Biological methods of stress management try to control the body’s response to stress by reducing physiological activity. The most well-known biological method of stress management is drug therapy.
One method is using drugs called Benzodiazepines (BZs). These are the most common type of drug to relieve stress and anxiety issues. They work by slowing down the Central Nervous System activity. GABA, the hormone responsible for anxiety relief naturally in the human body is enhanced by the BZs. The BZs will also help to reduce the serotonin activity in the brain, which is the neurotransmitter which causes stimulation, and reduces anxiety as a result. Benzodiazepines have a number of effects that all lead to the reduction of stress in people without much effort.
The other type of drug that could be used to treat stress and anxiety issues are Beta Blockers (BBs). When the body detects stress, the SNS is activated which leads to raised heart rate, which leads to higher blood pressure which can lead to Chronic Heart Disease, heart attack, stroke etc. The Beta Blocker is taken then and it acts by reducing activity of adrenaline and noradrenaline and also binds to the receptors of the heart and other areas of the body stimulated by arousal. As a result of blocking these receptors, it is therefore harder to stimulate them and so the heart beat is slowed, and therefore lower blood pressure.
An advantage of drugs is that they work very quickly and are effective in reducing stress almost immediately. Their use can be therefore be justified, provided that the stressor is a short-term one rather than a long-term one.
Another advantage is that drugs are also relatively inexpensive compared to psychological approaches to stress management. Also, drugs are widely available (they are prescribed) whereas psychological approaches may not be available everywhere. Moreover, compared with psychological approaches, drugs do not require any time or inclination.
However, there are a number of weaknesses associated with drug therapy. For example, all drugs have unpleasant side effects e.g. drowsiness, lethargy, decreased alertness, dizziness. Thus, they are not effective when a stressor is a long-term one. BZ drugs also produce drug addiction. This is characterised by physical dependence and tolerance.
Beta-blockers are not addictive, but are associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes if used over the long-term. BZ drugs also produce abstinence syndrome. One consequence of abstinence syndrome is rebound anxiety, which is why people find it difficult to stop taking the drugs.