Can Chronic Stress Impact How Your Meds Work?

Medication management has been found to be effective in treating conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, PTSD, ADHD, schizophrenia and many more. While these medications can be remarkably effective, they are impacted by a variety of other factors. These factors can include lifestyle choices, diet, exercise habits, interpersonal relationships and even your stress level. Making healthier choices and learning to manage stress effectively can help to improve many aspects of your life.

Chronic stress not only affects your mental health and how your body functions. When you are constantly on edge it impacts almost every aspect of your life and can even impact how your medications work. Learning how to manage stress can help you to feel better AND can help your medications to work more effectively. It is a win-win.

Chronic Stress and You

Stress is a natural, unavoidable part of life. When we feel threatened our body will release cortisol and other stress hormones. While some stress can be natural, chronic stress is not. This type of stress affects the way your brain functions, creates inflammation and can even impact chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are often targeted by psychiatric medications. If they are negatively impacted by stress it can make it harder for your medications to do their jobs.

Chronic stress can also worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can increase the likelihood that your symptoms will increase or you will experience a relapse. When we are feeling stressed at all times it is difficult to stay motivated and do the things we know we need to do to feel better. Staying consistent with medications often falls by the wayside. Medications can’t work if you don’t take them.

Medications and Stress

Stress can affect how your liver breaks down medications. Chronic stress can impact enzymes in your liver, especially those involved in drug metabolism (e.g., CYP450 enzymes). When this happens your liver may break down medications more quickly or even at a slower rate. Either way, it can impact the efficacy of your medication.
Stress-induced inflammation has been linked to reduced responsiveness to antidepressants. Elevated inflammatory markers like cytokines can blunt the effects of SSRIs and other psychiatric medications meaning that it can take longer for you to start feeling better.

When our stress level is high it can feel difficult to do much of anything. We can feel paralyzed and stuck, unable to do the things we know we need to do to feel our best. Taking medications consistently can be one of the things we simply feel unable to do.

How Can You Cope with Stress?

Learning how to better manage your stress can help you in so many life areas. Not only can you begin to feel better when you are experiencing less stress, your medications may be more effective helping you to find relief sooner.

Mindfulness exercises can help to decrease your cortisol levels and lead you to feeling less stressed. These approaches can also help with distress tolerance and emotion regulation, tenants of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). When these powerful therapeutic approaches are paired with proper medication management you may find that you reach remission of your symptoms far sooner.

Being physically active can reduce stress and also increase the release of endorphins. This can feel wonderful as endorphins support healthy mood and overall mental wellness.

CBT is an evidenced based therapy approach that helps you to identify negative thought patterns and reframe them. This approach also helps you to develop effective coping strategies to decrease intrusive symptoms and help you to make better choices for yourself. This can also help you to find ways to remain more consistent with medication management.

Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation calm the nervous system, potentially allowing medications to work more effectively by reducing physiological arousal.

It is really hard to feel your best when you aren’t sleeping. High cortisol can impact the way you sleep. Addressing sleep issues through use of relaxation techniques can improve stress resilience and drug efficacy.

The Collaborative Approach You’ve Been Looking For

You cannot rely on medication alone. When your treatment plan involves other approaches and interventions such as stress management, healthy lifestyle changes and therapy you can begin to see real results. Everyone is unique, your symptoms are unique and you deserve to find providers who address your needs from a collaborative approach.

Carolina Counseling Services in Sanford, NC contracts with skilled licensed psychiatric professionals and therapists. You don’t have to choose between therapy and psychiatric medications with CCS. You can find providers to meet all your needs. Providers are in network with most major insurances including Aetna, Aetna State Health Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) and many more. Call now to schedule your first appointment!