more accurate we can use the adjective “pressure” can be good for us. Reasonable amount of can be a motivating factor to us, through this it may improves performance and drives us to succeed to our desired objectives even if it may appear un uphill task. None the less unrelenting or chronic pressure has the opposite effect. It’s that point where we feel as if we can no longer cope with pressure and at this point it becomes stress and addiction can happen. There are many people who are more resistant to stress than others. Stress is a powerful ingredient which can cause physical, psychological and emotional problems, stress and addiction usually go hand in hand.

Stress and addiction-Coping with stress

While appreciating the significant effects of stress, it is important to note that people will react and deal differently with stress. Some people will use physical activities like exercise or sport as a means of working off their stress whereas others may prefer something more relaxing, entertaining and comforting or pleasant to hear. Nevertheless there is yet another group of people who will turn into less beneficial forms of relaxation. For instance alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine and drugs are some of the stress relief forms used by many drug addicts this however only compounds the problem. The effects of stress combined with that of substance abuse can easily spiral out of control, This is why stress and addiction are so linked.

Cigarettes and alcohol are the most accessible forms of ‘drugs’ and usually the most affordable to many in the society. Alcohol is also a socially acceptable drug and due to this it’s use is not considered to be a problem by law even though those in authority licensing its consumption are well aware of the dangers involved. So going for a few drinks after work with your colleagues is considered to be a normal part of life in any working day.

Smoking is still seen as a way of relaxing despite it being banished out of the workplace and other social places. However, we still see small groups of people huddled outside their office having a cigarette. There are people who still continue to smoke in spite of this restriction and/or the dangers to their health.

Drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines are often used as a quick way of releasing stress and tension which has built up during the working week. A popular way of using these is at parties or socializing at the weekend and some people view these as an integral part of their social lives. We can see how stress and addiction relates?

These type of people may be ambitious high-achievers who often live for the moment and tend to view their drug use as a part of their ‘scene’. They may act quite casually about it and consider it to be a normal part of their fast-paced lives. For them it is about risk-taking and living life on the edge and drug use is just one form of this.

Stress and addiction-Work related stress

It can be the case that someone works in a highly stressful environment in which employees use alcohol or drugs as a way of winding down at the end of the day. This may start off on an occasional basis but as their tolerance to that substance grows then so does their addiction.

If you work in a highly competitive, target-driven environment then you will probably be running on adrenaline most of the time. This may help when it comes to making important decisions or reaching a deadline but a constant state of hyperactivity will be harmful in the long term.

There is also the fact that some jobs have a culture in which drinking is part of that culture. If your job requires you to entertain clients or join in on ‘bonding session’, which involves alcohol, then it is hard to refuse. In many cases a refusal to do so can be seen as not being a team player and may affect your chances of promotion or even your future with that company.

There is also the issue of money: if your job is well remunerated then this will enable you to spend money on these substances as and when you like. What happens then is that you spend more and more money in order to fuel your addiction which leads to serious financial problems, which then causes more stress, which results in an increase in your addiction and so on, this then reaches at a point at which your addiction is out of your control and affects not only you but others around you.

Finally the effects of a stressful job combined with the effects of an addictive substance add up to what can be a lethal combination. To solve this you may want to visit AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care, at this facility we focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. So If stress is a problem for you then talk to doctor Dalal Akoury.

Stress and addiction-Drug Addiction

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