Last Updated:
May 16th, 2025
Stress and Addiction | Symptoms and Support Options
What is stress?
Stress is your body’s natural reaction to situations or challenges that require action or adaptation. It’s an instinctive response designed to keep you alert and ready to respond effectively. While stress is often perceived negatively, it isn’t always harmful. Sometimes, stress helps boost your energy, sharpen your thinking and motivate you to overcome obstacles or achieve goals.
This positive form of stress is known as eustress. Eustress enhances your performance and can make activities enjoyable or exciting, like competing in sports, meeting deadlines or tackling new projects. In contrast, distress is the negative form of stress, characterised by feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious or unable to cope.
However, when stress becomes chronic or excessively intense, it can turn harmful. According to research, prolonged stress can:
- Increased inflammation
- An increased risk of developing anxiety and depression
- An elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases
- A potential increase in being diagnosed with metabolic disorders.
Understanding stress, both the helpful kind and the harmful kind, is key to managing it effectively.
Are there different types of stress?
Stress is a deeply personal experience that can feel entirely different from one individual to the next. A situation that seems challenging but manageable to one person might feel overwhelming and deeply stressful to another. This is because our perceptions, past experiences, resilience and coping strategies shape how we respond to stressors, meaning almost any situation could potentially become distressing.
Even though distress is unique to each person, it generally falls into several main categories based on its sources or triggers:
| Type of stress | Explanation | Example |
| Acute stress | Short-term stress triggered by immediate situations. | Feeling your heart race before a job interview. |
| Chronic stress | Prolonged and persistent stress that can harm health over time. | Constant stress due to an unhappy relationship. |
| Episodic acute stress | Frequent episodes of acute stress linked to chaotic lifestyles. | Always rushing to meet multiple tight deadlines at work. |
| Traumatic stress | Stress caused by exposure to deeply disturbing events. | Experiencing flashbacks after witnessing violence. |
| Environmental stress | Stress arising from challenging surroundings or conditions. | Anxiety from living in a noisy, polluted city area. |
| Psychological stress | Stress from internal worries, thoughts or self-imposed pressure. | Obsessively worrying about making mistakes in exams. |
| Physiological stress | Physical stress due to internal or external health disruptions. | Feeling exhausted due to chronic sleep deprivation. |
How distress can lead to a path of addiction
When faced with intense stress, some people find themselves seeking comfort through substances like alcohol or drugs as a form of self-medication. This isn’t always intentional or conscious; it often begins as a temporary relief from overwhelming feelings, only to escalate into addiction.
1. Financial strain
Losing a job, falling into debt or struggling to pay bills can cause severe anxiety. Someone might begin drinking to escape these worries momentarily, but as financial pressures persist, casual drinking can quickly become an everyday coping mechanism, leading to dependence.
2. Relationship breakdown
The emotional pain from divorce or separation can leave individuals feeling isolated and hopeless. Turning to substances during lonely nights or difficult days can initially numb emotional distress but soon enough, they become the primary way to manage heartbreak.
3. Workplace stress
Constant deadlines, high-pressure projects or a hostile work environment can drive someone to rely on stimulants like cocaine or prescription medications to boost productivity or energy. Eventually, regular use creates physical dependence and addiction.
4. Grief and loss
After losing a loved one, some people find themselves unable to cope with their sorrow. Substances like sleeping pills or opioids might be misused to ease emotional suffering or sleeplessness, unknowingly setting the stage for addiction over time.
Research explains the link between stress and addiction
There is strong evidence that chronic stress, emotional distress and psychosocial adversity significantly increase the risk of developing addiction. Studies show that adolescents who face difficult life events, such as parental divorce, abuse, neglect or social isolation, are more likely to engage in drug use and develop substance use disorders. Childhood trauma, including physical or sexual abuse, is especially associated with a higher risk of later addiction.
Stress-related conditions like anxiety, depression, PTSD and behavioural issues also raise vulnerability. These chronic distress states not only affect mental well-being but can also drive individuals toward substances as a way to cope.
Recent research highlights that it’s not just single events but the cumulative impact of multiple stressors over time that increases the risk of addiction. Whether the stress occurred years ago or within the past year, the more adversity a person has faced, the higher their likelihood of developing substance dependence.
This pattern appears consistently across gender and racial groups, showing that addiction risk rises in a dose-dependent way with ongoing exposure to trauma, loss, abuse and major life disruptions.
How are stress and addiction treated?
When someone is facing both stress and addiction, it’s important to care for both issues simultaneously. Doing so provides the best chance for lasting recovery, as treating one without the other could make overcoming either problem harder. By addressing both at once, you can begin to feel relief sooner and develop healthier ways to cope moving forward.
The first step in treating addiction usually involves a carefully managed detox. This process helps you safely remove harmful substances from your body and eases uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Detox can be challenging, but it’s an essential foundation that prepares you physically and emotionally for further recovery.
Therapies such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and one-to-one counselling are often used to address stress and addiction together. These therapies offer compassionate support as you discover what’s causing your stress and learn new ways to manage difficult emotions without relying on substances. Holistic methods like yoga or meditation can also bring a sense of calm and emotional balance, helping you reconnect gently with yourself.
Finally, aftercare is there to support you long after initial treatment ends. Continuing support helps you navigate life’s challenges and stressors with greater confidence, providing encouragement and practical tools to help you stay on track towards a healthier, happier life.
What are the next steps?
If stress and addiction are affecting your life, Addiction Helper is here for you. Our experienced and compassionate team can connect you with tailored treatment options, answering any questions you have with complete confidentiality. Reaching out can feel daunting but we’re ready to guide you gently towards the support you need. Contact us today and take your first step towards recovery.
Our compassionate team are ready and available to take your call, and guide you towards lasting the lasting addiction recovery you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
(Click here to see works cited)
- Chu B, Marwaha K, Sanvictores T, et al. Physiology, Stress Reaction. [Updated 2024 May 7]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541120
- Sinha R. Chronic stress, drug use, and vulnerability to addiction. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Oct;1141:105-30. doi: 10.1196/annals.1441.030. PMID: 18991954; PMCID: PMC2732004.
