Why Alcohol and Drugs Worsen Fear and Anxiety
- By: Stan Popovich
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Why Don’t Alcohol and Drugs Remove Fear?
Alcohol and drugs may provide temporary relief from fear, stress, or difficult emotions, but they do not address the underlying causes of fear and can sometimes make anxiety and other problems worse. Healthier coping strategies and, when needed, professional support can help people address fear more effectively.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), substance use and mental health conditions can occur together, and addressing both concerns can be important for recovery.
How Are Substance Abuse and Anxiety Connected?
Managing a mental health condition — such as anxiety, depression, or mood disorders — can be challenging. Substance use often compounds the difficulty. Ignoring mental health concerns can increase drug or alcohol use, while substances can intensify symptoms like stress, loneliness, irritability, and anxiety. Understanding these interactions is key to effective treatment and recovery in the future.
What Happens When Alcohol and Drugs Affect Mental Health?
Alcohol and drug misuse can affect both mental and physical health, making it harder to manage stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. Understanding these effects can help you recognize the risks of substance use and find healthier ways to cope with life’s difficulties.
1. Addiction escalates quickly: Addiction makes the brain crave increasing amounts of a substance to achieve the same high. This can quickly spiral out of control and cause serious damage.
2. Stress worsens: Using substances to cope with stress can backfire. Even if you feel relaxed for a few hours, the underlying stress returns, creating a vicious cycle that is hard to break.
3. Sleep disruption: Using drugs and alcohol can affect your sleep patterns, which can increase symptoms of depression like exhaustion and difficulty concentrating. People struggling with sleep may use substances to self-medicate, which harms mental health.
4. Physical health risks: In addition to impacting mental health, misusing drugs and alcohol can have serious effects on physical health. These include an increased risk of diseases like cirrhosis or liver disease and certain types of cancer.
5. Increased anxiety and mood swings: Drugs and alcohol can alter brain chemistry, leading to negative effects like mood swings, anxiety, depression, increased aggression, and worsening existing mental illnesses.
6. Medication interference: Alcohol can interact with prescription or over-the-counter medications, which may be dangerous. Always check labels and talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
7. Delayed recovery: Ignoring your addictions does nothing in getting rid of your fears and anxieties. You will eventually have to confront your mental health issues. Drugs and alcohol will only delay the process.
8. Compounded mental health challenges: Addiction can intensify anxiety, stress, and other symptoms, making recovery more difficult. Speaking with someone who has successfully navigated recovery can provide real insight into the consequences of substance use and the benefits of learning healthy coping strategies. Learn more about how to help someone struggling with fear and anxiety and ways to provide support.
9. Treatment delays: Learning how to deal with your situation is the best way of managing your addictions. A variety of treatment programs for substance use disorder are available on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Programs are usually based on the type of substance the person is using.
Examples of Managing Fear in Real-Life Situations
Using Alcohol After a Stressful Day
Someone may come home after a stressful day and use alcohol to relax or forget about their problems. At first, this may seem to provide temporary relief, but the underlying sources of stress have not been addressed. If this becomes a regular pattern, the person may begin relying on alcohol whenever they feel overwhelmed. A healthier approach is to recognize the stress and try other ways to cope, such as taking a walk, talking with someone they trust, practicing relaxation techniques, or addressing the specific problem that caused the stress. If alcohol use is becoming difficult to control, professional support can provide additional help.
Using Substances to Cope With Anxiety
A person experiencing frequent anxiety may turn to drugs or other substances because they believe they will feel calmer afterward. Although the substance may temporarily change how they feel, it does not resolve the underlying anxiety and may create additional problems. Instead of relying on substances, the person can identify situations that trigger anxiety and use healthier coping strategies. Talking with a mental health professional or substance use treatment provider can also help the person address both anxiety and substance use in an appropriate way.
Managing a Craving During an Anxiety Spike
Someone who is trying to reduce or stop substance use may experience a strong craving when anxiety suddenly increases. Rather than immediately acting on the craving, they can pause and recognize what is happening. Taking slow breaths, moving to a safer or supportive environment, contacting a trusted person, and using healthy coping strategies may help them get through the immediate situation. If cravings or substance use are difficult to manage, reaching out to a qualified professional or treatment service can provide additional support.
My Personal Experience
I have lived with fear and anxiety for more than 20 years, and I have learned that facing these feelings can be challenging. In my experience, trying to escape uncomfortable emotions does not always address the underlying problem.
For example, there was a time when I felt overwhelmed by fear and anxiety. I considered turning to drinking to temporarily escape those feelings because I had seen some of my friends do this. However, I realized that drinking would not address my concerns. Instead, I decided to talk with others about managing fear and anxiety.
This experience taught me that avoiding my fears did not make them disappear. For me, learning more about my anxiety and taking practical steps helped me find healthier ways to respond to my fears.
How This Fits the Managing Fear Framework
Many people try to manage fear by searching for a single solution, but the Managing Fear Framework takes a broader approach by combining multiple strategies and techniques. This gives individuals the opportunity to explore different tools, discover what works best for their needs, and develop a more flexible approach to responding to fear and anxiety.
About the Author
Stan Popovich is the author of A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear and has written extensively about fear, anxiety, and practical strategies for managing these challenges. He has more than 20 years of experience managing his own fears and has shared his work through 30+ TV and radio appearances and more than 100 newspaper and magazine publications.
