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Anxious and Addicted – The Connection Between Anxiety Disorders and Substance Use Disorders

We all know the feeling of anxiety. We’ve experienced it before taking a test or before speaking to a group of people. We’ve experienced it on a first date or when we proposed marriage. We’ve experienced it on the first day of a new job or when we’re waiting to hear results from a medical exam.

Anxiety is a part of everyday life. But for some people, feelings of anxiety are ever-present and impossible to ignore. That kind of persistent anxiety is often a contributing factor for a person’s substance use disorder.

Understanding Anxiety: What Does It Feel Like?

Even though most everyone experiences anxiety on occasion, it can be helpful to know the many ways anxiety can manifest in our lives. Sometimes we mistake anxiety for something else, which can make addressing the feeling more difficult.

Symptoms of anxiety—in a variety of combinations—may include:

  • Irritability and agitation
  • Panic attacks, which may include shaking, increased heart rate, or sweating
  • Social withdrawal to avoid awkwardness or feelings of being trapped
  • Unmitigated and intense worrying that you can’t seem to shut off
  • Extreme fatigue and/or periods of hyperactivity
  • Muscle tension unrelated to physical activity
  • Ongoing feelings of restlessness
  • Difficulty sleeping or an increased tendency to wake up during the night
  • Turning to alcohol, prescription drugs, or illicit drugs to lessen the anxiety or make its symptoms more manageable

It is, of course, that last bullet—the use of drugs or alcohol to find relief—that is directly connected to an increased risk of developing a substance use disorder.

Understanding Anxiety: What Are The Different Kinds of Disorders?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, most anxiety disorders fall into one of five major categories:

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder – experiencing ongoing worry or tension even when circumstances don’t seem to be provoking those feelings
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – finding oneself trapped in a pattern of ongoing repetitive behavior or of unwanted and distressing thoughts
  • Panic Disorder – feeling intense fear and experiencing related physical symptoms in the absence of a clear cause
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – re-experiencing traumatic events and the negative emotions that accompanied them when they first occurred
  • Social Anxiety/Phobia Disorders – undergoing overwhelming feelings of self-consciousness or awkwardness in social situations; may include agoraphobia, separation anxiety disorder, or a range of additional phobias

Studies suggest that approximately 30 percent—just under one third—of adults in America are struggling with some type of anxiety disorder. Women appear to be more prone to these disorders than men, but plenty of men experience them. Genetic predisposition, trauma, environmental stressors, and issues of psychological development are among the risk factors.

Understanding Anxiety, Addiction, and the Amygdala

It may all come down to the amygdala—the area in our brains primarily responsible for the processing of emotions, the activation of survival instincts, and the storing of memories. The amygdala plays a part in the assessment of threats, which means it is central to feelings of anxiety—both of the everyday sort and of the more damaging varieties we’ve been discussing here.

In 2015, a study found that “Anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder in humans are both defined by altered amygdala structure and function.” The study suggests that the end result of the altered structure and function is a change in the way the brain regulates behaviors relating to both anxiety and alcohol use. 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the amygdala actually triggers cravings for drugs once a person starts using a substance. A person’s brain chemistry is altered by continued and excessive use of alcohol or drugs. Over time, the cravings become more and more difficult to resist. At the same time, feelings of anxiety may be increasing, causing a vicious cycle of drug use to lessen anxiety followed by increased anxiety about the drug use.

These issues are essential to address because at least one study suggests that nearly half of people struggling with a substance use disorder also struggle with anxiety to one degree or another. These co-occurring disorders are problematic for many reasons, not the least of which is that individuals with an anxiety disorder tend to be more likely to relapse after they leave rehab.

We Understand the Connection Between Anxiety and Addiction

When an individual is dealing with co-occurring disorders involving anxiety and substance use, it is extremely important that both disorders are addressed. At Ivory Plains, we focus on each individual to be sure we understand the history and experiences that may be contributing to feelings of anxiety or to substance abuse—or both. 

Armed with that understanding, we are able to create personalized treatment plans that take advantage of a number of tools and strategies, ranging from changes in nutrition and exercise to cognitive behavioral therapy and even non-addictive mood regulating medications.

The irony of anxiety is that you may be feeling anxious about seeking help for yourself or for a loved one. Don’t let that anxiety prevent you from taking the important first steps toward a life of sobriety—and a life that sets aside anxiety in favor of a calmer, healthier approach to daily living. When you feel ready, we’re here to help.

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