I am interested in looking at the effect of exercise on treatment of substance abuse. Will the endorphins released during exercise, decrease the need to drink alcohol or take an illicit drug?
Yes. exercise increases the secretion of certain substances in the brain, which lead to stimulation of reward centers and enhance nutrition and growth of brain tissues. thus leading to decreases desire for substance abuse.
Dear Shikha,
The mechanisms of the effect of exercise on treatment of substance abuse is not well known. Several hypotheses are proposed (psychological, biological, etc...with possible regulation on neurohormon secretion and/or neuroaffective-neuroaffective processes.
- Exercise is considered as complementary intervention in the treatment of addiction (Weinstock J,et al. Addict Behav 2008. Sinol N,et al. Addictiones 2013).
- Physical activity can aid smoking cessation (Ussher MH,et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012).Particularly, studies have demonstrated that exercise reduced craving,withdrawal syndrome,weight gain,sleep difficulties, anxiety and depressive disorders (Bernard P,et al. Nicotine Tob Res 2013)
- It could be an adjunct treatment in the case of opiate agonist therapy (weinstock J,et al. Subst Abuse 2012), in chronic alcoholism (Moskowiyz RM,et al. Chest 1998. Vanderheyden JE,et al. Alcool Addictol 2003),in cocaïn user (Lynch WJ,et al. Biol Psychiatry 2010).
In all cases, it is beneficial to recommend physical activity and to promote a personalized physical activity in patients trying to quit an addictive substance...even the mechanism of action is not understood.
Regards.
Jean.
Please have a look at these useful RG links.
Article The effects of acute aerobic exercise on beta endorphin and ...
Article Exercise in the Treatment of Youth Substance Use Disorders: ...
Article Exercise as a Potential Treatment for Drug Abuse: Evidence f...
Article Exercise and Physical Activity in the Therapy of Substance U...
Article Exercise treatment for drug abuse - A Danish pilot study
Article The Role of Physical Exercise in Alcoholism Treatment and Recovery
Yes, it is true. Additionally it has been a well proven fact that in order to get rid of an unproductive behavior such as drinking or drug use it needs to be replaced by another positive behavior or else the old bad behavior could come and haunt the person (relapse). Exercise. meditation, yoga, sports, etc have been suggested and used successfully. The endorphins provide the natural high chemicals that obviate the need to use alcohol or drugs.
Please also go through the following RG links.
Article Physical activity and the prevention, reduction, and treatme...
Article Physical Activity as a Helpful Adjunct to Substance Abuse Treatment
Article Impact of Physical Exercise on Substance Use Disorders: A Me...
Yoga is also effective in treatment of substance abuse.
Article Role of Yoga in Management of Substance-use Disorders: A Nar...
Article Effect of yoga therapy in rehabilitation of drug addicts
Article Exercise-based treatments for substance use disorders: Evide...
please see this paper
Dear Shikha Vij
Epidemiological studies reveal that individuals who report abuse of dangerous substances are less likely to generally adhere to guidelines for physical activity (with the exception of certain populations, such as adolescents and athletes). A growing body of evidence indicates that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) are interested in exercise and that they may benefit from regular exercises, in terms of general health / fitness and recovery from SUD.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268281827_Exercise-based_treatments_for_substance_use_disorders_Evidence_theory_and_practicality
Article Physical activity and the prevention, reduction, and treatme...
this RG link may help:
Article Exercise as a Potential Treatment for Drug Abuse: Evidence f...
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