The Biological Response

Living in a constant state of stress equates to being in 'survival mode.' This state is triggered by the sympathetic nervous system the moment your brain senses a potential threat or when you start to feel stressed. This response is involuntary and beyond your control.

When this signal is received, hormones like epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol flood your system. Blood is redirected to your limbs, preparing you to either confront the threat, flee, or hide. This is commonly known as the ‘fight or flight’ response.

Additionally, more glucose is released into the bloodstream, providing extra energy for your cells—enhancing your ability to escape danger. Your pupils widen, heart rate and breathing quicken, and all senses heighten, making you acutely aware of your surroundings to detect potential dangers.

Essentially, your body has evolved to manage the misfortunes of the environment effectively.

Returning to a State of Balance

No human—or any other being—was designed to exist in a perpetual state of stress. In earlier times, encountering a predator in the wild would trigger these chemical responses, increasing our chances of survival. After reaching safety, we would typically return to a state of homeostasis or balance.

However, modern stressors are often not as tangible as a wild animal. They permeate our daily environments and can stem from emotions like fear, anger, frustration, guilt, sadness, lack, and shame. While experiencing these feelings occasionally is natural, failing to break free from them can lead to serious consequences.

Unfortunately, many individuals struggle to regain balance quickly due to the complexity of our brains, which can replay events and memories indefinitely. This is crucial because the brain cannot distinguish between actual events and the thoughts about those events.

If there’s no real external threat, but your mind is consumed by negative thoughts, your survival response remains activated. This chronic worrying prevents the adrenaline and cortisol levels from decreasing, leading to the deterioration of both mental and physical health.

Recognizing the Addiction to Stress

The term ‘Adrenaline Junkie’ describes individuals who seek out thrilling experiences to feel an exhilarating rush. Whether you're actively pursuing extreme activities (like skydiving or roller coasters) or simply dwelling on negative thoughts, the physiological outcome remains the same.

The more you engage in these behaviors, the more your body craves them, leading to an addiction to stress. You may not even realize it, but as this addiction intensifies, you'll start seeking out stressful situations more frequently.

What starts as a minor frustration may escalate into aggressive outbursts. Just as with substance addiction, where doses must increase to achieve the same high, your reactions may also become more extreme in an effort to fulfill your body’s need for stress.

To ensure you get your ‘fix,’ you might find yourself engaging with news that fuels your anger or seeking out family situations that reaffirm your frustrations—often without recognizing that you are doing so.

Declining Productivity

As mentioned earlier, when you're in 'survival mode,' your focus narrows to your immediate senses—what you can hear, see, smell, touch, and taste.

This heightened state can lead to binge-watching TV shows or overeating rather than pursuing meaningful goals for the future. You're unable to open up to others or explore new possibilities, and deep sleep becomes elusive. Instinctually, your body is on high alert, interpreting everything as a potential threat.

In an effort to eliminate the perceived danger, you may start trying to control every aspect of your life, leading to an unproductive cycle of thoughts and feelings that hinders your happiness and fulfillment.

The Health Consequences

With most blood directed to your limbs, there’s insufficient circulation to vital organs, impairing their functions. Poor health is an inevitable outcome of this response, with estimates suggesting that around 90% of illnesses are stress-related.

Moreover, stress interferes with your ability to achieve deep, restorative sleep. True healing occurs when brain waves transition from high-beta (analytical) to alpha/theta/delta (suggestible) states.

When you're consistently in survival mode, this transition becomes difficult, as your brain remains on high alert rather than allowing for relaxation. Adequate melatonin production, which facilitates deep sleep, is compromised, leading to insufficient serotonin—an important hormone for mood stabilization and overall happiness.

It’s no wonder that so many individuals rely on antidepressants for serotonin replacement; their stress prevents them from achieving the restful sleep necessary for normal daytime functioning.

Fortunately, many stress-related illnesses can be reversed.

After my diagnosis with an autoimmune disorder, I became intimately familiar with the detrimental effects of stress. Thankfully, a shift in perspective and adequate rest have led to my recovery. I highly recommend exploring the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza and Dr. John Bergman for alternative healing methods.

Revitalizing Your Future

The encouraging news is that much of this is within your control. Your perceptions and reactions to daily events dictate how you feel.

Initially, it may be challenging to shift your viewpoint, especially if you've been conditioned to respond negatively for years. However, by starting small and gradually reducing your negative reactions, you can develop coping mechanisms to recondition your body and mind.

Engaging in practices such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation can significantly help. Activities that anchor you in the present moment are particularly effective.

And remember, your stress response is there to protect you in genuine threats—like being chased by a bear in the woods!

The first video titled "6 Signs You Are Addicted to Stress, According to a Psychologist | The Mel Robbins Podcast" explores the telltale signs of stress addiction and offers insights from a psychologist on how to recognize these patterns.

The second video, "This is Why You Are Secretly Addicted to Anxiety (Doctor Explains Panic Habit) - YouTube," delves into the underlying causes of anxiety addiction, providing valuable explanations from a medical perspective.