Substance use doesn’t just impact the health of the body. There are several ways that substance use disorder can cause emotional and mental damage, as well as physical damage. 

Substance-induced anxiety disorder is a complex problem related to brain chemistry, and not a personal failing or flaw. If you or a loved one is experiencing extreme anxiety in the cycle of substance use, you are not alone.

Substance-induced anxiety disorders (SIAD) are common among people with substance use disorder, but these nuanced conditions are not easy to identify and treat on your own. Read on to learn more about how substance-induced anxiety disorders can develop, and what you can do to break the cycle of anxiety and use.

Table of Contents

• What Is Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder?
• Symptoms of Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder
• Causes of Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder
• How Long Can Substance-Induced Anxiety Last?
• Treatments for Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder
• Navigate Substance-Induced Anxiety With Support From Robin Recovery

What Is Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder?

Substance-induced anxiety disorder is an intense fear or panic attacks associated with drug or alcohol use. These episodes of fear can be anticipatory, take place during use/intoxication, or happen during withdrawal. 

Due to the fact that anxiety and panic attacks don’t always occur at the same time in the cycle, it can be difficult to identify the cause. Some people will actually use more in an attempt to self-medicate their anxiety, creating a dangerous cycle of panic and use. The only way to break this cycle is to seek treatment for substance use disorder at a qualified rehab that offers mental health services, such as Robin Recovery in Columbus, OH.
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What Is an Example of a Substance-Induced Disorder?

Substance use often has comorbid disorders that are caused by (and influence) the substance use disorder. These are called substance-induced disorders and can range from the physical, such as malnutrition from excessive drinking, to the mental, such as depression caused by substance use damaging nerve receptors. 

Some examples of substance-induced mental disorders include anxiety disorders, depression, and temporary psychosis. 

How It Differs From Other Anxiety Disorders

What makes substance-induced anxiety disorder different?

Other anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, or panic disorder, all exist independently and persist regardless of substance use. They may be worsened by substance use, but they are not caused by it. 

Substance-induced anxiety disorder (SIAD) is caused by substance use and occurs during substance intoxication or withdrawal. Sometimes SIAD can continue for a few weeks after substance cessation, but generally, symptoms end when the substance use does. Read on to learn more about symptoms of SIAD and what to look out for. 

Symptoms of Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder

Symptoms of substance-induced anxiety disorders manifest both physically and mentally before, during, and sometimes after use. Mental symptoms of SIAD include:

• Persistent, often cyclical thoughts of worry and nervousness 
• Anxious thoughts and loss of focus
• Irritability due to stress of anxious thoughts 
• Difficulty sleeping or resting due to anxious thoughts 
• Fear of dying or other sudden loss of control 

Physical symptoms of substance-induced anxiety disorders include:

• Racing heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Shaking and sweating
• Pain or tightness in the chest 
• Temperature dysregulation
• Exhaustion from time spent worrying and lack of sleep
• Muscle tension

Causes of Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder

The cause of SIAD is largely related to brain chemistry. 

Most addictive substances radically change our brain chemistry, making users feel euphoric, relaxed, energized, etc. How the brain’s chemical processes work is different for every substance, but the end result is the same. Substances temporarily change the chemical makeup of the brain, and anxiety is created by the shift and rebound of these brain chemicals. 

For example, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, and it affects the brain by increasing the activity of GABA (a relaxation neurotransmitter) while simultaneously decreasing glutamate (an anxiety neurotransmitter). Alcohol also stimulates dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter. This causes the pleasant feelings that come with drinking. 

However, alcohol doesn't remove your anxiety; it just temporarily dams it. When alcohol leaves the bloodstream, your neurotransmitters spike to compensate, creating intense anxiety or “hangxiety.” Some people then drink more in an attempt to self-medicate and “stay ahead of it,” contributing to the cycle. This can create a substance-induced anxiety disorder around alcohol.

Substances That Can Trigger Anxiety During Use

Some substances can cause anxiety during use or intoxication due to how they impact the “excitement” neurotransmitters of the brain. Substances that can cause anxiety during use include: 

• Alcohol
• Cannabis 
• Caffeine 
• Cocaine 
• Stimulants like meth and PCP
• Hallucinogenics 

Which Substances Can Cause Anxiety During Withdrawal?

Some substances recalibrate your brain chemistry to cause temporary feelings of relaxation and euphoria. When the brain chemistry rebounds, it overcompensates, causing withdrawal anxiety. Substances that cause anxiety during withdrawal include:

• Alcohol
• Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium) 
• Opioids (Heroin, Fentanyl) 

While these substances are known to cause SIAD, any substance has the potential to do so. This is especially true if the brain is anticipating painful withdrawal symptoms, leaving you locked in a cycle of pain, anxiety, and temporary relief. 

The best way to break this cycle is to seek help for substance use and give your brain a chance to heal and recalibrate. 

Other Factors That May Influence Who Is Affected

Every person has unique brain chemistry, and no substance impacts two people in precisely the same way. Not everyone who suffers from substance use disorder also has substance-induced anxiety. Factors such as pre-existing conditions, frequency, substance type, and amount of use all play a role in SIAD.

What is most important to know is that substance use disorder and SIAD can be treated. If you feel like substance-induced anxiety is controlling your life, reach out to Robin Recovery to learn about our treatment programs.

How Long Can Substance-Induced Anxiety Last?

How long substance-induced anxiety lasts depends on a variety of factors, such as substance type and personal chemistry. 

For example, benzodiazepines stay in the body for a long time, and withdrawal anxiety may take weeks to dissipate. However, post-drinking anxiety, aka “hangxiety,” usually only lasts one to two days after drinking cessation.

Treatments for Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder

The best way to get treatment for substance-induced anxiety is to find a substance use rehabilitation center that offers integrated treatments for comorbid disorders, including substance-induced anxiety disorder (SIAD). 

A good rehab for SIAD offers:

• Medically supported detox to help with withdrawal anxiety symptoms
• Mental health treatments, counseling, and therapy to address the root causes of addiction
• Medical support and medication management for ongoing anxiety issues

Not sure where to begin seeking help for SIAD? Reach out to Robin Recovery in Columbus, OH. We can help you find the exact treatment program you need to achieve a sober, anxiety-free life.

Navigate Substance-Induced Anxiety With Support From Robin Recovery

SIAD can make you feel trapped in a cycle of suffering. Using may offer relief, but that borrowed time is paid with interest, leaving you more anxious than you were before. The only way to get relief is to break the cycle of suffering and seek help for your substance use disorder. 

Robin Recovery in Columbus, OH, can help. We offer a variety of treatments for substance use disorder and comorbid substance-induced anxiety disorder. Our treatments are designed to meet you where you are, with everything from partial hospitalization programs to stabilize your physical health to intensive outpatient and mental health programs that allow you to get to the root of your struggles with substance use. 

Contact us today so we can help you get on the track to achieving sobriety success.