Everyone has some levels of stress in their lives, and stress can even benefit you in some ways. At the Atlantic Recovery Center in Florida, we have many clients who turn to drugs and alcohol to escape stress. In our addiction treatment programs, you can learn how to cope with stress in healthy ways without relapsing into substance abuse.
Stress and Substance Abuse
According to Psychology Today, stress contributes to the initiation, addiction, and relapse of substance abuse disorders. Thus, successful ways to avoid, alleviate, and deal with stress hold the key to successful treatment. If you have a hard time dealing with stress and want to overcome an addiction to drugs or alcohol, we can help.
Animal studies have shown that stress increases the development of addiction and vulnerability to relapse. Exposure to stress elevates the tendency to use drugs or to return to drug abuse. Those suffering from early childhood trauma or abuse face a heightened level of danger when it comes to addictive behavior.
Our trauma therapy program pairs evidence-based approaches to get to the bottom of substance abuse and mental disorders. You will receive a diagnostic test that helps us design a treatment plan just for you. Additionally, all clients have the opportunity to participate in group therapy and individual therapy sessions with their peers. These sessions can help you deal with your signs of stress.
Signs of Stress
Signs of stress that indicate you should seek professional help include the following, according to the American Institute for Stress.
- You’re constantly in a bad mood. A body in stress releases hormones that affect your mood. Consequently, you may find yourself irritated and worried. This can affect your ability to make decisions.
- You develop poor sleeping habits. If you struggle to fall asleep or wake up or rely on drugs to sleep at night, this may signal that you have a lot of stress in your life.
- Your sex drive changes. Stress can have negative impacts on your libido. Under duress, your body goes into flight or fight mode. This suppresses nonessential survival drives.
- You have become more emotional. Bouts of crying and emotional outbursts may accompany stress. This and other signs of stress can reduce your energy level and make it harder to deal with your emotions.
- You get sick more easily. Stress can compromise your immune system. This can lead to a higher frequency of headaches, nausea, and aches and pains.
- You drink more than usual. A glass of wine or beer at the end of the day can help you relax. If you find that your alcohol consumption has increased, it could indicate that you have become reliant on alcohol to overcome stress. Our alcohol addiction treatment program can help you learn to control the stress in your life and your reaction to it. Subsequently, you can learn healthier coping skills than turning to alcohol or drugs.
These are just some of the signs of stress that may indicate it’s time to talk to a mental health professional about your ability to deal with stress without resorting to alcohol or drug abuse.
Substance Abuse Recovery Center in Florida
At the Atlantic Recovery Center in Florida, we have many programs that help our clients deal with stress. You don’t need drugs or alcohol to feel better about your life. Come to a place where you can discover a more meaningful way to cope with trauma and the signs of stress. Contact us at 1-866-824-5193 today to learn more about our services