Many addictive substances are addictive because of the way they alter the chemistry of your brain. For example, opiates help your brain release large amounts of dopamine, which mitigates pain and induces pleasure. However, the problem is that your brain becomes dependent on these substances to continue to produce dopamine. Exercise is a great way to release endorphins and get a natural boost of dopamine that helps get your brain’s chemistry back on track.

People who suffer from addiction often begin to suffer from a co occurring mental disorder, such as depression or an anxiety disorder. For this reason, high levels of stress become the norm in the life of an addict. This stress often gets in the way of recovery, because an addict may believe the only way to get rid of the stress is through substance abuse. Heavy exercise, however, can work as a way to work through these feelings and tension in a healthy and natural way. Releasing tension in a focused way can help ease anxiety, which helps the recovery process.

Many illicit substances that people get addicted to have a profoundly negative impact on the body. People who use these drugs usually have poor physical health, for this reason, by the time they get to us. Exercise, along with a healthy diet and sleeping habits, is an important step into getting the body back on track and undoing the damage that substance abuse has left behind.