March 13,2013
To the public, alcoholism is often viewed as a low and despicable position for an individual to be in. But the truth is that beyond the disease of addiction, there is often depression, stress, and...
To the public, alcoholism is often viewed as a low and despicable position for an individual to be in. But the truth is that beyond the disease of addiction, there is often depression, stress, and anxiety, which can make a person so miserable that they eventually turn to alcohol to diminish negative sensations.
Daily œstressors such as strain in the work environment, disagreements with family members or friends, financial struggle, and other common pitfalls of life can be overwhelming to individuals with a low tolerance for negativity and struggle. The amount of endurance and resistance to these stressors vary person to person; for many, the anxiety and stress which builds up over time can be too much to handle. While some people find positive ways to deal with stress, or manage to keep a positive outlook during œhard times, others can be prone to thinking the worse, allowing the stress to overcome them and accepting the bad feelings. Anxiety alone can come from many situations, for everyone; so long-term anxiety is painful enough to drive people to drink in order to escape the feeling.
Even more impacting than daily stressors however, are traumatic events, which may have happened in the recent past, or even decades prior to submitting to drug abuse. Post- traumatic stress disorder is a term that is very common in the world of alcoholism. Most notably known in returning veterans, PTSD can also hassle people who have had domestic traumatic events in their past. Sexual, physical or mental abuse can all be contributing factors in people who suffer from PTSD. Traumatic events such as these are commonly the core issues behind struggling alcoholics, and can drive the addiction for many years before the notion of finding help is even considered. What can result from long-term untreated PTSD is that many cues (such as particular situations, people, or settings) can trigger sudden stress or anxiety at an extreme level. For those who suffer from this disorder, turning to alcohol can be a quick and easy way to dim the negative feelings and even forget the past incidents that plague them.
When people begin to self-medicate stress and anxiety with alcohol it can quickly transcend into an addiction. The norm of drinking a glass of wine or having one or two beers to ˜take the edge off' can quickly become episodes of binge drinking. Once the stress relief of drinking turns into addiction, the problems worsen considerably and dramatically. Where originally there was a defined source of anxiety or stress, the addiction can lead to deepening stress and anxiety. Aside from those original factors, namely the sense of failure, depression, and inner turmoil (resulting from an addiction to alcohol) can make the process of drinking serve as a stress reliever. All this is only the beginning of the vicious cycle of addiction.
Treating an addiction which stemmed from extreme stress and anxiety is a very delicate and fragile process. Entering rehab is strongly recommended for anyone struggling with alcoholism and addiction alone. With added factors such as stress and anxiety management problems, it becomes even more beneficial to seek professional help in sorting the problems out in a healthy and effective manner. In a rehabilitation program, it is essential that people are honest about what drove them to drink alcohol, even if those reasons are painful, frightening or damaging. Before alcoholism can be properly dealt with, those stressors and anxiety-causing factors must be cleared up and resolved.
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