Stress and Addiction: How Are They Related?

How does stress impact addiction?

Stress is a risk factor for developing an addiction. This risk is higher if you are exposed to stress in early childhood or exposed to chronic stress at any time. Stress is also a barrier to recovery for people in active addiction, and it is a risk factor for relapse.

Does chronic stress increase your risk of drug use?

Chronic stress can cause anxiety. Both chronic stress and anxiety are risk factors for developing an addiction. Experiencing early stress or chronic stress causes changes in your brain, and these changes affect your ability to manage and respond to any type of stress.

When these changes take place, they impact three parts of your brain: dopamine signaling, serotonin production, and the release of melatonin. Here’s what these three things are:

• Dopamine is a chemical your body makes that allows you to feel good. 

• Serotonin is what helps keep your mood balanced. 

• Melatonin helps regulate your sleep.

Chronic stress harms your body’s natural ability to feel well, balanced, and rested. These systems are also harmed by substance use.

What is stress smoking?

Many cigarette smokers report that smoking reduces their stress. But smokers report higher levels of stress than non-smokers. And the stress relief from smoking can be connected to relief from nicotine cravings. There is also a strong link between anxiety and smoking tobacco.

Tobacco is a stimulant. This means it can activate the brain’s reward system so that users feel a rush of pleasure when smoking. Twenty-four hours after smoking, your body’s stress response activates. This is due to nicotine withdrawal. This stress response can lead to anxiety, or a fear of the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms. This cycle can make quitting harder and can contribute to more stress, not less.

What is stress drinking?

Studies have shown a strong link between stress and alcohol use. Alcohol can blunt the effects of hormones that create the stress response. It also changes brain functions and reduces feelings of anxiety. Drinking may provide temporary relief from stress and anxiety. But long-term use can make it more difficult for the body to manage stress without the use of a drug. 

This can create a cycle where stress triggers a desire to drink. And drinking makes it harder to manage the stressful things in your regular life. This is sometimes called self-medication, and it can lead to problem drinking. 

Using alcohol to manage stress or anxiety may give you some relief. But it also makes it more difficult to manage these uncomfortable feelings in the long run.

What are some coping mechanisms for stress?

You don’t have to make huge changes to bring coping skills into your everyday life. Small changes can add up and make big differences in how you manage stress. Some coping skills for stress include:

• Proper nutrition: Try skipping fast food a couple times a week and have a healthier option instead.

• Regular exercise: Take a walk after dinner or at a time that makes sense with your schedule.

• Avoid drugs and alcohol: Talk to a doctor or therapist if you need help with this.

• Take time for leisure and rest: Don’t work through your lunch hour or skip out on time for yourself.

• Get the sleep you need: Try going to bed 30 minutes earlier.

Regular self-care builds up your reserves of resiliency, or your ability to get through difficult times. Having more resiliency helps you perform better when you are under stress, which may in turn reduce the risk of addiction.

For self-care, it’s better to be consistent than to make big changes. For example, a spa day or a vacation is great. But it's important to take care of yourself each day in small ways too. If you don’t, then a single day off or a fancy vacation isn’t likely to reduce your stress levels.

What’s the link between stress and addiction recovery?

Avoiding stress can be an important strategy to stay on track with your recovery goals. Substance use can damage your brain, and it can do this in ways that will make small stressful events or moments feel huge. 

If you're used to dealing with stress by getting drunk or high, it can be very hard to deal with stress when you’re sober. If you are withdrawing from substances, you may have an even more difficult time. Detox is stressful on the body and the brain due to the withdrawal effects of no longer using drugs or alcohol. If you are detoxing, any stressful things can feel more challenging or overwhelming.

The people, places, and things in your life that you associate with substance use can be sources of stress. These reminders can trigger cravings, which can be intense and stressful. Here are some tips to manage cravings:

• Consider staying away from people who are using. 

• Try to surround yourself with people who understand and support your recovery. 

• Think about taking a different route to avoid passing by your favorite bar. 

• Try to explore new hobbies that don’t involve alcohol or drug use. 

• Get rid of any paraphernalia you have that reminds you of substance use. 

And remember to be gentle with yourself. You’ll feel better able to manage these stressors as time passes.

How does stress impact your recovery? And can it cause relapse?

Relapse is most likely to occur within the first few weeks to 2 months of recovery. About 85% of people relapse within the first year. 

Cravings can be especially challenging in early recovery. This is because your ability to manage stress has been affected by the effects of past drug use. If a relapse does occur, often the stress returns at a more intense level. You may feel more stress from using drugs or alcohol when you’re trying to work on your recovery.

If you start using substances again, remember that it’s not the end of the world. Celebrate every small victory. And don’t hesitate to talk to a doctor or counselor to ensure you’re getting the help you need. You will feel better able to manage everyday stressful events or moments over time. As your recovery progresses, your resiliency also increases.

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Written by:

Cecilia Stonebraker, NCC, LCMHCA, LCAS, CSI

Cecilia Stonebraker, LCAS, LCMHCA, CSI, is a national certified counselor, a licensed clinical addiction specialist, and a couples therapist. She runs a private practice in North Carolina.

Reviewed by:

Emily Guarnotta, PsyD

Emily Guarnotta, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified perinatal mental health professional with over 10 years of clinical experience.

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