WHEN | Tuesday, November 15, 2022 @ Noon

WHERE | Zoom Webinar

CONTINUING EDUCATION | This webinar will offer 1 CE Credit

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The relationship between anxiety and addiction is typically characterized by individuals experiencing anxiety turning to drugs and alcohol to relieve their symptoms (make their discomfort go away). Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their life.  Anxiety is a feeling of being worried, tense or afraid about what might happen or what we think could happen in the future. 

Anxiety/Addiction Cycle

When anxiety is chronic and gets in the way of daily life and ability to function (live life) the cycle of using drugs and alcohol to manage the symptoms is a true cycle because the drugs and alcohol are temporary and in larger use patterns can make the symptoms worse.

Screening promotes prevention

Why is the US Preventive Services Taskforce making a recommendation to doctors for widespread screening for anxiety?

Many people experience fear and worry but this moves into a mental health condition when it is excessive or interferes with their normal daily life.  Because of the stigma around mental health many individuals experience anxiety that interferes with their daily life and are reluctant to speak about it or seek help.  Screening provides the opportunity to normalize it and help individuals seek solutions before they or in lie of turning to self-management through drugs and alcohol.

About 19% of adults in the U.S. suffer from one form of anxiety. Clinical anxiety isn’t the normal reaction people experience when they face dangerous or stressful situations. It’s marked by unending and unfounded fears that hinder normal activities at work and home. Such fears also prevent anxiety sufferers from participating in social activities.

While trying to cope with the effects of anxiety, many people develop a substance use disorder. People with clinical anxiety have a higher chance of suffering from drug and alcohol use disorder than the rest of the population. Self-medicating usually leads to an aggravation of anxiety — drugs and alcohol make anxiety symptoms worse, which leads to an urge to use more substances to feel normal. Eventually, this leads to addiction.

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