REALLY? Addicted to stress?

The hormones associated with stress are highly addictive. In other words: we get a high from being agitated and worked up.

Adrenaline, cortisol and norepinephrine are a few examples of the addictive chemicals our bodies release under stress, and these addictions cause us to repeat the stress cycle again and again just to get a taste of that “high.” “Sure,” you’re probably thinking. “Dr. Dixon, are you crazy? Nobody likes to be stressed.” Well, I plead the fifth in response to your question. Second: I wouldn’t doubt for a moment that nobody likes to be stressed, but let’s dig a little deeper into the difference between liking stress and addiction to stress. 

As humans we tend to practice behavior that is familiar rather than thinking and behaving in ways that get us closer to our goals and dreams. Ninety percent of our day is under the control of our subconscious mind. Too often we exist day-to-day on autopilot – not thinking about what we’re doing or why we’re doing it. We react to our surroundings according to the programming of our subconscious. It seems crazy, but we find comfort in the familiar – even if the familiar is painful, stressful and not ideal.

So, what now? First things first. Decide what you want to make of your life. Yes, dream big and visualize the life you really want to live! What emotions, experiences, people and things do you want taking the majority of your life? Step two: Observe your own thoughts and actions. Are they congruent with what you think you want? Simply being aware of your own thoughts and actions can make a world of difference. 

Many people struggle to shift their thoughts and behaviors to reflect the life they want to live. We all know breaking a bad habit isn’t easy, but it can be done – with time and training. 

It’s easy to fight against the things that bring us down and become distracted from your dreams, but what if you could turn your attention to gratitude and love and get addicted to your positive hormones? Would you rather be addicted to joy or fear? Do you want to see the bright side of reality or the dark side? Each of us must have a clear idea of what we want to be, do and have in order to direct our lives toward the desired outcome. Why wait for a life crisis before making a positive change?