Many people who have problems with anxiety turn to alcohol or drugs in an effort to relax and feel more at ease.  In addition to the everyday demands of work, finances and family, there are natural disasters, wars and other tragic events in the news to worry about.  Using alcohol or drugs to self-medicate and “get away from it all” may offer a short-term solution for anxiety, but in the long-term can lead to even greater problems.

Anxiety Can Ruin Lives

The Risk of Self-Medication

A new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry has verified that using alcohol or drugs to self-medicate anxiety greatly increases the risk of developing substance abuse disorders.  The study looked at data related to nearly 35,000 people over a period of 3 years in an effort to answer a question that has long interested substance abuse experts – do people with anxiety self-medicate because they have a substance abuse problem, or do they develop a substance abuse problem because they are self-medicating?
The results of the study indicate that people who have an anxiety disorder and self-medicate with alcohol or drugs are up to 5 times more likely to become alcoholic or drug dependent.  The findings are significant because the study was the first of its kind to follow a group of people of a period of time.

Substance Abuse and Childhood Trauma
Earlier studies have discovered a link between early childhood experiences and the use of alcohol and drugs to deal with anxiety. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, individuals who are exposed to trauma from violence or disaster in infancy and childhood may have an impaired stress response, a condition that can predispose them for alcohol or drug abuse.  The relationship between anxiety and substance abuse is even stronger for people with poor social support systems and a lack of alternative healthy coping mechanisms.

Early Intervention for Anxiety

Early intervention for anxiety and general anxiety disorder can help reduce the risk of developing substance abuse problems.  An estimated 20 million Americans suffer from serious anxiety each year and many turn to self-medication because they are ashamed or embarrassed to admit that they have a problem.  Drugs and alcohol may be viewed as a quick fix without regard for the risks of developing a substance problem.  Instead, talk therapy and other treatments should be sought to control the symptoms of anxiety.  Individuals who have already developed a substance abuse problem should seek help for both conditions since treating one will not help eliminate the other.