The association of drug addiction and stress: Complications of stress and anxiety on substance abuse

The complications of stress and anxiety on addiction are wide and disturbing. This is a topic of discussion that we are going to continue making reference to every time we are discussing the complications of addiction from time to time and so I want to invite you to this link and appeal to you to be more consistent because there is going to be a lot in stock for you as we continue with the campaign of creating awareness about the effects of drug addiction to humanity. In that strength we want to look at that wide topic explicitly under the sub topic of the association of drug addiction and stress and how we are affected by that in the current lifestyle we live. Speaking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, it is very evident that where there is stress, there will be depression and possibly anxiety. If these were to find the preexistence of drug abuse in the system, life will become much more frustrating to the victims. Some of the health conditions associated with drug addiction and stress may include heart disease, stroke, cancer and low immunity among many others that we will be discussing progressively in our subsequent articles which you don’t want to miss too. But for now and with the help of doctor Dalal Akoury MD and also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, let us interrogate the first four already mentioned.

The association of drug addiction and stress: Heart Disease

This is not going to be the first time we are mentioning something about heart disease because we have done it before however, in this discussion, it is important to appreciate that the full impact of mental stress on heart disease is just coming to light but the underlying mechanisms are not always clear says doctor Akoury. Stress can influence the activity of the heart when it activates the automatic part of the nervous system that affects many organs, including the heart itself. Such actions and others are likely to affect the heart negatively in several ways including some of the following:

• Sudden stress increases the pumping action and rate of the heart, while at the same time causing the arteries to constrict (narrow). This restricts blood flow to the heart.
• The emotional effects of stress alter the heart rhythms, which could pose a risk for serious arrhythmias (rhythm abnormalities) in people with existing heart rhythm disturbances.
• Stress causes the blood to become stickier (possibly in preparation for potential injury).
• Stress appears to impair the clearance of fat molecules in the body.
• Stress that leads to depression appears to be associated with increased intima-medial thickness, a measure of the arteries that signifies worsening blood vessel disease.
• Stress causes the body to release inflammatory markers into the bloodstream. These markers may worsen heart disease or increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
• Studies have reported an association between stress and high blood pressure, which may be more pronounced in men than in women. According to some evidence, people who regularly experience sudden spikes in blood pressure (caused by mental stress) may, over time, develop injuries to the inner lining of their blood vessels.

Evidence is still needed to confirm any clear-cut relationship between stress and heart disease. However, research has linked stress to heart disease in men, particularly in work situations where they lack control. The association between stress and heart problems in women is weaker, and there is some evidence that the ways in which women cope with stress may be more heart-protective.

A condition called stress cardiomyopathy (or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy) is widely recognized. In this disease, intense emotional or physical stress causes severe but reversible heart dysfunction. The patient experiences chest pain, and EKGs and echocardiograms indicate a heart attack, but further tests show no underlying obstructive coronary artery disease.

Psychological stress is also recognized as a possible cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), a collection of symptoms that indicate a heart attack or approaching heart attack. High levels of psychological stress are associated with harmful changes to the blood. Research suggests that stress has the potential to trigger ACS, particularly in patients with heart disease. Studies also suggest that the risk is greatest immediately after the stressful incident, rather than during it.

Stress Reduction and Heart Disease. Studies suggest that treatments that reduce psychological distress improve the long-term outlook in people with heart disease, including after a heart attack. Evidence indicates that stress management programs may significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks in people with heart disease. Specific stress management techniques may help some heart problems but not others. For example, acupuncture in one study helped people with heart failure but had no effect on blood pressure. Relaxation methods, on the other hand, may help people with high blood pressure.

The association of drug addiction and stress: Stroke

In some people, prolonged or frequent mental stress causes an exaggerated increase in blood pressure which is a greater risk factor for stroke.

The association of drug addiction and stress: Effect on the Immune System

Chronic stress affects the immune system in complicated ways, and may have various results including:

Susceptibility to Infections – Chronic stress may have an effect on the immune system’s response to infections. Several studies claim that people who are under chronic stress have low white blood cell counts and are more vulnerable to colds. Once a person catches a cold or flu, stress can make symptoms worse. People who carry the herpes virus may be more susceptible to viral activation after they are exposed to stress.

Inflammatory Response – Some evidence suggests that chronic stress triggers an over-production of certain immune factors called cytokines. Such findings may partly explain the association between chronic stress and numerous diseases, including heart disease and asthma.

The association of drug addiction and stress: Cancer

At the moment a distinctive relationship between excess stress and cancer has not been scientifically proven. However, there may be a connection between stress and cancer survival. In one of the studies it was suggested that cancer patients who were separated from their spouses had lower survival rates than married cancer patients. Although stress reduction techniques have no effect on survival rates, studies show that they are very helpful in improving a cancer patient’s quality of life.

Finally even though a lot more needs to be done on some of these conditions, what is very evident is that stress is a serious factor in patients struggling with any form of addiction. And noting the gravity of some of these healthy conditions, one can only make a wish not to be in any association with them. The king of disease we are making reference to are life threatening and very costly to manage. It is therefore very important that we find solutions to these entire problems and that is where AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center comes in. This is facility has the brains to bring quick if not immediate restoration to all matters relating to drug addiction. Up on scheduling for that appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury, she will professionally evaluate your individual conditions and administer real time treatment that will leave you full of life and free from all effects of addiction.

The association of drug addiction and stress: Complications of stress and anxiety on substance abuse