Stress and anxiety are a normal part of life. You may feel stressed when you have a big project due at work, or if you have a big date. However, in some circumstances, your stress gets out of hand. This stress, in turn, is often the root of a variety of addictions. Stress can make you feel sad, worried, or overwhelmed. It can make you physically ill, too. If you need help to manage high levels of stress in your life, Red Oak Recovery in North Carolina may be the right solution. To learn more about our men’s dual diagnosis treatment program, contact Red Oak Recovery today.
Common Causes of Stress
Roughly 18 percent of the population suffers from anxiety, much of which is caused by stress. Stress comes from many directions. There’s work stress and relationship stress. There’s “what’s going on with my kids” stress, and “why can’t I pay my bills” stress. When you’re buried under anxious feelings and uncertainty, it can be tempting to take a drink to calm your nerves. Pills that relax you or make you feel drowsy may help you forget about your stress for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, it will still be there waiting for you in the morning.
Until you learn how to manage stress without turning to drugs or alcohol, your life will remain in turmoil. If this sounds familiar, a reliable treatment program like that we offer at Red Oak Recovery may be able to help.
Stressful Statistics
It’s stressful being a man in the 21st century. In fact, it may surprise you what worries men and how they react to it, including:
- Job performance.
- Finding a partner
- Losing their hair
- Providing for their families
- Being a good parent
- Weight and appearance
Men tend to internalize their stress more than women do, which may make the situation worse. Internalized stress may result in physical illness, depression, or other disabling disorders, including substance use disorder.
Overall, men value their relationships with family and friends, want more success at work, and wish they had more energy and time to exercise. When needs like these aren’t met, stress and addiction may result.
The Link Between Stress and Addiction
People manage their stress in different ways. Many women read to lower stress, while men are more likely to play sports. Some people, however, lack the coping skills needed to handle stress effectively. For this segment of the population, self-medication becomes the go-to choice. Stress and addiction become one. Those who self-medicate often have risk factors in common, including:
- Childhood neglect or trauma
- Domestic abuse
- Family dysfunction
- Unhappy marriages
- Jobs they dislike
For these men and women, stress may be mismanaged or ignored until it becomes overwhelming. At this point, stress begins to affect the prefrontal cortex of the brain. The brain goes on auto-pilot, and poor judgment takes over. For this demographic, drinking, smoking, gambling, taking drugs, or overeating becomes the cure.
Treatment for Stress and Addiction at Red Oak Recovery
At Red Oak Recovery, we provide excellence in dual-diagnostic care for those experiencing stress-related addiction. Through proven holistic and conventional methods, we help clients learn better ways to manage stress. This may include therapies such as yoga or meditation, art, music, or nature. We also include treatment options including:
As a client at Red Oak Recovery, you’ll engage in group and individual counseling sessions, and you’ll enjoy a customized treatment plan made just for you. When stress and addiction become intertwined, Red Oak Recovery can help unravel the threads. Contact us today at 828.382.9699.
