Stress is a key component in many modern theories of the development and maintenance of addiction (Koob and Volkow, 2016; Sinha, 2001). Stress broadly refers to a process that involves perceiving, interpreting, responding, and adapting to a potentially harmful, threatening, or challenging event (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984). Stressful events result in emotional reactions (e.g., fear, anxiety, anger, sadness) and physiological/endocrinological reactions to allow the individual to mobilize resources to effectively manage the stress event. Stressful life events, such as trauma or early-life adverse events, make individuals more prone to developing an alcohol or substance use disorder. In turn, heavy, chronic use of substances, such as alcohol or drugs, results in adaptations to the stress response system that prevent the individual from responding appropriately. While stress has been associated with alcohol use, heavy social drinkers and those with AUD are more prone to stress-related alcohol intake than light drinkers (Adinoff et al., 2005; Blaine et al., 2018; Brown et al., 1995; Noone et al., 1999). Such findings suggest that higher levels of alcohol and drug intake may impact emotion and motivational
