It can be hard to understand why a
loved one develops an addiction. However, certain mental health
issues, like anxiety disorders, make some people more prone to
addiction than others. People with an anxiety disorder may be
addicted to things like benzodiazepines, alcohol, or cocaine.
If your loved one is struggling with
addiction along with an anxiety disorder, learn how these struggles
can sometimes go hand in hand and how you can help.
What Is Generalized Anxiety
Disorder?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a
mental health disorder where an individual is plagued by excessive
worry and fear, often making it difficult for them to function in
everyday activities.
GAD can be caused by a combination of
factors, such as
- A family history of anxiety
disorders
- Traumatic events, such as the loss
of a loved one
- An alteration in brain chemistry -
especially regions of the brain that involve thinking and emotion
Besides causing your loved one
excessive worry, GAD can cause symptoms such as
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Lack of concentration or unwanted
thoughts
- Chest pain
- Nausea
- Hot flashes
It can sometimes be hard for people
without GAD to understand what their loved one is going through. With
GAD, there is no switch to turn off the anxiety; symptoms can be
persistent. This disorder can make a person feel hopeless and
helpless because symptoms can sometimes come without warning and
without stress triggers.
How Does Anxiety Play a Role in
Addiction?
Because people with GAD live in a
constant state of worry, their relationships and professional and
personal lives can suffer. Some people with GAD may look to
self-medicate in an attempt to ease their symptoms. For instance, if
a person has such intense anxiety that they dread socializing, they
might develop an addiction to alcohol since it can temporarily affect
mood.
Besides self-medicating, some people
with GAD turn to an addictive substance to escape reality. They may
be depressed at how their anxiety hinders their everyday life, so an
addictive substance might be a welcome outlet to temporarily forget
about how they feel.
How Can You Help a Loved One?
As you can see, because GAD can take
such a heavy toll to someone's physical and mental health, they may
be vulnerable to an addiction.
Besides being sympathetic to what your
loved one feels, here are two other ways to help your loved one
tackle an addiction.
Let Them Confide in You Without
Judgment
People with GAD may feel like they
don't have anyone in their court. They may feel ashamed of their
anxiety and get very defensive if the topic is broached. It's
important that you let your loved one share their struggles without
any judgment on your part. Showing genuine concern can help your
loved one feel safe and be more open to getting help with their
addiction.
Look Into Different Addiction
Treatment Centers Together
A person with GAD may be too anxious to
visit a treatment facility for addictions alone. Show support to your
loved one by visiting treatment facilities together.
A treatment facility can be vital for
your loved one's recovery. For instance, some facilities offer
therapy, like cognitive-behavioral therapy, which has been shown to
be an effective treatment for anxiety disorders.
If your loved one hasn't been
officially diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, then therapy can help
your loved one narrow down whether they are suffering from GAD or
another disorder, like PTSD, panic disorder, or OCD. By getting to
the root of the problem, your loved one can learn techniques on how
to manage their anxiety so that they don't have to turn to an
addictive substance to find relief.
Besides therapy, these types of
facilities often offer meetings based on AA's 12-step program and
extended outpatient services so that you and your loved one can
continue to receive support even after treatment is completed.
Contact us at Oak
Arbor for more information on helping your loved one with an
addiction.
