Tietz explains that some people find illicit substances appealing because they let a person feel however they wish to at any moment. Roberts mentions, “Humans are always looking for ways to feel different or better and have done so throughout time. Many substances DO alleviate physical or emotional pain or help people feel different in some way. The problem is that these effects are often fleeting.”
Another reason why people abuse substances is to relieve negative emotions like anger or strengthen positive emotions like happiness and excitement. “Boredom is also a big trigger for addiction because you don’t have to find someone fun or interesting to do, alcohol/drugs can instantly make boring activities fun and make us instantly feel comfortable and connected around people we don’t know or like,” Tietz adds.
She also mentions that people who struggle with addiction tend to have a lower tolerance for discomfort and can’t tolerate a wide range of emotions without getting overwhelmed or checked out (known as the window of tolerance).
“When emotion goes beyond what we can tolerate, it feels very unpleasant, and we can use alcohol/drugs to bring it back into our window. However, when you repeat this process over and over, your window shrinks and you become less resilient. Plus, alcohol damages all areas of the brain, and when we get sober, emotions will actually be heightened and more intense for the first few weeks or months after all the years of numbing.”
