Anxiety and Addiction : Recovery Options

Understanding the intricate relationship between anxiety and addiction is crucial in both the fields of mental health and substance abuse treatment. Anxiety, a pervasive condition characterized by persistent, excessive worry and fear, can be both a precursor to and a consequence of addiction. The dual connection between anxiety and addiction highlights the complexity of treating individuals who struggle with these co-occurring disorders.

What Is Anxiety?

Anxiety is defined by the American Psychological Association (APA) as a feeling of tension, physical changes such as elevated blood pressure, or worried thoughts. Common anxiety disorders include:

Typically, individuals with anxiety disorders experience intrusive worries or thoughts repeatedly. These people may stay away from specific circumstances out of fear. They might also experience physical symptoms of anxiety including:

Sweating
Shaking
Nausea
An accelerated heartbeat

These uncomfortable and hard-to-regulate sensations of worry and panic interfere with daily activities. To stop these feelings, you could avoid triggers, like certain circumstances or locations. Many people need help from professional therapists to understand the sources of their anxiety and learn to cope with it.

What Is Addiction?

Addiction, also known as a substance use disorder (SUD), is defined as a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences. It is considered a complex condition that can affect people of all ages, genders, races, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Addiction involves changes in the brain’s reward system, making individuals crave drugs or certain behaviors to experience pleasure. These changes also make it difficult for individuals to control their impulses and resist using drugs even when they know it may be harmful. After developing a substance use disorder, people struggle to quit drinking or doing drugs, despite their best efforts.

There are various types of addiction, including:

Alcoholism
Drug addictions
Behavioral addictions

These addictions can have severe consequences on a person’s physical health, mental well-being, relationships, and overall quality of life.

Addiction is not a choice but rather a disease that requires proper treatment and support for recovery. It is important to understand that individuals who struggle with addiction are not weak or lacking willpower. Addiction is a chronic condition that requires ongoing management, similar to other chronic diseases like diabetes or asthma.

Underlying Causes of Anxiety and Addiction

Many factors can contribute to the development of addiction and mental health disorders like anxiety. Listed below are a few underlying causes of anxiety and addiction:

Family history: You might be more prone to anxiety if a parent or other close family member suffers from an anxiety disorder.
History of trauma: The probability of getting an anxiety-related condition like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) increases after experiencing a stressful incident, such as witnessing child abuse or being around violence.
Substance abuse: Anxiety may be triggered or worsened by brain abnormalities brought on by alcohol or drug abuse. A driving factor for substance misuse can also be anxiety.
Overexposure to stress: People who experience significant levels of stress regularly—emotional, psychological, or physical—are more likely to display symptoms of an anxiety disorder.
Other mental illnesses: Anxiety and psychiatric illnesses frequently coexist. For instance, someone with depression is more likely to experience an anxiety disorder than someone who isn’t depressed.

While these factors increase a person’s risk of developing anxiety and addiction, it is important to remember that everyone’s experience with mental health and addiction is unique. It is not possible to predict who will develop anxiety or addiction based on these factors alone.

Facts and Statistics About Anxiety Disorders and Drug Abuse

Remembering that various sorts of people encounter anxiety disorders and drug abuse problems might be helpful if you discover that your anxiety is hurting your life and how you perform. You could feel less alone if you are informed. Learn more:

The most prevalent mental disorder in the United States, anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults (18.1% of the population) each year.

The number of young adults (18 to 25) who first used alcohol in the previous year climbed from 1.2 million in 2002 to 2.4 million in 2019. In this same age group, the number who first used marijuana in the previous year climbed from 733,000 to 1.2 million over the same time period. Young people who started abusing prescription painkillers in the previous year fell from 596,000 in 2015 to 404,000 in 2019.

Over 30% of American adults report experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive illness, up from 11% of adults before the pandemic.

With lifetime rates of 28.8% for anxiety disorders and 14.6% for drug use disorders, respectively, these conditions are among the most prevalent mental issues in the U.S.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2021 estimates that 9.2 million individuals in the U.S. have a co-occurring condition.

Co-Occurring Anxiety and Substance Use Disorders

People with anxiety disorders frequently abuse alcohol or drugs to manage their symptoms. Individuals who experience anxiety are twice as likely to abuse drugs as non-anxious people.

The following are the most common drugs of abuse in people with anxiety disorders:

Alcohol
Tobacco
Cannabis
Central nervous system depressant drugs, like benzodiazepines or opioids
Stimulants

Unfortunately, attempts at self-medication frequently have the opposite effect and make the symptoms of severe mental illness worse. When the psychological and physical effects of anxiety get worse, you might be tempted to consume more drugs or alcohol to function normally. A cycle of drug usage develops, which can result in chemical dependency and addiction.

If you are struggling with co-occurring anxiety and addiction, know that there is help available for you. Dual diagnosis treatment centers can provide personalized care to address both disorders at the same time to help you heal in recovery. Remember, seeking help is not a sign of weakness. It takes courage and strength to acknowledge that you need support and take steps towards recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many anxiety disorders are there, and what are they called?

There are five major anxiety disorders and they are:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Social anxiety disorder

What does long-term anxiety do to the brain?

Stress is extremely detrimental. Pathological and persistent stress can cause the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) to deteriorate and perform less effectively. This may help explain why people are more prone to conditions like dementia and depression.

What are the signs of anxiety or drug abuse?

Drug or alcohol abuse can produce anxiety, such as jitteriness, agitation, insomnia, irritability and obsessive concerns.

If you have an anxiety disorder and drug abuse problem, it’s time to seek support from an addiction treatment center to learn more about your unique situation and get control of your anxiety and addiction. These conditions can worsen if neglected and have a long-term harmful effect on your life. If you, a relative, or someone you love and care about is struggling with anxiety and addiction, Footprints to Recovery is here for you. We can help you find the recovery program that’s right for you. You’ll engage in treatment for anxiety and substance abuse disorders that will help take your life back from alcohol and drugs, as well as anxiety.

Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders: Anxiety Disorder and Substance Abuse

A person who has two disorders at the same time has co-occurring disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that approximately 9.2 million adults in the U.S. have two or more disorders.

A co-occurring disorder can describe any combination of disorder and disease, but it’s frequently used to refer to those with a substance use disorder and another mental ailment like anxiety or depression. The interactions between the symptoms may have an impact on how both disorders progress. This is also known as “dual diagnosis” or having co-occurring diseases.

A diagnosis of a substance use disorder and an anxiety disorder indicates that both disorders must be collaboratively treated. You can’t ignore either one but must treat both. The only way to approach the situation is to address all your issues together. For those with co-occurring disorders, treating both disorders can enhance results and quality of life, including:

Reduced or stopped drug or alcohol use
Improvement in psychiatric functions and symptoms
Better chance for successful recovery and treatment
Higher standard of living
Limited interaction with substances
Higher housing stability

Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders: Anxiety Disorder and Substance Abuse

Medication may be a short- or long-term treatment choice, depending on your symptoms and how you respond to treatment. Medication is frequently combined with psychotherapy or behavioral treatment.

The most popular family of antidepressants, known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are used to treat some types of anxiety, such as:

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic disorder
Social phobia

These drugs function by raising serotonin levels in the brain, which control mood, appetite, and sleep. Serotonin supplementation enhances the flow of information between brain cells, which elevates your mood and reduces anxiety.

Antidepressants may be used to treat anxiety problems in some situations, but they should be combined with other therapies. The disorder cannot be treated well with medication alone.

Therapy for Anxiety and Addiction

Psychotherapy, also referred to as talk therapy is when you work with a therapist to lessen your symptoms of anxiety by talking about those situations that cause anxiety or work to alleviate symptoms.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a widely used and effective psychotherapy treatment for someone with anxiety disorders. CBT, which is typically a short-term therapy, focuses on teaching you specific techniques to reduce your anxiety symptoms and eventually resume the things you’ve put off due to worry. In exposure treatment of anxiety, you are placed in a situation that causes you extreme anxiety, so you are forced to overcome your fears in a safe environment. You then gain confidence in your ability to alleviate those anxious symptoms while you deal head on with the situation that causes you anxiety or stress. In essence, you are exposed to the therapy until you learn how to effectively handle the anxious feelings.

People with anxiety disorders frequently engage in therapy in some capacity for the remainder of their lives. Over time, the therapy’s intensity typically lessens. In a structured treatment program, patients might begin with daily therapy sessions, but, as they progress, later only see their therapist once a week or once a month.

A Comprehensive Approach

Treatment for a co-occurring substance use disorder frequently includes medical detoxification and may involve additional medications to curb drug urges. Both your substance misuse and your anxiety issues will be treated in therapy, along with how they are connected.

It’s recommended that you seek therapy for substance abuse from an addiction center, where addiction professionals can make sure you’re getting the help you need. Substance abuse treatment programs include:

Residential treatment, where you live at the facility while being treated for addiction and anxiety
Outpatient rehab, including partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient rehab, or a standard outpatient program

As an aide to therapy, joining a peer support group like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) or Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) is recommended. Although these sessions don’t replace therapy, they can be a very helpful support system for people in recovery. Additionally, you will develop an aftercare strategy with your medical team. This process includes numerous activities that promote a healthy, balanced existence and provides a framework for life while in recovery from substance abuse.