The Different Ways Stress Affects Your Body

Indulging In Addictive Behaviors

As mentioned previously, just like individuals turn to more and less healthy foods when stressed, they are also more likely to turn to activities such as smoking tobacco or other substances. Stressed individuals may also indulge in other addictive behaviors: shopping, playing video games, and gambling are all prime examples of behaviors that can be harmful and addictive if acted out in excess. In fact, stress is a key factor of risk in addictive behavior's beginnings, maintaining periods, relapses, and then treatment failure thereafter. Stress and poor coping mechanisms can affect addiction through the increase of impulse reactions and self-medication. There is significant evidence that links the motivation for addiction to chronic stress. Individuals with situations like abusive childhood experiences, unhappy marriages, harassment, or unhappiness with employment report addiction at higher rates. The greater the traumatic encounters or experiences throughout one's life, the greater the risk of indulging in addictive behaviors later.

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