Can there be a relationship between anxiety and drug use?

We can consider that the relationship between anxiety and substance use is bimodal: on the one hand, the continued use of a substance can lead to experiencing symptoms and even anxiety problems. On the other hand, some anxiety disorders may be associated with a higher consumption of certain drugs, for example, alcohol or tobacco.

In general, the continued use of a substance can lead to the appearance of some symptoms associated with anxiety such as discomfort, irritability or tachycardia. For example, the important relationship between the use of ecstasy and / or stimulants and the appearance of psychological alterations such as anxiety, panic or concentration difficulties has been described. People who experience the withdrawal syndrome of a substance can also manifest anxiety. In fact, an anxiety disorder has been described that considers that it may be induced by substances (or, in other words, be a consequence of its frequent and excessive use). In substance-induced anxiety disorder, anxiety symptoms are associated with the use, abuse or dependence of a drug (caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, etc.). Regular drug users have higher levels of anxiety than non-consumers, even after they have given up their use (even periods longer than six months).

On the other hand, the social use of some substances is widespread. They are usually taken because the person who consumes them feels less inhibited, or because of the pleasurable sensations they produce. Some people with anxiety disorders may use some substances as a strategy to cope with their problem and reduce anxiety. For example, a person with difficulties in social situations can drink alcohol or take marijuana because its effects disinhibit it and can perform better in that situation.

Anxiety is basically a defensive mechanism. It is a warning system in situations considered threatening. It is a universal mechanism, occurs in all people, is normal, adaptive, improves performance and ability to anticipate and respond. The function of anxiety is to mobilize the organism, keep it alert and willing to intervene in the face of risks and threats, so that its consequences do not occur or are minimized. Anxiety, then, pushes us to take the appropriate measures (flee, attack, neutralize, face, adapt, etc.), depending on the case and the nature of the risk or danger. The danger is given by the obstruction of any project or desire important to us, or by the degradation of status or achievements already achieved. The human being wants what he does not have, and wants to keep what he has.

The anxiety then, as an adaptive mechanism, is good, functional, normal and does not represent any health problem.

However, in some cases, this mechanism works in an altered way, that is, it produces health problems and, instead of helping us, it disables us. What factors can influence that a normal, healthy and adaptive mechanism ceases to be?

Predispositional factors

Biological factors, some of them genetic

Personality factors Patterns of stress coping. Lifestyle

Environmental factors. Learning. Contexts and social supports

Activating or triggering factors

Situations or events that are experienced as overflowing our resources

Vital events with serious consequences or that require significant adaptive efforts.

Obstacles to achieve or that limit our ability to achieve or maintain them

Consumption of stimulants or other drugs

Maintenance factors, linked to the management of one's anxiety

The "fear of fear"

The loss of conditions or faculties, due to the anxiety itself, that make it difficult to face the problems

Attempted solutions that are counterproductive

The problematization of initially non-conflictive areas, as a consequence of one's anxiety

Inadequate or erroneous confrontation of the problems originating anxiety.

The establishment of phobic mechanisms

Anxiety problems occur, usually, by a combination of some of these factors over a period of time.

The main enemy of anxiety is the feeling of hunger caused by prolonged hours of fasting or lack of food. In the mornings we rushed home, breakfast something very light or sometimes nothing, at lunch we are on the street eating whatever we find and we come to the house to open the refrigerator or pantry and eat whatever, as we We die of hunger. It is here, when we say "anxiety kills me" or "anxiety as they put me in front". And, it is precisely the lack of order in the meals, the disorganized schedules, or the poor selection of food is what leads us to have this type of problems in the diet. The lack of food for long hours causes the blood sugar to drop and awakens the desire to eat sweet or very caloric things, thus generating a vicious circle.

To combat anxiety, foods rich in magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan should be consumed:

1. Magnesium: Due to its relaxing properties, this mineral maintains a stable heart rate. We find it in nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.), legumes (beans or lentils), leafy green vegetables (spinach, Swiss chard) or whole-grain carbohydrates (noodles, bread or brown rice, wheat germ).

2. Vitamins B: They participate in the formation of serotonin from tryptophan, therefore they are important in emotional and neurological health. We find B vitamins in whole grains such as oats or wheat, in nuts or vegetables.

3. Tryptophan: this amino acid is a component of proteins, which is a precursor of serotonin, which allows to maintain adequate levels of it. Serotonin is a cerebral neurotransmitter related to mood, and which participates in the control of appetite; Low levels of it are related to anxiety attacks that lead us to lose self-control. Tryptophan is found in animal proteins such as meat, fish, turkey, dairy products or eggs or in fruits such as pineapple and banana. Try to consume these products in the afternoon, to avoid anxiety during the night.

Tips to fight anxiety

Respect food schedules: make all meals at the same time.

Avoid caffeine, prefer aromatic waters.

Staying hydrated, the best source of hydration is water.

Walk or maintain some type of physical activity to increase serotonin levels.

Chew food well.

Sit at the table to eat, avoid doing other activities while eating (watch TV, work on the computer, etc.).

To avoid low blood sugar, make 4-5 meals a day.

Incorporate fruits or vegetables in all meals.

Consume a couple of tablespoons of flaxseed in yogurt or breakfast milk.

Take Omega 3 supplements.

Remove sources from the table, after serving your portion.

Plan the weekly menu, especially the dinners.

Avoid

Skip meals

Consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or chocolate

Lack of rest or sleep

Unbalanced or disordered diet

Lack of exercise

Foods that help fight anxiety

Pickles

Dehydrated fruits

Low-fat yogurt

Whole grains

Fish

Nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts)

Gelatin diet

Vegetable soups or broths

All kinds of fruits and vegetables

Eggs

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Information and guidance on drugs

Help, how to stop drugs

You want to eat and don't know how? Do you have difficulties quitting alcohol, cocaine or other drugs? Do you think that you will be unable to leave the consumer, you're engaged? Using drugs for fun and think that maybe they are becoming a habit or a need? You tired of eating but you don't know how to put brake? Have you tried to put limits of consumption then you've failed? Sales of party and you can not stop eating? You tried to leave the consumption by yourself and it has cost you much not to consume and you've done it again? Do you eat only weekends weekends but lately only waits arriving these days to consume?

These and others are many of the questions that are in forums, specialized pages, pages of general health, etc., on the subject of drugs. It is logical that arise all these doubts when, after a period consumed, either regularly or occasionally, difficulties to cease consumption, sometimes willpower is assuaged by the desire to consume.

You must keep in mind that a person consuming need not be an addict, there are several types of consumption and any of them can lead to problems for the person. The consumer can make use of the substance well be experimental, social, casual, etc. I.e., at the beginning, is consumed to test, experiment, to be more sociable, etc. Although there are many people who are left here, i.e., make use of one or more drugs and then left him without many complications, there are others that would make an abuse of substances, where it is consumed on a regular basis and the negative effects of the consumption outweigh the positive. Finally, you arrive to the unit. At this stage refers to various criteria that must be present as: tolerance, loss of control, I want intense consumption, use of time consumption and therefore reduction of occupational and social activities, and continued drinking despite having awareness of physical and/or psychological problems caused or exacerbated by the consumption.

As we have already mentioned several times, stop consuming is not only suppressed, the single goal isn't abstinence. To stop consuming it is necessary to modify and re-educating several aspects of your life since otherwise the probability of return to consume is very high. Even what happens sometimes is that when a person is an abstinent period and return to eat again, the desire is much higher, seems to have to make up the lost time.

At this point, if you are considering you that your relationship with drugs is not high enough, and you've arrived here because you're disoriented, because you think - I want to stop eating but I can't, I need help, tips-, tell you that you have already taken a big step, find information and be aware of all the possible options you have in different centers of drug addiction.

Now the important thing is to know what is happening to you, and does not need to crush you telling you that you are an alcoholic, drug addict, cocaine addict, etc., because they are simply labels. The key is to know which problems and difficulties you have to be able to work together with a professional.

We understand that they may arise you many doubts in this whole process, and know that the fact that one same recognizes that it has a problem, either of the theme that is, it can cost, so here is a series of questions that may help you to reflect.

Things that make you think that this is a problem or difficult for you? So or until point this worries you, as influences you?

What difficulties you have had with the way in which drugs you use what is what you are worried about your current situation of consumption? How substance has been or is a problem for you? Not has it allowed you to do what you wanted? Do you think that you can pass if you continue eating? What do you think it would be you if you don't make a change?

Think that if you're reading this, it indicates that perhaps a part of you believes that there is something not working properly, or does not fit, and who has time to do something about it, therefore: what makes you think that perhaps the time stop consumption, a change has come? What are the reasons for which a change is possible? What should happen to be able to make this change? What could you do to promote this change?

What make you think that you have that continue consuming the same way that you do it now? What are the advantages of letting the consumer? And the drawbacks?

-What to drink? -the little Prince asked him.

-To forget - replied the drinker.

-To forget that? -He asked the little Prince, who already pitied him.

-To forget that I have shame - confessed drinker down the head.

-What shame? -asked the little Prince, wanted to help him.

-Shame of drink - ended drinker, which is definitely locked in silence.

And the little Prince went, stumped.

Great people are decidedly very, but very strange, he said also during the trip.

After reflecting on these questions you consider that at the moment you don't or you're not ready to make a change, for the reason that is, it is not that you can keep these questions in mind and continue reflecting on them to go to assessing your situation and consider one change more later if you consider it necessary.

On the other hand, if you decide that it is time for a change in your life, ask yourself, what you want to change? I.e., what changes would make? What are the reasons for making these changes? Think also that goals can get to start these changes and that you can perform actions to achieve them. For example: I want to stop consuming > maybe have to stop going with people consuming (aim) > let out holiday weekends (action). It is also very important that you can see specific dates to begin to carry out these actions and changes.

It can be very useful to reflections about what what might work for you? I.e. what strategies you can be useful? To do this you can try to remind other significant changes in your life and see that strategies you were effective. You can also reflect on what are the obstacles, what you can prevent to achieve what you want, to have it present and explore alternatives.

You can also try rating have confidence in yourself to make this change because this factor is very important to make the change. For example, on a scale of 1 to 10, would where you placing confidence in yourself to change, to leave the consumer?

It is also interesting that you can ask yourself who could help in this process of change. You can take a role and try to score that people can help and how. For example: my mother can help me managing my money, because if I take it over I have temptation to spend on consumption.

Something that you have to be very present when you are considering who can help you and support you in this process, is who can really do it. At first can seem that everybody is prepared to do so but the reality is that this is not so. You have to analyze who truly can be useful for this purpose.

So with regard to the family, can be a great support but is not always the case. Sometimes the family doesn't know how to deal with the issue, sometimes we find, for example, a parent or an overprotective mother, that means that, in many cases, they will try to conceal the child consumer trying to avoid more negative consequences for the latter. Make this type of action is not helpful for a person who wants to leave the consumption and having some difficulties to do so. Therefore, it is recommended that family, if you want to help this person and don't know how, is can direct specialist to guide you at all times with respect to the entire process. For us the family, understanding the family as the person who lives with the consumer, is of vital importance for the treatment.

Friends may also not be effective in helping since sometimes these friends are also consumers or are friends of consumption, i.e., the main objective of the relationship with each other is the own consumption. Thus, for example, a friend of the consumer, at first, when you told him that you intend to leave the consumption can rejoice for you and tell you that will help you, but then you can try to manipulate you so you are going to consume with it. So, if you want to leave the consumption more prudent is surrounded by friends, not consumers.

Here you are some strategies that you can be useful to initiate this change.

Write a letter from the future in which you answer to these questions, among others: How can you imagine after a change? What expectations you have? How can you come to make these changes? Write a letter from the past: what differences you see between the past and the present? How were you before? How the consumer did you not continue forward with your goals and personal development? How were things before eating?

Get a self-registration on your consumption: here's an example.

As we have already mentioned at the beginning of this article, if you want to stop using, even if you don't have it entirely clear, go to a specialized center. However it is important that you assess that type of facility, initially, you think that it would be more convenient for you according to your needs, since not everyone goes well a same treatment or the same type of Center. However, when you go to a specialized outpatient or primary care physician, they will advise you and guide, according to the assessment of needs and difficulties, towards the Centre that is most convenient for you.

Is important, to the extent possible, reflections about your situation, so thus you can share with the professional and finally, form joint, decide where to initiate treatment. For example, if your environment is a very risky situation for eat, perhaps may be beneficial for you to get away the same time making treatment in a therapeutic community, or in a residential flat.

The treatment process to stop consumption, broadly speaking, begins with request information and advice on the subject, perhaps, due to the internal consumption ambivalence or the consequences, namely the fact of wanting to stop eating and continue eating at the same time. However should take into account that many times when a person starts treatment, isn't this who has chosen to launch it, but that it goes to the Centre by pressure from relatives or friends, are concerned about their consumption and behaviour.

Then there is a request in a professional Centre where first contact is made in a first interview with host, to thus appraisal both medical, psychological, social and educational, to make a design of the therapeutic process taking into account the needs and characteristics of the person. Through this link you can see the different stages of the treatment, as well as the different stages of change.

We hope that this article has served you help, but keep in mind that is just an orientation, a first step, and under no circumstances replaces the guidelines established by the professional reference, is not a treatment to stop drugs.

From here we remind you that if you are disoriented and do not know what to do or where to go, you can get in touch with us, either leaving a comment or through the contact form, we offer a completely free information service.