If you are recovering from an addiction, it is likely that at some point anxiety will knock on your door. Approximately 17% of people who suffer from addiction also have an anxiety disorder.
In other cases, anxiety appears right during the recovery process, so it can hinder the process and cause relapses. The good news is that there are different treatments for anxiety in addictions, from behavioral therapies to alternative methods such as meditation or even hypnosis.
What causes anxiety in addictions?
The relationship between anxiety and addictions is extremely complex. Many addictive substances provide temporary relief from anxiety symptoms, such as caffeine, alcohol, and cannabis, either because of their sedative effect on the central nervous system or because they temporarily eliminate worry.
However, in the long term they end up exacerbating anxiety or contributing to its establishment since they generally cause changes in brain chemistry. Reductions in neurotransmitters that regulate mood, such as serotonin and dopamine, for example, can lead to an increase in anxiety symptoms.
On the other hand, in the recovery phase, acute withdrawal syndrome can generate anxiety in response to the challenges faced on a physical and emotional level during the first days or weeks of detoxification.
Later, some of the common situations that also generate anxiety are:
- Fear of not being able to turn to the substance as a coping strategy when things go wrong
- Living in a new environment or having to reintegrate socially, perhaps looking for a new job or building a new social support network
- Feeling of loneliness, especially if you have lost relationships due to addiction
- Financial concerns as a result of the period of addiction
For these reasons, learning to deal with anxiety is often key to recovering from addiction.
What anxiety treatments are used in addiction recovery?
There are different psychological therapies that can help you understand and reduce anxiety while recovering from addiction. Choosing a treatment for anxiety in addictions will depend on the approach with which you feel most comfortable, as well as the criteria of the psychologist or psychiatrist, who will assess its effectiveness in your case and the benefits it could bring you.
– Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
In this type of anxiety therapy, the therapist will help you identify and modify the negative or irrational thoughts that contribute to both anxiety and addiction, so that you can develop more constructive and healthy inner dialogue.
You could also use techniques of gradual exposure to situations that provoke anxiety to reduce fear and avoidance behaviors or help you determine the stimuli that trigger consumption, so that you can better manage them and they can lose their power over you. Additionally, you will learn more assertive coping strategies so that you can deal with difficult situations without resorting to substances or suffering from anxiety.
– Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
In this case, the focus is on encouraging acceptance of difficult thoughts and emotions, such as anxiety, rather than fighting them. By accepting these internal experiences, with an attitude of openness and curiosity, you learn to cope with anxiety without resorting to substance use, which is crucial to avoid relapses.
On the other hand, ACT will help you clarify your values and commit to actions that reflect them. During therapy you will have to identify what is truly important to you, such as family relationships, health or personal growth, and the psychologist will help you make concrete plans to implement a lifestyle that honors those values.
As a result, this therapy often provides a sense of purpose and direction, helping you find motivation and meaning beyond substance use, so that you stop using substances as an escape and can pursue a healthier path for yourself.
– Mindfulness and meditation
These techniques are used in different treatments, from ACT to integrative therapy, largely due to their effectiveness. Mindfulness or full attention involves intentionally focusing on the present moment with an attitude of openness and without judgment, which will help you become aware of your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations so that you do not react impulsively to them.
Different studies have not only confirmed the effectiveness of mindfulness and meditation in reducing anxiety, but these practices could even cause changes at the brain level that improve emotional regulation, thus promoting greater self-control and making you less likely to search relief in alcohol or drugs.
Additionally, meditation can help you develop greater compassion and acceptance for yourself, which is essential for healing and personal growth during addiction recovery.
– Hypnosis
A meta-analysis developed at the University of Hartford found that people who undergo hypnosis reduce their anxiety levels by more than 79%, compared to those who do not receive this psychological technique. The key to its effectiveness lies in the fact that, during hypnosis sessions, an altered state of consciousness occurs that allows access to the subconscious to address the underlying emotional and psychological triggers that contribute to addiction and anxiety.
Additionally, as you are more receptive to positive suggestions and restructuring negative thought patterns that may be fueling anxiety and addiction, you will be able to reduce anxiety levels by changing automatic emotional responses and promoting a sense of calm and control instead. Hypnosis also facilitates the visualization of anxiety-free scenarios, reinforcing confidence in your ability to cope with stressful situations without resorting to substances.
Obviously, none of these approaches are magical, and mindfulness or hypnosis is typically used within the framework of broader psychotherapy. You also need to commit to the change and in some cases it may be necessary to supplement psychological treatment with anxiety medications while you recover. But the most important thing is that you are aware that both anxiety and addictions are treatable and you can take steps to leave them behind and regain control of your life.
References:
Siew, S., & Yu, J. (2023) Mindfulness-based randomized controlled trials led to brain structural changes: An anatomical likelihood meta-analysis. Scientific Reports; 13: 18469.
Hoge, E. A. et. Al. (2023) Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction vs Escitalopram for the Treatment of Adults With Anxiety Disorders A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry; 80(1): 13-21.
Valentine, K. E. et. Al. (2018) The Efficacy of Hypnosis as a Treatment for Anxiety: A Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis; 67(3): 336-363.
Back, S. & Brady, K. (2008) Anxiety Disorders with Comorbid Substance Use Disorders: Diagnostic and Treatment Considerations. Psychiatr Ann; 38(11): 724–729.
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