This is so timely. When Sheila presented me with this blog post, I was grateful. The numbers are staggering for addiction, overdoes, and death, especially in my home state. There are record numbers of children in foster care because their parents are addicted to heroin and opioids. Unfortunately, one component that is often overlooked in sobriety is exercise. If one wants to stay clean, daily exercise, as Sheila explains scientifically and logically below, is a great tool. Please read and learn how this can help you, someone you love, or your clients if you’re a trainer.

Image via Pexels

Adding Exercise to Your Daily Routine

Can Help Beat Addiction

America has an addiction problem. According to the surgeon general, one in seven people will face a substance abuse problem in their lifetime and an American dies every 19 minutes from opioid or heroin overdose. Surveys have found that nearly half of the people in the country have a close friend or relative who has been addicted to drugs. And all of these statistics can’t take into account the people currently in denial of their drug or alcohol problem.

 

Addiction is a disease. Repeated drug and alcohol abuse create changes in the brain and body that lead to compulsive use. An addict will use their substance of choice despite serious health and social consequences because their body tells them they need it to feel normal. In fact, the word “addiction” is derived from a Latin term for “enslaved by” or “bound to.”

 

How Addiction Affects the Brain

 

Over time, addiction manifests in three different ways, causing the user to:

 

• Experience cravings for the substance
• Lose control over its use
• Continue to use despite adverse consequences. People who have never experienced addiction have a hard time accepting these behaviors. After all, using drugs or taking a drink are both, in essence, choices. No one is forcing an addict to use. The neurological changes that substance abuse creates are the basis behind the addiction disease model. Addictive substances create shortcuts to the brain’s reward system by flooding the nucleus accumbens with dopamine– a neurotransmitter that creates the experience of pleasure while also playing a role in learning and memory. Over time, the brain adapts in a way that eventually makes the substance of choice less pleasurable. The person has to use more of the substance and compulsion to use takes over. The cycle of use, reward, desensitization, and compulsion continues until the addict breaks it. The physical compulsion for a substance combined with genetic risk factors contribute to the disease model. Exercise for Addiction Treatment and Recovery Addiction treatment is multi-faceted and changes from person to person. First and foremost, an addict must recognize they have a problem and stop using addictive substances altogether. Depending on the substance, the addict may benefit from medication to help with withdrawal symptoms and cravings. People suffering from addiction should also seek counseling and mental health treatment in order to address underlying problems that contribute to substance abuse. Beyond professional help, people dealing with addiction benefit from creating a daily routine that provides structure and discipline. Routines cut down on anxiety and keep a person too busy to turn towards their substance of choice. They also keep people on track when it comes to counseling, healthcare, and employment. Adding exercise and meditation to a daily routine can be especially beneficial for those suffering from addiction. While exercise can be performed in a variety of settings, it is helpful to designate and make a specific meditation room for you to clear your mind.As outlined above, addiction changes how the brain functions. Exercise can actually help reverse some of these changes. When a person is physically active, the brain releases various neurotransmitters including endorphins, serotonin, and– you guessed it– dopamine. Endorphins and serotonin can help reduce pain while promoting feelings of happiness and well being, which are helpful for addicts in their own ways. But that surge of dopamine a person gets from exercise helps retrain the brain and reduces cravings for the substance of choice, as well. Over time, the brain recovers from the damage inflicted by addiction. Tips for Adding Exercise to a Routine

 

• Make a goal to move more and ignore things such as the number on the scale. When we feel like we aren’t making progress, we are more likely to give up. If your only goal is to move more, you succeed with each day you exercise.
• Sign up for a gym or a fitness class. People are motivated to exercise when there is a threat of financial loss. If you pre-pay for something and don’t use it, that’s money down the drain.
• Consider adopting a dog. Pups need to be walked multiple times a day, meaning you have to walk multiple times a day. Only adopt a dog if you are prepared to make the financial and emotional commitment to one.

 

***

 

Addiction is a disease that creates changes in the brain that lead to compulsive and uncontrollable behaviors. Recovering from addiction takes many therapies including professional counseling and medication, but a daily routine including exercise can be a big help as well. Exercise reduces cravings, improves discipline, and can even reverse the neurological changes and damages created by consistent drug or alcohol abuse.

 

To read more by Sheila Olson, please visit her site http://www.fitsheila.com.