The stress response. Feeling “wired but tired” as you frantically work to hit another deadline. Grabbing yet another coffee while running late to a meeting. A sudden fender bender on the road. Yes it was your fault for texting and driving. We’ve all felt stress and likely know about it as well. But just how does it work, and what is the role of cortisol? And yes, it’s possible to become addicted to the stressful lifestyle that cortisol thrives on.
“Cortisol addiction” is not a formal clinical diagnosis. But it is a powerful way to describe a physiological and psychological state where the body and mind become conditioned to a constant state of high alert.
In this article, I explore the science behind this phenomenon, how chronic stress rewires our brain’s reward system, the severe impact on mental and physical health, and tips for breaking the cycle and mental health.
Cortisol: The “Stress Hormone” and Its Double Life
Cortisol addiction refers to a physiological dependency on elevated levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Cortisol helps regulate:
- Stress response
- Metabolism
- Immune function
- Blood pressure
- Use of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
- Suppressing inflammation.
Normally, cortisol peaks in the morning and subsides in the evening according to the body’s circadian rhythm. Disrupting this rhythm increases baseline cortisol levels, triggering the “fight or flight” response. It is designed as a survival mechanism to respond to stress and fight the threat off or flee to safety [1].
When Stress Hits the Body
Unfortunately, the body can also overreact to stressors that are not life-threatening, such as work deadlines, trains running late, and personal conflicts. When stress hits the body, the eyes and ears send signals to the amygdala, an area of the brain that contributes to emotional processing. When it perceives danger, it instantly sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus.
The hypothalamus acts like the brain’s command center, communicating with the rest of the body through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems so that the person has the energy to fight or flee. It sends signals through these autonomic nerves to the adrenal glands which then pump the hormone adrenaline into the bloodstream. This brings many of the stress response changes in the body in preparation for fight or flight.
As the initial surge of adrenaline subsides, the hypothalamus activates the second component of the stress response system—the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which adapts to maintain these higher cortisol levels. The HPA axis keeps the sympathetic nervous system—the “gas pedal”—pressed down.
The adrenal glands release cortisol, keeping the body on high alert. When the threat subsides, cortisol levels fall. The parasympathetic nervous system acts as the “brake”, dampening the stress response. Typically, the brain and adrenal glands can regulate cortisol on their own. When stress has gone away, the body will stop making cortisol and the levels will return to normal.
From Lifesaver to Life-Drainer: Cortisol’s Double-Edged Sword
A surge of cortisol can trigger in certain parts of the brain, a release of dopamine, the “reward” neurotransmitter. This creates a feeling of urgency, focus, and even euphoria—a “stress high.”
The brain associates stressful behaviors with this dopamine reward. And chasing a deadline, engaging in conflict, or even “doomscrolling” can become ways to get a dopamine hit.
The body recalibrates itself under chronic stress, accepting higher cortisol levels as normal. This creates a self-sustaining cycle of stress and hormonal imbalance. Combined with the impact of dopamine, this leads to symptoms of cortisol addiction [2].
The Vicious Cycle of Cortisol Addiction
Even when there’s no real danger, your body keeps pumping out cortisol when constant stress becomes a habit. This can take a serious toll on your mental well-being, energy, and ability to relax [3].
Addiction to cortisol creates a self-perpetuating cycle. Your body misinterprets stress signals as normal input. Withdrawal symptoms emerge such as fatigue, mental fog, and irritability, develop in the absence of the influx of stress hormones.
As a result, you may be drawn toward chronic, low-grade stressful stimuli such as emails, finances, or news, that restore the physiological “high”. This keeps cortisol levels elevated as a neurochemical “rush” makes stress feel compelling and even productive.
Work addiction, fueled by cortisol stress responses, is associated with [4]:
- Reduced physical health
- Impacted mental health
- More work–family conflicts
- Less life satisfaction
- Greater rate of depression
- Greater risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke
Symptoms of Cortisol Addiction:
Cortisol addiction shows with the following symptoms [5]:
- Energy surges during high-stress moments paired with exhaustion during calm periods
- Sleeplessness
- Cravings for salty or sweet foods during stress
- Brain fog that lifts during stress
- Digestive issues increasing during downtime
- Irritability while trying to relax
- Persistent abdominal fat
- Frequent illness due to impaired immunity
- Unconscious attraction to conflict or drama
Physiologically, prolonged high cortisol causes:
- Insulin resistance
- Risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
- Structural changes in the brain, such as hippocampus shrinkage and amygdala enlargement, which impair memory, emotional regulation, and decision-making.
5 Tell-Tale Signs You May Be Addicted to Stress
These signs may indicate you are addicted to stress and the cortisol that comes with it:
- You seek chaos: You unconsciously create drama or take on too much, as you feel bored or restless during calm, quiet moments.
- You can’t “Turn off the switch”: Your mind races, even when you try to relax, making you feel guilty for not being productive.
- You’re Drawn to “Stress Snacks”: You continually do activities that provide a quick, stressful hit, like doomscrolling, starting arguments, or binge-watching intense thrillers.
- You Feel “Wired But Tired”: You’re physically jittery and have trouble sleeping, despite being drained and mentally exhausted
- Calm Feels Uncomfortable: You feel anxious in genuine peace and quiet, leading you back to a stressful activity to feel “normal.”
11 Ways to Break the Cycle: A Starter Kit for Recovery
Start with a few basic steps [6].
- Get morning light: Sunlight first thing in the morning helps regulate your cortisol rhythm.
- Cut back on caffeine and sugar: Coffee and sugar spike stress hormones and can keep the wired cycle going.
- Eat a balanced diet: Low on sugar and salt and with omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, and fermented foods.
- Master mindful moments: Learn to simply pause. You can disrupt the stress cycle with simply one minute of focusing on your breathcreating micro-moments of awareness.
- Schedule “white space”: Fight the urge to fill every moment with a stressful task by actively blocking out unscheduled, device-free time in your calendar.
- Change a “stress snack”: Replace one unhealthy stress habit with a 5-minute calming activity such as stepping outside, listening to one song, or stretching.
- Review your rest: Think about rest as a “system reboot” rather than unproductive to, in fact become more productive. Maintain a good bedtime routine.
- Try relaxation techniques: Slow breathing or body scans can help lower stress and encourage the “relaxation response”.
- Get regular exercise: While it can improve your mood, intense exercise gets the cortisol flowing.
- Have fun and laugh: it can help reduce cortisol and increase serotonin, another mood regulator.
- Get help for your mental health: Therapy, coaching, or peer support groups can help you better manage the emotional patterns underlying cortisol overload. Reframe thoughts and feelings more positively with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Seeking Help and the Path to Recovery at Northbound
At Northbound, we have extensive experience helping patients overcome their substance abuse addictions, and with a Christian faith-based track for those wishing to participate.
The first steps are detoxification and stabilization, under 24-hour medical supervision in our Withdrawal Management center for whatever time you may require.
We offer a wide range of evidence-based therapies, counseling, and trauma-informed support to assist you in your healing. We personalize each treatment plan around the needs of our patients.
Our inpatient residential program offers 24/7 live-in treatment for substance abuse. Our outpatient treatment provides a flexible step-down from our residential program, allowing you to live at home and participate for several hours a day.
For more than 30 years, Northbound Treatment Services in California has been at the forefront of providing lifesaving, compassionate residential care and specialized services to help people from all walks of life feel better, discover themselves, and live free from addiction.
We have facilities located throughout California to help guide you on your recovery journey. Reach out to our admissions team now.
Sources
[1] Lewine H. 2024. What Is Cortisol Addiction? Stress, Recovery, and Mental Health. Harvard Health.
[2] Fletcher S. 2025. Cortisol Addiction and How It Affects Your Body. Canadian Centre for Addictions.
[3] American Psychological Association. 2024. Stress effects on the body.
[4] Charkhabi M. et. al. 2024. Work addiction risk, stress and well-being at work: testing the mediating role of sleep quality. Front. Public Health, 19 June 2024. Sec. Public Mental Health. Volume 12 – 2024 |
[5] Pardi N. 2025. Cortisol Addiction. The Science Behind Our Stress Obsession. Openup.com
[6] Sherrell Z. 2024. Natural ways to lower cortisol levels and why it matters. Medicalnewstoday.com
Author
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Program Director
Amanda has been working in the behavioral healthcare field since 2011. During her career, she worked her way through various positions in behavioral healthcare and finally earned a position as a program director over 10 years ago. Amanda initially graduated with her license in vocational nursing and an associate degree with completed certifications in substance use and abuse. Amanda has continued on in her education, and she obtained her bachelor’s degree in the science of nursing obtaining a BSN, and her RN licensure. With a primary background in nursing and medical care, and a proven track record in leadership positions in Behavioral Healthcare, Amanda is the perfect person to manage the daily medical and clinical services of a healthcare treatment facility.
As the Executive Director of Northbound, she utilizes her personal recovery experience coupled with her professional experience to oversee the clinical, medical, and the overall operational function of the organization. She believes that above all else the quality of client care should be the top priority for all the employees at Northbound. She pushes clients to find passion in recovery and to gain meaningful and impactful messages in the group programming to provide lasting recovery.
Amanda has a 17-year-old son. She has a passion for fitness and enjoys Rock Climbing and backpacking in her free time. Her passion for the outdoors plays a major role in her content creation in the daily programming for the schedule at Northbound.
