Addiction to Stress

[vardlokkur]

Do you believe in the notion that one can be literally addicted to stress, down to a chemical level? During my more objective intuitions into my own personality and subconscious I sometimes notice a pattern of thought that seems to excite from the aspect of danger. It's like I subconsciously throw myself into a state of paranoia. I've come across theories of gamblers being addicted in the same sort of way. In my case, this tendency towards paranoia has led to some rather terrible psychedelic experiences before I was fully aware of this behavior in myself. But then again it brought this behavior to the surface as to where I can feel it's onset and let it pass, so I am re-assured in the benefits of these chemical gifts. Still, it has kept me from attempting a breakthrough trip on DMT thus far, though I am attaining much more inner peace and think that'll change sooner than later.

 

[dtrypt]

Yeah, I know what you're talking about... stress does release a cocktail of chemicals.

 

[Purges]

This is where things such as meditation come into play IMO - just observing your thought processes from an outside perspective can help you adjust these processes/ behaviours. It also makes breaking through much easier once you have quelled your (egos) mental chatter.

This was my mistake during last nights disastrous trip - I simply was not prepared and got my ass KICKED. More meditation and having set my setting up correctly would have considerably negated the fearfulness of that experience.

I do think that we hold on to certain emotions, particularly if say, we go through a busy / hectic / trying stage in life - when that subsides, we are so used to feeling like that that we find ways of revisiting that mind state - which can then also manifest itself in physiological symptoms if not addressed.

 

[Adivino]

I'm not sure if I understand what you are saying, but I do feel that a certain amount of stress is necessary for life. Imagine living under no pressure, having nothing to do. I guess this would be relaxing for a couple of days, some weeks maybe, but afterwards you'd get depressed.

An amount of stress is absolutely necessary for life, in my opinion.

 

[Wax]

Yes most definitely, I was very depressed a few years ago and once I began to take charge of my feelings proactively I realised that I was addicted to being sad and even more so to anger.
Once I started noticing this it became much easier to lift myself out of depression.
I've read you can become addicted to any state of mind really even being happy (which doesn't sound so bad)
Your brain becomes used to functioning in conjunction with whatever chemicals are being released ei. Cortisol, dopamine, etc. and when those chemicals change its like it's thrown off balance or going through a withdrawal of sorts.

So theoretically if you made yourself be overly happy all the time eventually your brain would get used to the happy chemicals and start producing more of them, in turn making you truly happier.

 

[Global]

So theoretically if you made yourself be overly happy all the time eventually your brain would get used to the happy chemicals and start producing more of them, in turn making you truly happier.

I'm not sure being addicted to happiness and being frequently and/or genuinely happy are the same things.

 

[Wax]

^^ I wasn't saying being addicted to happiness is the same as being genuinely happy, I'm just saying that if you consciously make an effort to be happy then eventually your brain will get used to pumping out the "feel good" stuff and continue to do so thus providing you with a surplus of the chemicals that produce happiness.

 

[BananaForeskin]

Yeh, I think it's entirely possible... worked as a chef for years, and it was great! You enter a zone of hyperawareness and hyperactivity that's hard to find the match of, and it takes it out of you enough that it's easy to spend the rest of the day chilling afterwards... a solid balance, perfect if it's where your living comes from.

 

[SKA]

The addiction of stress is very recognisable. I believe every human suffers from it
to some extent.

The desire for stress is a very typical characteristic of the Ego and it's painbody.
I mean off course the buddhistic definition, where "Ego" means a false self image that
has a dominant nature and feeds on Drama, Stress, Pain. It always makes the mind over-
active and stirs up alot of negative emotions. It has general destructive tendencies,
towards the self and towards others. This in order to stir up as much drama and pain
to feed on. The Ego, this false image, can only persist to exist and have power over
you if it can continuously create drama and feed on it.

In that you are not alone and it is infact mankinds' greatest weakness.
The first step in breaking free from destructive, egoic patterns that
yearn for chaos and misery is to deny carrying out it's will.

It will tempt you, harrass you, possibly torture you to tempt you to
cause harm, but you'll have to be firm and unmovable. First it will
be hard, maybe even seemingly impossible. But it will get gradually
easier over time.


Whatever behaviour you feel urged to express, allways scruitenise that
urge and find it's deeper, true intentions with your Awareness, the
brighter half of yourself. It will immediately recognise the true
intention that lies behind the urge. That realisation will make
dismissing urges, that turn out to be "unclean" much easier.




About Addiction to happiness; I suppose you could generally call that
"Desire" and ironically too much Desire for happyness(in whatever form
you may seek it) is likely to become a huge object to achieving exactly
that happiness. Desire is another favourite of the Ego, as too
much, unrealistic desires are a garuantee for suffering; a feast for
the Ego. It is paradoxical, but to achieve something, you must not
want it too much. The trick is to want it just the right amount,
because being completely indifferent would make you catatonic &
apathic.

Keeping the balance between caring too much and caring too little
is a very fine art.

 

[clearlyone]

I'm not sure if I understand what you are saying, but I do feel that a certain amount of stress is necessary for life. Imagine living under no pressure, having nothing to do. I guess this would be relaxing for a couple of days, some weeks maybe, but afterwards you'd get depressed.

An amount of stress is absolutely necessary for life, in my opinion.

I respectfully, entirely, disagree. The following depression would indeed be akin to withdraw symptoms. The thought that stress is necessary for life would seem to keep one trapped quite nicely in the loop of fear and desire.

It's quite popular, stress, and the thought that it is necessary. IMO, it's only value is that it tells you when your intentions, thoughts, and/or emotions are leading you against your true nature.

 

[vardlokkur]

Really dug the post by SKA, definitely a more conceptually focused reiteration of many philosophies that I have come across in my desire to learn more about myself and my reality. I also believe what BananaForeskin said about being able to channel such energy into something productive is a great approach. When I did construction and more physically laborious jobs I definitely was more placid and relaxed once the workday was finished. The transition into school has been a bit of a gear shift for me, and I've really got to be disciplined to spend my physical energy in order to flatten out my fidgety nerves.