Excessive and Chronic Stress is Related to Substance Use and Addiction

It might be common knowledge that a person who cannot manage stress in his or her life might turn to drugs and alcohol as a means to cope. However, research also indicates that a person who has endured chronic stress as a result of challenging experiences in childhood might also come to rely upon substances as a means to find nurturance and relief. This article will explore the relationship between chronic stress and substance use.

Challenging experiences in childhood does not predict addiction. However, there is an association between those who experienced excessive and chronic stress, such as experiencing a childhood trauma and the use of drugs and alcohol. Experts have found that prolonged stress in childhood can permanently alter the hormonal stress response, causing a person to respond differently to certain stressful situations subsequently in his or her life. And this new way of responding to life's stressful circumstances can include the consumption of alcohol and/or use of drugs.

In fact, research has tested this on animals, which has demonstrated that there is a relationship between childhood experiences, stress, and vulnerability to substance use. For instance, babies monkey who were raised by those other than their mothers consume twice as much alcohol as those monkeys who were raised by their mothers. Also, rats who were handled during the first three weeks of their life demonstrate a significant reduction in the stress hormone response later in their adulthood, compared with rats who were not handled during their early life.

When a person must endure a significant amount of stress in their early life, they tend to not have the inner resources to soothe themselves, and thus, they will be more likely to turn to external resources in order to calm themselves. One of these external resources for many people with a history of trauma is drugs and alcohol. As you can imagine, the relationship between chronic stress and substance use becomes stronger if a person does not have healthy coping tools or a network of support to rely upon.

There is certainly a clear association between chronic stress and substance use. However, even the anticipation of a stressful event can be triggering for someone, and commonly, people will drink or use substances during a stressful situation. Furthermore, stressful events are not the same for everyone. One person might find finances stressful while others might find that loneliness is what triggers them.

There are many individuals who have experienced difficult life circumstances who are also alcoholics or addicts. Many of them will report that it was those challenging events that contribute to their addiction. This again reinforces the relationship between chronic stress and addiction. Fortunately, there are ways to assist a person who is struggling with past life events and alcoholism or drug addiction. For instance, ensuring that there is adequate support in one's life, learning new coping tools, participating in therapy to address past trauma, and working with one's thoughts and beliefs are all ways to facilitate sustained sobriety.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction, contact a mental health provider for assistance.