THERE’S NO ARGUING that stress is an inherent part of the human experience. It’s a universal trait of our shared humanity that no one is immune to. Simply spend a day meeting the daily demands of life – from work, to family, to keeping up with exercise regimes, to social lives, and you’ll know that it’s sometimes unavoidable. While a little bit of stress can be good for us, what happens when we compulsively seek out stressful situations? Below, psychologist Dr. Maria-Elena Lukeides from The Wellness Fountain describes the hidden dangers of high-performance lifestyles.
What is stress addiction?
Just like it sounds, stress addiction is a pattern of behaviour where people become ‘addicted’ to stress. When we say ‘addicted’ what we mean that they constantly seek out stressful situations or relentlessly chase an adrenaline rush even when it’s not deemed necessary (or when there’s negative ramifications). Like all addictions, stress addiction doesn’t start out unhealthily.
We live in a society that values and admires hard work, upward mobility, continued achievement, attainment and pushing oneself to go beyond previous limits. In fact, these are not just cultural norms, the body has evolved the reward and goal/attainment neuro-emotional regulation system, to release adrenaline and cortisol that helps us push beyond our normal limitations (in the service of goal attainment and achievement). Once we reach our goal, we then produce dopamine to reward us for that effort. This neurochemical is highly pleasurable and addictive. It doesn’t just make us feel good however, it also changes how we think about ourselves. This neurochemical is responsible for how high our sense of self-power is. The more dopamine we release on a day-to-day basis, the more likely we are to perceive ourselves us strong, capable, powerful and worthy.
Within a normal day to day cycle, we tackle our daily tasks with a minimal amount of stress or adrenaline and receive a healthy amount of dopamine. For most of us this is enough. Stress addiction becomes problematic when someone is chasing unrealistically high levels of challenge and produces high levels of adrenaline and cortisol (in order to receive a more intense dopamine hit at the end of the challenge). The addiction cycle kicks in because of hedonic adaptation. Hedonic adaptation in the context of stress addiction refers to how people can become accustomed to high levels of stress (much like they would to other positive or negative stimuli).
Over time, individuals might adapt to chronic stress and come to rely on it for a sense of normalcy or even motivation. This creates a cycle where the absence of stress feels uncomfortable or unnatural, leading them to unconsciously seek out stressful situations. Much like with addiction, the body and mind can become “tuned” to the heightened states of arousal associated with stress, making it difficult to function without it. This stress-seeking behaviour may reinforce itself, as the individual adapts to higher and higher levels of stress, ultimately making relaxation or low-stress periods feel less satisfying or even anxiety-inducing. Thus, the person experiences hedonic adaptation to stress, continually seeking out more stressful situations to maintain a familiar emotional state.
How can we tell if we’re addicted to stress?
While stress addiction is not a formal psychiatric diagnosis, there are some tell-tale signs.
>A COMPULSIVE NEED FOR STRESS: Habitually chasing stress and the associated feelings that come with it (the physiological ‘high’ or adrenaline rush). This often means that you might create stressful scenarios even during periods of low demand. No deadline or heavy workload? You bet you might create it. If you’re constantly adding to your demands or piling on the work, consider whether you’re chasing the highs that come from that pressure.
>POOR WORK-LIFE BALANCE: Someone chasing a high-performance lifestyle will often prioritise their work-life balance (often placing an emphasis on self-care – hello ice baths, saunas and the like). However, someone addicted to the stress cycle will often neglect themselves (which often leads to deteriorated health and wellbeing since they operate in a constant state of stress). Put simply, stress addiction is an unhealthy compulsion that will ultimately undermine performance.
>BUSY BUT LOW PRODUCTIVITY: Stress addicts often engage in constant activity without ever focusing on high-impact tasks. They are seemingly always ‘busy’ but since they’re often rushing (even when there’s no need), it often leads to inefficiency and low productivity. Furthermore, that chronic stress often negatively impacts their cognitive functions (attention, memory and decision making), leading to decreased work quality.
>DIFFICULTY RELAXING: The ‘always on the go’ lifestyle means a stress addict’s body has become accustomed to high levels of stress hormones (making it difficult to wind down). That means their body is always in fight or flight mode, which can have an impact on all areas of their life. Whether it’s causing physical issues like headaches, a weakened immune system, or chronic fatigue, to emotional issues like anxiety or depression, not relaxing due to stress addiction can have many negative implications.
What to do if you are addicted to stress
If you find yourself constantly chasing the high of a packed schedule and neglecting self-care in pursuit of it, you may need to seek out ways to deal with your ‘addiction’. Rather than simply telling you to ‘chill out’ here’s some ways you can cope:
STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES: There are practices such as exercise, deep breathing, or nature therapy that can provide positive coping strategies for someone suffering from stress addiction. Start by identifying when you are engaging in unhealthy stress-seeking behaviours and look to replace them with practices that will hopefully avoid you getting into fight or flight mode again.
MINDFULNESS: Mindfulness activities can be a great way to force yourself to unwind. Whether it’s yoga, pilates, saunas, ice baths, journaling or meditation, do whatever makes you stop and get in the present moment.
SCHEDULE DOWNTIME: If you’re caught in the cycle of a packed schedule, consider ways to hack your agenda! Block out times in your calendar for downtime, ensuring that you prioritise these in your schedule (no ifs, no buts).
PRIORITISE SLEEP: Sleep is crucial for stress management – it restores your body and mind, regulates your stress response and decreases your cortisol levels. If you are finding it difficult to sleep, try establishing a positive sleep hygiene like improving bedding, blocking out light and avoiding electronics before bed.
SEEK HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL: While you can try implementing stress-relieving tactics on your own, if you are struggling, please seek help from a professional. A psychologist can conduct a thorough evaluation to understand the extent of your stress addiction and will be able to provide various techniques to help you cope. Visit your GP for a referral or consider services like Lifeline or Beyond Blue who provide free over-the-phone counselling with trained experts. If you or someone you know requires immediate help, please call 000 for police and emergency services.
Dr. Maria-Elena Lukeides is a highly experienced clinical psychologist based in Sydney, with over 25 years of expertise in the field of psychology. She is the founder of The Wellness Fountain in Sydney (counselling clinics in Paddington and Clovelly that specialise in treating a wide range of psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and PTSD). Find out more at www.drmariaelenalukeides.com.au or follow her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/thewellnessfountain
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