Conquer Your Addiction

Clarity Is The Gift Of Sobriety

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Trading Drug Highs for Natural Highs

For people with an opiate addiction, the idea of easing the gnawing, painful cravings with running or Pilates seem like a joke. But, exercise creates tangible benefits and can, with time, become a safe and effective way to achieve a type of high. Cultivating a natural high doesn’t replace a drug high, but it sure helps with recovery.

Dopamine

Opiates, of course, give you a high. They cause your brain to release dopamine, which rests on a set of receptors. Normally, your brain would come along after and gather all the dopamine to be recycled. But drugs disrupt that part of the process and the feel good dopamine chemicals pool around the receptors, creating a high. The brain’s reward system gets rewired to expect that kind of stimulation.

Exercise also triggers the release of dopamine. Even non-strenuous physical activity causes an extra release of dopamine.

Endorphins

Another possible explanation is hormonal. The concept of a runner’s high is pretty well known. One hypothesis for the euphoria associated with exercise is called the “endorphin hypothesis.” It credits the pleasant sensations to the release of endorphins and activation of opioid receptors. Considered natural opiate abuse painkillers, endorphins are hormones made by the body’s central nervous system.

Potential Problems

It actually is possible to get hooked on a natural high. Just like the highs provided by opium abuse, an exercise high diminishes over time, as your body gets used to the activity. You have to ramp things up to keep the high going. People with addictive personalities can get overly tied into chasing this rush and that can lead to stress injuries and heart problems if you overexert yourself.

It is important to take time to enjoy a natural high while also remaining balanced. Don’t go overboard.

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