These days, everyone has to contend with some degree of stress but for those of us who are susceptible, stress can amplify our tendencies toward bad choices and counterproductive behaviors; most especially, stress can promote addiction.

People who grew up with an abundance of love and nurturing will be a lot less susceptible to stress than those who were raised in chaotic or neglectful environments. Those in the latter group are emotionally vulnerable and far more likely to react negatively to stress.

Many actors, artists and entertainers come from a difficult upbringing. It’s no secret that a lot of people in the arts are mining their past for their creative expression. Pain demands resolution and creativity is one of the best ways to turn life’s lemons into lemonade.

Because they’re more likely to come from a difficult past, artists are more susceptible than the average person to the stresses they face in life. And sadly, the average artist’s life is often extremely stressful.

For any working artist, they must always confront the question of whether they’re “good enough;” they’re always wondering whether people will appreciate their work and they’re never certain whether they’ll continue having opportunities to put their art into the world. Rejection is a constant; failure is just one project away.

The Tormented Psyche:

When we think about all the musicians and actors we’ve lost in the recent past from drug overdoses or substance-related suicide it’s tragic, but not surprising. So many creative people seem to fall into serious addiction.

The business of being an artist puts undue pressure on an already fragile psyche. Just look at the recent examples of musician and producer Mac Miller, who passed away earlier this month from a drug overdose. The singer Demi Lovato is currently in rehab again for substance abuse; the actor Ben Affleck is in rehab for alcohol addiction and performer Mel B is reportedly heading to rehab for substance abuse and sex addiction.

There’s a personality type that’s strongly attracted to drugs and alcohol. I call it the “tormented personality.” These are unhappy people who turn to drugs and alcohol in order to distract themselves from their feelings or numb their pain.

In Hollywood as in the music industry, there’s the reality of constant rejection, the risk of becoming yesterday’s news, and the pressure of whether the next project will be a hit or a bomb. This can create so much anxiety in the artist that it turns into a constant state of torment. Layer this on top of a troubled childhood and you’ve got the ideal circumstances for addiction.

Combined this with the incredibly easy access to drugs and alcohol in the arts – where hangers-on are ever-ready to supply the artist with a wide variety of mind-altering substances – and you can see why alcohol and drug abuse are so common in this field of work.

Demi Lovato’s relapse is a teachable moment, according to recovery advocate and author Ryan Hampton. He recently wrote in the Hollywood Reporter that Lovato’s relapse should underscore the importance of encouraging recovery, especially since Hollywood’s culture tends to encourage addiction.

For the average, un-famous person who’s had a difficult upbringing, stress affects us in exactly the same way as it affects artists and celebrities. A chaotic or neglectful background will make anyone more susceptible to stress and more likely to turn to addiction as a solution. In this stressful world that we inhabit, it’s not only artists, actors and musicians who walk around feeling tormented and inclined to pursue the false comfort of drugs

The tormented personality can be someone with any combination of emotions. The person can feel stressed, anxious, angry, irritable, frustrated, sad, lonely, overwhelmed and/or self-critical. These people desperately want an escape from their pain so they turn to the quick and answers to their problems.

Demi Lovato, Ben Affleck and Mel B. are a lot like you and me when it comes to addiction. Yes, on the surface their lives seem to be fabulous, which is why I can only surmise that it’s some deep, inner torment that’s driving them to keep returning to their addictions. And just like you and me, if these celebrities don’t resolve their inner torment, they’ll be constantly at risk of a relapse.

The answer for celebrity and lay-person alike is to see that there are no easy answers and no quick fixes for their pain. All addicts need to see that whether it’s escaping into drugs, alcohol, gambling, overeating, porn or excessive spending, it’ll only make their problems worse. Instead of constantly defaulting to addiction, every addict needs to explore real ways to ease their torment.

Tools to Overcome Addiction:

Here’s a list of tools that I’ve found to be extremely helpful in overcoming addiction. These tools are effective, no matter how stressed out you are or how tormented you feel.

a) The first tool is to practice being more mindful. You can make some time every day to tune in to yourself and connect with your feelings and needs.  When you know how you feel and what you need, you’re set up to go for what you really want.

b) The next tool for overcoming addiction is to face your feelings and work on constructive ways to let go of your pain. There are a lot of great ways to do this and I lay them all out in my book, Emotional Overeating: Know the Triggers, Heal Your Mind and Never Diet Again. This book is super-helpful for over-eaters and for anyone who’s suffering from any type of addiction.

c) The next tool is to work on building yourself up by focusing on self-love and self-compassion and by silencing the inner critic that’s constantly assaulting you with negative self-talk. When you fill yourself up with self-love instead of self-doubt and self-criticism, the torment begins to dissolve.

d) The final tool is to pursue more meaningful relationships and activities – things that will bring you real fulfillment and satisfaction and which will decrease your need to escape into oblivion.

If you practice these tools, it doesn’t matter if you’re a movie star, a pop star or a regular person. You can let go of your torment and finally be free of addiction, once and for all.

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