By Kristine Lockwood
Huffington Post~Addiction can come in any shape and form, from shopping and sex to alcohol and nicotine. And while most people won't make the cut for "My Strange Addiction," treating addictions of any kind can be incredibly complex. But adding exercise into the mix might be one way to strengthen the effects of treatment, research suggests.
Endorphin Distortion -- Why It Matters
When an individual is trying to recover from addiction, the body and mind miss whatever was producing endorphins in the brain, responsible for that "high" feeling. Add in everyday stress, which can heighten cravings, and the recovery process can be a knockdown, drag-out fight.
When an individual is trying to recover from addiction, the body and mind miss whatever was producing endorphins in the brain, responsible for that "high" feeling. Add in everyday stress, which can heighten cravings, and the recovery process can be a knockdown, drag-out fight.
By Kristine Lockwood
Addiction can come in any shape and form, from shopping and sex to alcohol and nicotine. And while most people won't make the cut for "My Strange Addiction," treating addictions of any kind can be incredibly complex. But adding exercise into the mix might be one way to strengthen the effects of treatment, research suggests.
Endorphin Distortion -- Why It Matters
When an individual is trying to recover from addiction, the body and mind miss whatever was producing endorphins in the brain, responsible for that "high" feeling. Add in everyday stress, which can heighten cravings, and the recovery process can be a knockdown, drag-out fight.
When an individual is trying to recover from addiction, the body and mind miss whatever was producing endorphins in the brain, responsible for that "high" feeling. Add in everyday stress, which can heighten cravings, and the recovery process can be a knockdown, drag-out fight.
One possible conclusion: The rat race became an alternative to the drugs, perhaps making them slightly less susceptible to becoming addicted. Another possibility: When exercise endorphins start to kick in, working out may help with treatment by replacing one feel-good activity with another.
Still, it may just be that exercise serves only as a distraction: When focusing on the next set, it's possible an addict has no time to think about the next fix. And while exercise alleviates some of the symptoms of withdrawal, it may not improve long-term abstinence. Keep in mind, too, that for some, exercise can become an addiction all its own(although the chances of this becoming a problem are pretty slim).
While exercise by itself is no cure for addiction, it can be an additional tool to help build (or rebuild) a healthy life.
For more information visit: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/21/addiction-treatment-exercise_n_1291862.html
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