Exercise Helps Conquer Addiction, Says Harvard; San Diego Treatment Center Reacts

Drug poisoning is now the leading cause of unintentional deaths in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2016, over 63,632 people died from an overdose on drugs in the United States. And of course, opioids singularly were the reason for at least 42,249 of these deaths. It is mostly for this reason that professionals in the addiction industry remain scrambling to attain more research and methods to treat dependence on drugs or alcohol.

Currently, addiction is one of the hottest topics in the media regarding healthcare for these very reasons. With so many (annually and population-adjusted) increasing rates of fatalities, citizens of the US increasingly wonder what can be done to help stop the wave of dependence - no matter the size of the action.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, one simple activity taken often can assist in someone’s recovery from drugs or alcohol - and there is sufficient evidence to support this claim. This action, perhaps arriving surprisingly to some, is exercise. Harvard, in their article assessing whether exercise can help conquer addiction, speaks about the way physical activity can positively affect a recovering brain.

Claire Twark, MD, the author of the above-mentioned article states: “Animal studies have shown that regular swimming reduces voluntary morphine consumption in opioid-dependent rats, and access to an exercise wheel reduces self-administration of cocaine in rats dependent on the drug.” She continues that “In [her] experience, many patients with various substance use disorders have found that exercise helps to distract them from cravings. Workouts add structure to the day. They help with forming positive social connections, and help treat depression and anxiety in combination with other therapies.”

Most studies on the efficacy of exercise positively affecting addiction were conducted on animals. Although not many human studies exist yet, the results of existing experiments are still quite compelling.

No matter the reason, exercise appears to help curb cravings for drugs and alcohol. One San Diego treatment center is building upon the facts that studies from across the globe, such as the studies cited in Harvard’s article, suggest.

Healthy Life Recovery, a San Diego-based rehab, decided to incorporate exercise into its four pillars to everlasting sobriety. The Four Pillars of their recovery program serve as cornerstones that Healthy Life Recovery’s treatment goals and modalities are based around. The other three (just as vital) pillars involve community, education, and nutrition.

Drugs and alcohol can cause long-lasting changes in an addict’s brain. Luckily, exercise has the potential to reverse this. At the least, exercise can curb cravings, as suggested above.

Exercise, in line with treatment procedures at Healthy Life Recovery, rehab in San Diego, California, increases the amount of the “feel-good” chemicals in one’s brain and provides clients a great foundation

Some academics, doctors, and addiction professionals believe that addiction is a disease, while others believe it is a result of “deep learning”. Either way, addiction is a chronic mental illness that often lasts for one’s entire life. It’s a tough battle to beat, and the statistics exist to prove it.

However, multiple treatment modalities are emerging to help someone recover and stay abstinent from drugs. Now, exercise proves to be one of them.

This is a guest blog entry.