There is nothing wrong with trying to feel better. People always drink or addict for good reasons, in that they are trying to feel better and deal with stress. Addiction comes from trying to deal with anxiety in ineffectual ways. Most of us have not realized that anxiety is the real culprit. Neither have we been taught how to take care of anxiety head on.
Acute anxiety is occasional.
It's what happens when you see a lion in the road. A problem presents itself. You deal with it and your anxiety goes back down. Chronic anxiety is always present. Its high and stays high, giving rise to a life-style of chaos and perpetual intensity.