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Life can be full ofstress.
Situations arise in everyday life that cause sadness, anger, fear, anxiety, and excitement.
Many people who experience stressful situations turn to alcohol to cope with that stress.
Witthaya Prasongsin / Moment / Getty Images
The problem with that is alcohol itself can cause stress on the body’s physiological balance.
What Is Stress?
Physiologically, stress is defined as anything that challenges the body to function in its usual fashion.
Injury, illness, or exposure to extreme temperatures can cause stress to the body.
Grieving, depression, fear, and even sexual activity can cause psychological stress.
“Alcoholshifts the hormonal balanceand changes the way the body perceives stress and changes how it responds to stress.
Abuse during childhood increases the risk for alcohol use disorders in both adolescence and in adulthood.
This is particularly true for children who grow up in alcoholic homes, researchers report.
Resilience
Resilience is the ability to cope with stress.
The HPA axis, the system that deals with stress response, has been traced to symptoms ofalcohol withdrawal.
Many newly sober people begin drinking again to relieve the symptoms of withdrawal.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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