About a week ago, I had decided to quit drinking cold turkey and although it didn't last very long (I started drinking again after about a week) I found that physical activity such as going to the gym helped me tremendously. I have always been a natural athlete and very passionate about sports especially soccer. I stopped playing for long time and being active , and soon my entire world become engulfed by my addiction. After working out last week, I really noticed a particular change in my attitude. Although I was tired and exhausted from working out, I was very happy and noticed that I was smiling more often. I have always wondered about physical activity and how it can affect ones happiness which doesn't really surprise me that I was feeling great after a workout like I had when I was a younger athlete. Has anyone else found that their attitude changed for the better after being more physically active?
Yes! Working out is a fantastic way to curb cravings and being healthier will make you happy in the short and long run.
I love working out; it makes my brain active to many unsolved problems and makes me super active. I know it helps with those in recovery as well. There is nothing like recovering naturally, if only we put our minds to it.
Any form of physical exercise will make you feel better, more energetic and alert. The blood rushed to the brain and all organs of the body when you are active and so this cause countless benefits for any individual, especially if you are craving.
Physical exercise can be a great tool for recovery. When we exercise, our body's endorphins get flowing and send positive signals to the pleasure center in our brain. It's a "natural high," if you will.
I agree with these absolutely. I am a long distance amateur runner and while I was drinking I haven't been running so much. Luckily for me it is just good genetics and I don't loose my stamina but when I felt I was going over the top with alcohol I started working out first at home and then in the gym. I couldn't afford it at first but my uncle gave me some annual tickets for a gym where he was working and I started off. I have to say that apart from running this helped me a lot. I was to exhausted to drink that much and I was dizzy after few glasses. I quit for totally different reasons but this was a start.
I found that for me, working out was good for me in so many ways - physically, mentally - I loved seeing myself get stronger, and it was also just something that made me feel like I was looking after myself. I definitely think that getting those "good endorphins" pumping is a real thing - I believe in it 100% - because I even notice now when I am stressed or anxious if I get outside for a run it changes the way I am looking at things. Plus, just staying busy was a huge part of me controlling cravings too - if I had too much idle time all I would do was think about drinking, so having a productive outlet was good.
It's amazing to hear that you've found something that is motivating you to the point that it's actually improving your mood, keep it up! I'm not an exercise person at all, I tried it last year bui I didn't really keep going, but I know that eventually I'm going to need it, so I should start become a little bit more active.
Exercise is extremely important for me if I want to try to stay sober or sane. I actually start to feel really miserable after a few days in a row without exercising. I try to exercise outside as much as possible also, as being in natural sunlight is also very helping for improving my overall mood. Running, walking, or biking outside are some of my favorite things to do!
Yes it does make you feel better. Exercise releases dopamine in the brain this is similar to what happens when people use substances such as alcohol or drugs. Here's a really interesting article about this (http://www.livestrong.com/article/544214-does-exercise-release-dopamine/)
It always changes fo the better when someone decides to include exercises in his/her life. Whether you have addiction issues or not, the endorphins's release contributes greatly to associate working out with pleasure. Therefore the craving for the substance that provided it at first is mitigated. Is not the only way to cope with cravings, but is certainly effective.
Yes, working out did wonders for me as well! Back then, when I was still slumped into my addiction, I wasn't even active. I don't walk, do yoga or do any form of exercise at all. I was very much overweight, sluggish and slow! Since getting into my recovery, I decided to work out as well. I started with simple walking every day for maybe 30 minutes. Then I increased that to an hour and then two hours. I felt great, tension was gone and stress was relieved. After that, I tried other forms of workout like yoga and swimming. It was fun and helped keep my mind off the addiction. I was happy, fit and active, I've never been like this before. I'm never going back and I'm never going to stop working out and being active.
I do believe that doing sports or physical activities can really improve the attitude as it can improve the overall health. Specially when done properly. Even the simple walking can help me feel better and relaxed.
A lot of people who are overcoming an addiction, or even just attempting to change their lifestyle find that physical exercise is one of the best ways of keeping occupied. Finding something else to do is key to keeping your mind off things, and if that can be done by exercise, then it will help you in mind, body AND spirit aswell.