In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become somewhat of a norm. But could you be addicted to stress? Yes, stress addiction is a thing, and it’s not uncommon.
The thing is, the signs of stress addiction–being hooked on stress–or more precisely, cortisol, aren’t as visible as other addictions. This makes it more normalized because of how usual the signs have become.
Nonetheless, just like any other addiction, being addicted to stress can affect your mental and physical well-being.
Here are 7 signs you’re addicted to stress:
1. Feeling uncomfortable when you have free time
Personally, I cannot remember the last time I was bored, like actually bored. There’s always something out there to stimulate my brain. If it’s not music, it’s social media. If it’s not social media, it’s calling a friend. There are endless options out there and it’s getting harder for us to experience real boredom.
We’re used to constantly doing something, so when we’re not, it doesn’t feel comfortable. You feel uneasy, which might seem like an unworrying sign, right? Because the moment we have free time, we just distract ourselves with our phones to avoid the uneasiness of being free and fully relaxed.
Being unable to unwind and relax could indicate a dependency on the rush of cortisol. Even if you’re not really doing something “stressful” on your phone, cortisol is still released in the body.
According to David Greenfield, a professor of clinical psychiatry, your cortisol levels are elevated when your phone is in sight or nearby, or when you hear it or even think you hear it.
2. Everything feels rushed and urgent at work
Do you always feel worried and on edge when tackling tasks as if there’s a ticking time bomb? This constant sense of urgency can be addictive, driving cortisol levels higher so you’re used to having this cortisol rush in your body.
3. You can’t disconnect at night
There are two types of people in this world: those who have a sacred rewinding bedtime routine and those who stay on their phones till they fall asleep. If you’re the latter, there’s a high chance you could be addicted to cortisol.
Addiction to stress could cause you to avoid relaxation because it’s uncomfortable for you. So, when it’s time for the body to unwind to prepare for sleep, you need to keep yourself occupied until you sleep. Not to mention that social media gives us a boost of dopamine and triggers our cortisol.
4. Being too focused on productivity
Again with restlessness, stress addiction means that resting triggers feelings of guilt. You measure your days by how much you have done, and no amount of productivity is enough. You feel like you should be always doing something “useful”. That simply being is very uncomfortable and is time wasted for you.
We tend to glorify busyness and a full calendar, not knowing that the greatest ideas and thoughts come to us when we’re bored. Boredom triggers our creative side.
5. Scrolling through social media mid-tasks
Do you find yourself unconsciously scrolling through your phone in the middle of tasks? This constant state of distraction might seem like normal behavior, but it’s a sign your body is addicted to the stress triggered by mindless scrolling.
6. Always checking your phone for messages
Constantly reaching for your phone when there’s no notification is one of the signs of stress addiction (unless you’re waiting for someone to text you, we understand). If not, this behavior can be driven by your FOMO (fear of missing out) or pressure to respond to people immediately. Both of these elevate cortisol levels in the body resulting in you getting used to the feeling.
You can start by having a no-phone day to reset your cortisol levels.
7. Feeling tired in the morning
You could have followed all the ways to have quality sleep, yet wake up feeling exhausted and drained. It’s frustrating because it feels like no matter how long you sleep, your body doesn’t feel like it has rested enough. This could be a sign of disrupted cortisol regulation which impacts your energy levels.