Most everyone knows that participating in exercise or sports programs can benefit your physical health tremendously. But for some time now, professionals have been advocating sports and recreational therapy as a treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. When you understand the powerful ways that exercise can impact the brain and the many ways recreational therapy can be an effective treatment for drug and alcohol dependency, it's easy to see how it can help break the cycle of addiction. 

The Drug/Brain Connection

When addicts use drugs, they stimulate the "pleasure center"  or reward pathway in the brain. This results in the release of certain chemicals, like dopamine, that give them a high. It's so good, in fact, that the brain essentially says, "More, please!" So they return to the same behavior in order to keep stimulating that part of the brain that made them feel good in the first place. You can achieve a similar sensation when you eat your favorite foods like a cheeseburger or chocolate cake. The effects of this reward center, and the way it makes you feel, are the exact reasons why some people can keep eating dessert even when they are full. 

What Does This Have to Do With Sports?

Here's the kicker: exercise and participating in sports activities stimulates the brain's reward pathway in the same way that using drugs, or eating chocolate cake, does. It even causes the release of dopamine, the same chemical mentioned above that's associated with drug use. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has so much faith that participating in team sports and outdoor adventures can help prevent drug abuse that it has, to date, invested over $4 million in understanding the connection.

But NIDA isn't the only organization conducting research in this field. The Georgia Institute of Technology made some serious headway in their 2003 experiments. University scientists already knew that the active ingredient of cannabis (marijuana) binds to certain receptors in the nervous system that work to reduce pain and anxiety and trigger a sensation of floating. What the researchers found was that cannabinoids, which are active ingredients of cannabis, can actually be synthesized in the body after 50 minutes of intense exercise (running on a treadmill or bicycling), eliciting that same "high" or floaty feeling. 

How Else Can Sports and Recreational Therapy Help Drug Addiction?

According to AddictionRecoveryGuide.com, drug treatment programs that involve an array of challenging sports in a natural, outdoor setting can help people with addictions in several ways. For one, those recovering learn effective coping strategies, problem-solving skills, and they discover how their decisions can affect others. Participation can also boost the patient's overall self-esteem. Here are some additional benefits of sports therapy:

• Helps to reduce cravings for drugs and alcohol
• May lessen the symptoms of depression and anxiety that often accompany addiction
• Eliminates boredom which can trigger relapse
• Allows those recovering to learn new talents and discover new passions
• Teaches addicts how to have fun without using drugs
• Fosters healthy interpersonal relationships that are built on a foundation of mutual need, respect, and trust. 

Recovery treatment centers aren't the only organizations who understand the benefits of sports therapy. It's gone way beyond a trend as some schools nowadays offer programs that will prepare students for careers in therapeutic recreation and sports management. These students will go on to work with those who are disabled, sick, or recovering from an addiction of some kind. 

Recreation therapy can be a great treatment tool for those who work in the healthcare industry, too. Because they usually in work settings where they are continually exposed to drugs and prescription medications, these employees will face challenges that others who are recovering don't typically face. One particular treatment facility in Pennsylvania claims that when participating in group-based sports activities, these patients are able to learn effective coping skills that will help them deal with some of the unique challenges they will face on a daily basis as they recover.

Still Not Convinced?

Here's some food for thought:

People who abuse drugs and alcohol tend to be risk takers. And some extreme outdoor sports like rock climbing, snowboarding, and wake boarding are built upon that philosophy. If nothing else, there's always a ray of hope that will be enough to satisfy the thirst of some drug abusers.