How Stress Fuels Unhealthy Habits…& How You Can Break Them

April is Stress Awareness Month, which aims to increase public awareness about the causes and effects of stress, and how they can be addressed. Managing stress can help to prevent burnout and enhance overall quality of life. 

However, the cycle of chronic stress can be difficult to break, particularly when people turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as vaping, overeating, or drinking too much alcohol. These can provide a temporary sense of escape, but ultimately they perpetuate the stressful situation, and can also store up future mental and physical health problems. 

Here’s a look at why we often reach for these crutches when we are stressed, and some tips for breaking free from them. Bad habits can be hard to break without help. If you have already tried a few different methods without success, you may be interested in our Harley Street hypnotherapy service for a tailored and in-depth solution. 

The link between stress and bad habits

Unhealthy coping strategies are about more than just providing comfort: they create short-lived spikes in the ‘pleasure chemicals’ in the brain that give us a temporary lift, followed by a crash. This prompts a craving for another hit, creating a cycle of dependency. 

Chronic stress also leads to sustained high levels of cortisol, which is the hormone involved in the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response. This can lead to disrupted sleep patterns and heightened anxiety levels, which further fuels cravings for unhealthy substances such as sugar, caffeine, or nicotine. 

Common unhelpful mechanisms used to cope with stress

Smoking and vaping

Nicotine triggers a release of dopamine in the brain, which helps us to feel calm and relaxed, taking the edge off a stressful situation. However, the effect is temporary, and withdrawal creates a desire for a bigger hit, eventually leading to a cycle of dependency. This makes it harder to manage stress in a constructive way.

Some people may also use weed to create the same sense of relaxation and escape, which creates a similar cycle of dependency. 

Sugar

Sugary snacks can give us an instant hit of pleasure and an energy boost, but this leads to spikes and crashes, mood swings, and the desire to continue comfort eating. 

Caffeine

Chain drinking cups of coffee is almost a normalised behaviour, especially when we are up against a deadline and need an extra boost. However, it’s an addictive substance that can increase the heart rate, disrupt sleep and increase anxiety.

Alcohol

Most people enjoy a drink to unwind now and then, but when this tips over into a regular coping mechanism after a stressful day, it can heighten anxiety and therefore perpetuates the cycle of stress.  

How you can break the cycle

Identify your triggers

We all have unique triggers that prompt us to seek out unhealthy habits. Think about the sources of stress in your life, and see if you can identify any patterns. It can be useful to make a note of when and why your cravings flare up, and see if you can avoid or reduce the frequency of these occurrences.

Have a displacement or alternative in place

Simply trying to resist your urges will probably fail sooner or later, so instead have an alternative at hand so that your brain learns other ways to deal with cravings. For example, if you crave sugar, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. If you want caffeine, have some herbal tea, or try nicotine gum instead of cigarettes.

Explore stress management techniques

There is plenty of free advice available online about stress management techniques such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and so on. Regular exercise is also a great stress-buster, as it releases endorphins that help to counter anxiety. 

So, there you have it: there is no one-size-fits-all solution to breaking the connection between stress and unhealthy habits, but understanding your triggers and putting diversion strategies in place can be helpful. However, entrenched habits can be very difficult to break without support, particularly during stressful times.

Therefore, if you are struggling with stress or addiction then professional guidance may be able to empower you with the tools to help you manage these issues, and move towards a healthier way of living.