Addiction is a crippling disease which has existed in different forms and affected humans for time immemorial. While dangerous addiction can occur in the absence of drugs, many of the deteriorating effects of dependence are in some way tied to substance abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the annual societal cost of substance abuse approaches $740 billion when crime, lost productivity and health care are factored in.
As if the immediate surface effects of drug abuse weren’t enough, it also often precipitates a slew of physical and mental effects that add insult to injury. The deleterious effects on the mind and body associated with drug abuse are highly conducive to a snowballing of negative consequences.
One effect that often manifests concurrently with addiction is anxiety.
Anxiety and the Limbic System
Anxiety can be physically understood as an abnormal functioning in the parts of the brain responsible for mood. These brain areas make up a section of the nervous system known as the limbic system. These parts of the brain can be conceptualized as different from the more frontal regions of the brain, which are responsible for higher cognition. In healthy brains, these higher functions are able to inhibit these systems, but in the case of addiction, this ability is diminished.
Anxiety and Substance Abuse
The presence of anxiety or disorder related to substance abuse increases the likelihood of the other. Unsurprisingly, post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder are also affiliated with substance abuse. This further reinforces the connection between substance abuse and mood dysregulation.
The Cycle of Self Medication and Anxiety
A vicious cycle is created when people self-treat their anxiety via means of substance abuse. This offers temporary relief but impairs the brain’s ability to regulate emotions properly in the long term. This leads an addicted individual down an increasingly hellish spiral of despair. It can start with something as simple as a few drinks after a stressful week at work. Over time, your brain creates an association between a substance and refuge from stress.
After the cycle has been maintained for a period of time, the incessant release of dopamine during drinking sprees leads to a downregulation of dopamine receptors. The tangible effect of this is a raised threshold for pleasure, otherwise known as tolerance. This desensitization to normal stimuli leads to a dysregulation of various brain functions. Suddenly, alcohol is required to merely feel “normal”, while increasingly greater amounts are required to attain the desired effects of inebriation and tranquility.
At this point, addiction has begun to take hold, and immediate action is highly recommended. An inpatient facility stands alone as one of the most effective ways of getting clean of drugs or alcohol. There is a myriad of benefits to admission to a clinic as opposed to going at it yourself, including 24/7 access to trained professionals and like-minded abstainers going through a similar situation.
Being especially cautious during alcohol withdrawal is important, as death is possible particularly in cases where delirium is present.
Addiction, Anxiety, and Compounding of Problems
It is rarely the case that a person has anxiety and a substance abuse problem, but has all other aspects of their life in perfect order – and even if they do, it generally cannot be sustained for long. As the brain’s functioning is impaired by addiction, other behaviors are generally affected as well. This often means impaired motivation, energy levels, ability to concentrate, and many more.
These are common calling cards of a hangover, but as the problem progresses into something larger, they begin to extend their influence. This can mean an inability to wake up on time, or reduced performance at work or in other professional endeavors. The problem can exponentially worsen in cases where these changes lead to a discharge from employment.
Plasticity of Neural Circuitry
The reason why addiction and anxiety get worse over time is due to the brain’s plasticity, or ability to make new connections. Aberrant remodeling of brain circuits leads to a change in behavior that becomes stronger in proportion to how long the addictive patterns are continued. While this seems like a dire situation, the silver lining is that the brain’s plasticity also allows for remodeling for positive habits.
One effective way of bringing the brain back to equilibrium and creating beneficial neural connections is by exercise. Getting the body moving has numerous benefits, which are especially pronounced in the brain.
When a person exercises, studies indicate that this causes an upregulation of dopamine receptors, which are the exact same types of receptors that are downregulated from substance abuse. In theory, this would mean that establishing a regular exercise routine will help to restore the ability for an addict to feel pleasure from normal stimuli, like socializing with friends or watching a movie. In addition, exercise promotes the release of a chemical known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is highly beneficial for the brain’s overall maintenance.
While the ability for the brain to adapt to your behavior holds the potential to deepen the severity of an addiction, it is also the very thing that can put your life back on track. It also highlights an importance of tackling the problem sooner rather than later; the longer an addict postpones remedial action, the harder it becomes to dig oneself out of the situation.