Addicted to exercise

[Marykaa]

Anybody have any references on this subject? From experience I believe it happens, but would like more info on the subject.
Thanks!


Here's a quick find but I'll look for more

Addicted to exercise

[ QUOTE ]
“These were the same brain regions that become activated when you prevent rats from getting their daily fix of cocaine, morphine alcohol or nicotine,” explains Rhodes. In withdrawal, stronger neurological activity creates the desire to relapse, or return to an addictive habit

[/ QUOTE ]

[ODBSGIRL]

I don't have any actual research in front of me Marykaa but I believe there are plenty of articles out there that show that the runner's "high" is real. The release of endorphins is powerful and the quest to repeat that feeling is strong. But what a thing to be addicted to? Much better than heroin. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Marykaa]

definately ! I don't know if it's exactly the same as the runner's high.. isn't that "during" the run?

for all the times I've stopped and started to train again.. I find it takes me 3 months (with quite a bit of workload) to get to the point that I "need" it.

[ODBSGIRL]

Yeah but it's the same rush, the release of all the chemical stimulants that produces that feeling of euphoria. It's the absence of that feeling that makes us feel so awful when we don't work out and there is no other stimulant to take its place. I dunno, maybe I ought to take a few minutes to look it up.

[Marykaa]

if you find anything tell me.. I know the feeling.. I just want to be able to pass on the info in a more exact way.

[Ruma]

Check out some more:
http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/bitf/e..._addiction.htm
http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/faculty/pbird...E/EXADDICT.HTM
http://www.active.com/story.cfm?stor...tegory=running

I have been there. Not very severe though. But it was there. I have jogged in rain, in snow, in dust outdoors.. in the absence of a decent gym. So it is not a myth.

[BFG]

Aint a 'dorph rush just the best thing in the world :-)

'What doesnt do you harm makes you stronger'

[Marykaa]

Thanks RUMA .. sorry for making you guys goole for for me.. ; )

I like that second link.. I'll check out more the sertonin, learned alot about that after my burnout 5 years ago.. didn't know it was involve in the exercise addiction [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Ruma]

Good that you brought this up Marykaa. Only after this thread did I get interested in googling it and looking into it further.

[Guido]

I didn't start working out until recently so I haven't experienced runners high. I think I've seen it sometimes with other people. However I'm very sceptical about the article cited in the first post.

Mice bred for 29 generations to have a predisposition for running? Now that's something we see regulary in humans! Jonses inc, marathon-runners from father to son for more then 120 years

This article only confirms ancient old country-lore:
Animals bred for a kind of work become unhappy, even sick when not able to do that kind of work.
Greyhounds must run.
Racehorses have to race.
Farm horses have to be able to pull carts and plows.
A cat that used to hunting and going out for days, will scratch all of your furniture to pieces if you hold in a small flat...

Now some researchers "proved" this with special bred mice, yiepee.

I'm waiting for an article about three types of mice, the ordinary lab mouse, the exercice prone and the wild mouse. The wild mouse runs from time to time to escape cats and covers long distances when forced to seek new food supplies. However when food is abundant and close and when there is no danger, it will take things easy. This ressembles the average training schedule of excerice and rest.

[Jimbo]

I feel excellent after a lonnnng run. 6+ miles.