Stress and Anxiety
By Danesh Alam MD, DFAPA, DFASAM
Medically reviewed by Danesh Alam MD, DFAPA, DFASAM
Stress and Anxiety
Everyone experiences stress and anxiety in their lifetime. Possibly you may feel stressed over a presentation you have to deliver, or you feel anxious in a large social crowd. Either way, stress is a response to a threat in a situation which places a demand on the person's physical body. Anxiety is a reaction to the stress.
A certain amount of stress is a normal part of life. However, unmanageable stress and anxiety can be unhealthy, both physically and psychologically. They can cause symptoms from headaches, high blood pressure, to heart palpitations and loss of sleep. If stress and anxiety begin interfering with daily life, it may indicate a more serious issue, where avoidance to participate in social situations are due to irrational fears, constant worry, or severe anxiety due to traumatic events weeks, months, or years after it happened. Help may need to be found.Many alcoholics and addicts use substances to the effect that they experience after the very first drink or drug. The substance allows them to be at ease. Drugs and alcohol give them the ‘liquid courage’ to attend social events and not fear judgment. And ultimately, they see alcohol and drugs as the ‘medicine’ to alleviate anxiety, stress, and fear. This becomes what is known as ‘problem drinking’ and 'self-medicating.' To the alcoholic or addict, their problem is the anxiety, stress, and fear, and the solution is the alcohol and drug that replaces those feelings with confidence and self-assurance.Like any other mental illness, anxiety disorders are not the result of personal weakness, character flaws, or poor upbringing. Many mental illnesses are caused by a combination of factors, including changes in the brain and environmental stress.
