Addiction and the Window of Tolerance: Understanding the Connection

Addiction is often perceived as a disorder characterized by compulsive behavior, but this simple definition is shortsighted. Addiction is incredibly multifaceted, affecting one's psychological, emotional, and neurobiological framework.

The window of tolerance refers to how we respond to various forms of arousal. When you're "within" your window of tolerance, you're in an optimal zone of arousal, allowing you to function effectively and maintain a sense of clarity. Dysregulation (moving outside of your window of tolerance) diminishes your capacity to think and act rationally. This can, in turn, reinforce a pattern of relapse or perpetuate addictive behaviors.

Understanding the Window of Tolerance and Addiction

The window of tolerance speaks to how the nervous system responds to various forms of stress. People with histories of past trauma or other mental health conditions often have narrower windows of tolerance. They struggle to manage stress or regulate emotions in everyday life.

Hyperarousal: Hyperarousal symptoms are activated by the sympathetic nervous system, which activates the body's 'fight or flight' response. This creates a sense of fast-paced energy where you may feel overwhelmed, anxious, panicked, or angry. Things feel like they're too much.

Hypoarousal: Hypoarousal symptoms are activated by the parasympathetic nervous system, creating a sense of slowness that may come in the form of dissociation or feeling emotionally numb. Things may not feel like they're affecting you at all, even if they should be triggering intense emotions.

How Trauma Impacts the Window of Tolerance

There's a strong relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction. Research shows that nearly 50% of people with PTSD also meet criteria for a substance use disorder. This connection probably isn't coincidental- it may speak to how the unwanted stress that coincides with trauma affects the nervous system.

If you experienced trauma at a young age, it's quite possible that your nervous system never learned how to regulate itself. Therefore, your window of tolerance stayed narrow. Over time, it may have even shrunk as you faced more stress and emotional challenges.

Think about it- if you're constantly outside your window of tolerance- whether it's in the chaos of hyperarousal or the numbness of hypoarousal- you're likely to search for anything that offers some semblance of relief. This is where the interplay of addiction often comes in.

Depressants can calm down physical sensations of anxiety just as stimulants can bring you out of numbness. Anything that provides that rush of dopamine can feel like a temporary salve, providing normalcy in a world that can often seem chaotic and painful.

This is why addiction isn’t just about the substance or the behavior—it’s about what the drug or behavior does for your nervous system. It's not about chasing the high. It’s about regulating the overwhelming feelings you’re trying to escape or survive. The substance becomes a quick fix for emotional regulation, even if it’s not a healthy or lasting solution.

People don't necessarily get addicted to something just because they're chasing a high. More often, addiction is often the result of just trying to feel less terrible inside. The "high" can bring you back into that window, even if it's just for a fleeting moment.

Expanding Your Window of Tolerance

Recovering from addiction only starts with stopping the specific substance or behavior. But stopping alone won't offer much relief or healing. If anything, it will likely make you (temporarily) feel more miserable, disoriented, and uncomfortable.

Sustainable recovery requires widening your window of tolerance and accruing new coping skills to feel and manage emotions effectively.

Mindfulness: Learning how to be in the present moment helps you build a relationship with your bodily sensations, emotions, and spirit. This, in turn, supports a slowing down, allowing you to let emotions ebb and flow throughout you.

Grounding techniques: It's important to learn how to orient yourself to the here-and-now. Complex trauma, in particular, can make even a perceived threat feel downright life-threatening. Grounding techniques work well with the freeze response, but they can also help you calm down quickly when feeling overwhelmed.

Trauma-focused therapy: Trauma therapy helps people process traumatic memories safely and compassionately. Bottom-up therapeutic approaches, including somatic therapies or EMDR, focus specifically on the nervous system, helping you work directly with your physiological reactions.

Self-compassion: Self-compassion helps you navigate life's challenges with more patience, kindness, and gentle care. Your feelings matter- even when they bother you or scare you- and self-compassion supports your emotional well-being because you're treating yourself with the same grace you'd offer anyone else going through a similar experience.

Having a safe and supportive environment: We are products of our physical environment, and we need a secure home to feel comfortable in our own bodies. Reassessing your current living arrangements and the people around you may be necessary for expanding your window of tolerance.

Strengthening Your Resilience and Well-Being at Resurface Group

Stress and adversity are inevitable, but recovering from substance abuse means being deeply aware of your triggers and striving to maintain a sense of balance as you move through life.

At Resurface Group, we focus on offering holistic, individualized treatment to all individuals. We are deeply aware of the connection between trauma, mental health, and addiction, and we pay close attention to these links in every part of our program.

Please contact us today to learn more about our dynamic options, including Resurface Connect, our virtual IOP program in-network with all major insurance plans.