Anxiety conditions such as driving phobia can leave you feeling constantly stressed and worried. Untreated, the frustration and distress caused by an anxiety disorder may lead to depression.
Many people who are faced with chronic anxiety and depression feel the need to mask or relieve their symptoms for short periods of time. This often convinces them to look for a quick, temporary solution to their problems.
Unfortunately, the solution some people find lies in drinking alcohol or smoking. The temporary boost these drugs can provide is tempting. People who are constantly nervous may think it easier to have a few drinks every day than go through the long and often difficult process of therapy. Smoking, similarly, gives you a brief feeling of well-being that can, for a moment, make you feel in control of your fear.
The problem with these so-called solutions (besides the obvious risk to your health) is that they can be habit-forming. Enjoying an alcoholic beverage every now and then is fine for a healthy adult, but any drug can become a crutch when used to cover up the unpleasant feelings associated with anxiety and depression.
The best way to deal with anxiety, stress or depression is to go to a mental health professional and allow him or her to offer advice on your condition. A psychologist or psychiatrist should know what to ask you to diagnose your illness and find an effective way to treat it.
You can read more about “self-medicating” (improperly using drugs to avoid dealing with mental health illness and stress) in the article found at the link below.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-tian-dayton/self-medication_b_3236724.html
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