Overcoming Addiction – Anxiety, a Catalyst for Alcoholism
Article #755
Author: David Roppo
Anxiety is an emotional state characterized by not only psychological effects, but also physiological effects as well. Feelings of fear, worry, concern, dread and uneasiness can, and often do, cause physiological changes in the body such as trembling, heart palpitations, chest pain, stomach aches, headaches and inflammation. Additionally, other phenomena such as nightmares, paranoia, and panic attacks may also occur. Anxiety is often described as “future-oriented thinking” because it’s primarily driven by future-based, hypothetical and speculative events. Occasional feelings of angst are considered to be a normal response to stress, however, when anxiety becomes chronic, then, the root cause or causes should be addressed.
Anxiety, in essence, is the inability to trust the flow of life. It is future-based thinking that is rife with worry, concern, dread and fear. Personally, I believe that fear is a component of anxiety, although, some clinicians tend to differentiate it. They often describe anxiety as a perception of situations being uncontrollable and fear as being related to specific behaviors of escape and avoidance. This theory suggests that fear is directly related to behavior and anxiety to perception, but, in my opinion, the two are inseparable. Let me explain. If you do not trust the future or the flow of life, surely, you are afraid of the future. That is fear, is it not? And, if you’re afraid of the future, certainly you’ve attempted to escape and avoid it. Generally speaking, fear is attached to the future. For example, if you have a fear of failure, you are dreading, worrying and concerning yourself with a hypothetical, future event. Similarly, if your experiencing angst over finances, love or loneliness, your anxiety is being generated by a fear of unfulfilled, future needs. Consequently, anxiety and fear are closely entwined. Fear that occurs in response to danger or an immediate threat would be the only exception. Anxiety is not generally present with this type of fear since it is temporary in nature. On the other hand, anxiety and fear in response to a future event is usually chronic.
Generalized anxiety disorder is mainly treated with medication and/or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Common medications prescribed are Xanax, Ativan and Valium. While these psychoactive drugs may provide some temporary relief, they don’t offer a permanent solution. As they say, “you can kick the can down the road, but you’ll never kick it far enough to avoid impending disaster!” The other alternative is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is based on stoicism or disconnecting from emotional issues – especially in the face adversity. I believe this approach is completely counterproductive. Remember, anxiety and fears are directly related to escape and avoidance, so why would you teach someone to disconnect from their emotional issues?
Left unchecked, the fire of anxiety will continue to grow until it totally consumes the mind and/or affects the body as a result of inflammation. Therefore, ignoring it or continuing to suppress it with alcohol and/or medication is unwise. When a chronic condition is suppressed, it usually grows stronger and eventually resurfaces in another area, unexpectedly. I believe this rule applies to anxiety as well. If you want to eliminate anxiety rather than suppress it, you must put out the fire by choking it off at its base. So, I am not going to suggest that you combat your anxiety with relaxation techniques or meditation. That would be equivalent to throwing ice cubes on a bonfire! Meditation is an integral part of the “5 Steps to Addiction Freedom,” however, it is not the primary tool required for overcoming anxiety.
Overcoming both anxiety and fear on a permanent level begins with action. The only way to convince your self that a situation is controllable is to take the steps required to change it. This begins with the principle of liberation, which I address in step one of the “5 Steps to Addiction Freedom.” Liberation is defined as the act of freeing someone from socially imposed constraints. Who in your life is controlling, oppressing, mistreating or abusing you? If you wish to rid yourself of anxiety, you must eliminate the toxic behaviors and relationships that are undermining your emotional health. This is where it all begins.
The goal is to eliminate anxiety and destructive drinking permanently, however, if you’d like some short-term relief in the mean time, try the following technique:
As you feel anxiety mounting, rather than fueling it, switch your mindset to attack mode. Locate the area in your body in which you are experiencing distress and hone in on it. Next, in your mind, envision yourself moving towards the area one step at a time with the intent of pursuing and attacking the distress. Finally, step into the center of the area and imagine that you are controlling the distress. Suddenly, you’ll realize that you’re in control of how you feel and the anxiety is not. Watch your angst dissipate.
Best wishes,
David Roppo
The Addiction Freedom Coach
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/addictions-articles/overcoming-addiction-anxiety-a-catalyst-for-alcoholism-5908257.html
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