Do you have a ‘stress addiction’? Experts reveal the key warning signs and 6 ways to break free
CAN’T switch off? Always checking your phone for messages, ‘likes’ and emails? Maybe you feel guilty when you feel bored?
You might be suffering from a case of stress addiction.
It seems contradictory to be intoxicated by something that can feel so exhausting.
But Dr Naomi Newman-Beinart, chartered psychologist and nutritionist, explains: “During a stressful situation your body experiences a release of adrenaline and dopamine, chemicals associated with excitement and reward.
“Over time, this cycle can make people feel more comfortable under stress than when they are relaxed.
“Stress addiction can occur when someone begins to crave the feeling that they get when they encounter stressful situations, sometimes called the ‘high’ or ‘buzz’ of stress.”
Stress is increasingly felt by Brits – 86 per cent of us now feel it once a month, compared with seven per cent in 2021.
The same research, by ciphr, also found that over a third of UK adults (37 per cent) feel stressed 11 or more days a month.
Stress is essential for survival, according to Dr Naomi.
But even if you enjoy its adrenaline rush, your body won’t thank you.
“Long-term, chronic stress causes your body to produce higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, leading to long-term effects including fatigue, anxiety, and can even lead to physical illness,” says Dr Naomi.
Here, we look at the signs you may be addicted to stress – plus how to get over it.
1. You need a busy phone
Technology plays a big role in fuelling stress addiction.
Dr Naomi says: “Someone who receives constant emails, texts and notifications tend to be in a state of constant alertness.
“This perpetual cycle can become addictive, reinforcing the feeling that stress is normal or even necessary to function well.”
You might even start checking your phone when you haven’t received a notification.
On average, we spend five hours and 16 minutes each day on phones, according to US research by Harmony Healthcare.
And 44 per cent of people admit that they could not go 24 hours without a phone.
We often get home from work and think, ‘I need to crash on the sofa in front of the TV and do nothing’, and actually, particularly if we reach for our phone, we aren’t really recovering from stress
Hazel Anderson-Turner
When we do eventually put the phone down, many of us pick it right back up.
Hazel Anderson-Turner, a psychologist and author of Coaching through Burnout (£14.99, Amazon), says: “Technology is always there, firing up boosts of adrenaline, cortisol and dopamine.
“The ‘rewards’ we receive from purchasing something online, or completing that email or scrolling on social media can keep us in that stress loop.”
2. You can’t focus unless you’re under pressure
Thrive under pressure? You might love last-minute deadlines (as they boost your adrenaline) and potentially feel anxious when things calm down.
Hazel says: “The way that you motivate yourself can be an indicator of identifying an addiction to busyness or stress.
“Sometimes you even create that stress because you need those hormones to really push you to get stuff done.
“So it just becomes the norm, a cycle you can’t break because you’re in survival mode.”
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3. You feel guilty anytime you take a break
Taking breaks is healthy for wellbeing, productivity at work and… reducing stress!
Are you taking five for every hour of your day? Or having a weekend day to just relax?
Hazel says: “If we think about the normal ups and downs of stress hormones – they come into our body, and then we work them out – often through conversation, activity, exercise, rest and recovery.”
But, if you’re addicted to stress, you may stop doing the things that keep you regulated, whether that be rest, family time or even exercise.
Hazel says: “We get to a point where we don’t feel like we’ve got time even to leave our desk, because it feels counterintuitive.
“At that moment, all you want to do is just really, really focus and get stuff done.”
Take a break: Breathing exercises
Box breathing, also known as square breathing, can help reduce stress and promote relaxation…
- Find a comfortable position: Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the ground, or lie down in a relaxed position.
- Breathe in: Slowly inhale through your nose for a count of four. Focus on filling your lungs completely.
- Hold your breath: Hold the breath for a count of four. Try to stay relaxed during this pause.
- Breathe out: Slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Empty your lungs fully.
- Hold your breath again: Hold the breath for another count of four before repeating the cycle.
- Repeat: Continue this pattern for 5–10 minutes, or until you feel calmer.
4. You reach for caffeine and sugar to keep going
If you are not taking breaks – including sleep and downtime – stimulants, like caffeine, sugar or alcohol, might be your go-to. These keep stress alive.
Hazel says: “You find yourself in this place where you’re just trying to get through the day, get stuff done, and there are more and more demands facing you.
“Often we exist on caffeine and sugar because they give us a short-term boost which enhances our mood but also boosts our stress hormones.”
You may also be reaching for stimulants because you are tired. After all, constant stress can wreck your sleep.
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How to beat stress addiction
Maybe stress feels comfortable for you, makes life exciting, or it’s in your nature to always be ‘on the go’.
But it’s important for people to relieve stress that is building up for health and wellbeing.
Here’s how you can help yourself…
1. Ditch the sugar
Give your body a break by at least ditching the sugar.
Hazel says: “With sugar, you’re replicating adrenaline. So, choose foods that aren’t giving you that up and down in your system.”
Think about adding oats, leafy greens and salmon to your weekly shopping list.
Dr Naomi says oats help stabilise blood sugar and avoid the energy highs and crashes, greens such as spinach and kale are high in magnesium to support relaxation, and oily fish contains omega-3 fatty acids to help regulate stress hormones.
If you’re a regular coffee drinker, can you swap to decaf temporarily to minimise the release of stress hormones?
2. Turn on flight mode
If you just can’t resist your phone, put boundaries in place that force you to leave it alone.
Hazel says: “Put phones on flight mode when you need to focus or in the evening after work, keep an eye on screen time and set appointments for ‘offline meetings’: go for a walk and talk away from screens.”
Instead of texting, Hazel suggests having actual phone calls, whether that be with friends, colleagues or family.
That might mean muting group chats or hiding apps that give you constant notifications.
Dr Naomi suggests only having notifications turned on for necessary apps to avoid constantly being alerted to your phone.
Spend time doing activities away from technology too. This could be walks, coffees with a colleague, hitting the gym or reading a book.
Hazel says: “We often instinctively get home from work and think, ‘I need to crash on the sofa in front of the TV and do nothing’, and actually, particularly if we reach for our phone, then we aren’t really recovering from stress we’re experiencing – we are still feeding it.”
3. Try adaptogens
Adaptogens are herbs and plants, like mushrooms, that may help your body to manage stress.
Dr Naomi says: “Ashwagandha helps reduce cortisol levels and calm the mind while Siberian ginseng contains compounds that relieve stress and help the body respond normally to stress.
“These are great to take during periods of high stress.”
People are taking adaptogens in different forms, including supplements, teas and powders.
Try: R.Y.M. Nutrition’s DE-STRESS formula, which contains both of these adaptogens as well as other ingredients designed to reduce stress and anxiety.
4. Hug your loved ones
Even if it’s for a few minutes, hugging or playing with a loved one can ease markers of stress, such as high blood pressure.
One study by the University of North Carolina found 10 minutes of hand-holding and a 20-second hug with a loved one was enough to lower stress levels compared to a control group.
Cortisol can inhibit the effects of oxytocin, the ‘cuddle’ hormone, making it good to replace it.
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Hazel says: “To help reduce cortisol, engage in activities that promote oxytocin release; things like hugging a pet or loved one or spending some time in a positive and supportive relationship.
“If we’re around people that make us feel loved and safe, we’re more likely to release oxytocin, which can help manage and lower stress levels.
“Negative people can increase our stress levels.”
Dr Naomi adds: “If you feel that your energy is being drained by certain people, think about spending less time with them. Focus on people who uplift and support you.”
5. Destress in 10
Regular 10-minute breaks can help break your stress addiction according to Dr Naomi.
Yes, that’s all it takes! And you can do it at various points of the day including on the train to work, at lunchtime and before bed.
Dr Naomi says: “Think about your breathing. You can do this anytime.
“Just remember to breathe deeply occasionally to help to calm your nervous system.
“Even stopping what you are doing for 10 minutes to read a good book and have a cuppa can help reduce anxiety and stress.”
6. Love your gut
When it comes to your gut, it’s a chicken and egg situation.
“Stress can significantly affect the gut microbiome (the balance of microorganisms in the gut) and the gut microbiome itself can influence our body’s response to stress,” says GP Dr Nisa Aslam, advisor to PrecisionBiotics.
A probiotic to balance your gut microbiome might help.
“The probiotics strain Bifidobacterium longum 1714 has been found to help reduce stress and cortisol levels,” says Dr Aslam.
Is stress making you fat?
DIET, genetics, being a couch potatoe – there are lots of factors that influence our weight.
But what if it were as easy as de-stressing?
Stress may be the reason you are carrying extra weight. Here, we look at how…
Extra cortisol
Stress causes an alteration in how the body works, primarily by increasing hormones like cortisol.
Nutritionist Kim Pearson explains: “Stress leads to elevated levels of cortisol — known as the stress hormone — which contributes to the storage of fat, particularly abdominal fat that is often the hardest to get rid of.
“Stress can also lead to a decrease in fat oxidation, the process that allows fat to be burnt as energy. This means that you don’t necessarily have to be consuming more food to put weight on.
“On-going stress has been linked to a slowed metabolism, particularly in women.”
One study found that on average, stressed women burned more than 100 fewer calories per day than non-stressed participants. You can see how all these extra calories add up to weight gain over time.
Extra eating
A 2020 survey by loydsPharmacy revealed that 59 per cent of people eat more when they are experiencing feelings of stress.
And who can blame them? Scientists from UNSW found that feeling stressed, tired or overworked makes it almost impossible to ignore cues that signal something rewarding.
Dr Poppy Watson said: “We have a set of control resources that are guiding us and helping us suppress these unwanted signals of reward.
“But when those resources are taxed, these become more and more difficult to ignore.”
Eating can provide temporary relief from stress, even when we don’t realise what we are doing. Instead, find ways to curb your stress.
Kim says: “When you open the snack cupboard or reach for seconds, take a moment to consider whether you are actually hungry . . . or eating as a distraction from the issues or activities causing you stress.”
Extra bad habits
Stress doesn’t just make us eat more, but generally pick up other bad habits.
Dr Sanghvi, who is the clinical technology lead at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, said that as well as adding numbers to the scale, there are a number mental symptoms also associated with stress.
These include anxiety, irritability and depression, which can lead to unhealthy lifestyle changes like eating more junk food, drinking more booze, skipping meals and staying up late, the expert said.
“Ultimately, all of these are habits that can hinder weight loss,” he added.