Exercise & Addiction Recovery

Most people know that exercise is good for them, but researchers are beginning to discover that regular exercise may be especially beneficial to people trying to recover from drug addictions. Two studies have shown exercise having positive results on smoking and cocaine addictions. Ongoing research may show other benefits as well.

Theories/Speculation

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse believes regular exercise will have a positive impact on addiction and recovery, and they're willing to put money on their theory. In June 2008, they held a 2-day conference to bring together scientists interested in the subject. The purpose was to generate ideas and raise awareness. They have also offered $4 million in grant money to researchers studying the connections between exercise, addiction and recovery.

Cocaine Research

• A 2008 study led by Mark Smith from Davidson College showed that exercise may help prevent cocaine addiction. In the study, one group of rats was placed in cages with wheels for running. Another group was placed in cages without wheels. After 6 weeks, the rats were provided with infusion pumps with which they could self-administer cocaine by pushing a lever. The number of pushes required to administer the drug gradually increased. The rats who had exercised quit self-administering when 70 pushes were required. The rats who hadn't exercised continued to administer the drug even when it took 250 pushes.

  Smith believes the reason this worked is because exercise and illicit drugs both provide dopamine to the brain.

Smoking Research

• Bess Marcus from Brown University led a study in the late 1990s that suggested exercise helps smokers to quit the habit. For the study, 281 female smokers who wanted to quit were enrolled in a smoking-cessation program that met weekly. Of the participants, 147 also took wellness classes three times a week, while the other 134 had supervised exercise classes three times a week. After 12 weeks, almost twice as many of the exercisers compared to nonexercisers had quit smoking for at least 2 months. That ratio was still true 3 months later and again a year after the program ended.

Other Benefits

• Exercise lowers stress levels and releases endorphins, which can alleviate depression, some of the same so-called benefits an addict receives from his drug of choice. Exercise also engages the lymphatic system, which cleanses toxins from the body. Detoxification is obviously important while trying to clear drugs from the system. Another often-overlooked benefit of exercise is simply that it gives the recovering addict a way to keep busy, something other than drugs to turn to during empty hours.

Recommendation

• There is still much to be learned about the science of using exercise as a part of addiction recovery, but in the meantime, two things seem clear. First, that early research strongly suggests exercise will help in overcoming addictions. Second, that exercise is good for anyone, regardless of whether or not they're struggling to overcome an addiction.

  Based on that, it's easy to recommend incorporating exercise into any addiction recovery program. Find an exercise you enjoy, whether that's running, bicycling, dancing or playing basketball, so that exercise is something you look forward to instead of a drudgery. View exercise as something positive you're doing for yourself and enjoy the rewards.