“It’s more common than you might think,” warns the Harvard-trained psychologist
Stress, even with all its negative aspects, can be addictive. This is a trick of our brains: In addition to cortisol, stress releases dopamine, a feel-good chemical that encourages repetitive behaviors by activating the reward center in our brains, according to Heidi Hanna, a North American integrative neuroscientist, author of books such as “The Sharp Solution, Stressaholic” and “Recharge”.
Stress can cause a feeling of natural euphoria, activating the centers of excitement and attention in our nervous system, which, if sustained, can be “addictive like drugs,” warns Hanna.
In other words, your chronically stressed brain may be addicted to those euphoric little shots of dopamine, adds Debbie Sorensen, a Harvard-trained psychologist who specializes in burnout.
We also keep busy by trying to avoid “unpleasant emotions” such as boredom, loneliness, and sadness. “It’s a lot more common than you think,” adds Sorensen.
But glorifying always being busy, both on and off work, can be dangerous. This makes chronic stress and burnout even more likely. Chronic stress, if not properly managed, can lead to high blood pressure, irritable bowel syndrome, acne and other health problems.
3 common signs of a stress addiction
If you enjoy hectic deadlines and feel guilty every time you take time off from work, trust me, you may already be addicted to stress.
Stress addiction often results from self-inflicted pressure to succeed, warns Sorensen, leaving highly ambitious people more susceptible to burnout and chronic stress. But social pressures also play a role.
“Our productivity-obsessed culture has made stress a badge of honor,” she explains. “It’s also good for the ego to be constantly busy, because we equate effort with success.”
There are 3 common signs of a developing stress addiction to watch out for, according to Sorensen:
- 1. Avoid rest and relaxation
- two. Check your cell phone constantly
- 3. Say “yes” to everything
Importantly, these can also be signs of a toxic work environment that expects you to try too hard and be constantly “on the go,” Sorensen points out.
Toxic work environment contributes to addiction
If your boss consistently gives you an “overly high workload or expects you to be online after hours, that’s not a sign of stress addiction,” he warns.
You need to set boundaries and get away from work-related stress as much as you can.
The most obvious symptom of a stress addiction is consistently choosing to put yourself in stressful situations, even when you have the option to avoid them and your body, mind, or both are “calling for a break,” says Sorensen.
How to break the vicious circle
There’s no foolproof method for controlling a stress addiction, but exercise and meditation are good places to start.
Both practices increase the “happy chemicals” in the brain, including dopamine and endorphins, which are strong antidotes to the fight-or-flight response you get into when you’re stressed.
Most importantly, see if you can figure out what triggers “bad stress” for you, advises Sorensen. Watch out for problems with sleep, appetite, concentration, and mood. What do you do when you are stressed? What helps and what makes it worse?
“Sometimes you have to go deeper than these quick fixes. If you think you’re addicted to stress, you may really be getting too little sleep or have too many responsibilities in your life…and the only way to get better is to make a lifestyle change.” life,” concludes Sorensen.
Originally Posted by CNBC.
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Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
