IT CAN’T HURT –
April 26, 2023 – “Exercise has so many benefits for those overcoming an addiction,” Weinstock said. “There is the immediate bump in mood after one’s workout, and, over time, exercise reduces depression and anxiety, which often co-occur with addiction. Exercise also helps the brain heal from the many damaging effects substance use has on our brains.”
In animal studies, for instance, heavy usage of drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine or alcohol weakens or kills brain cells and reduces neurogenesis, the process by which brains create new neurons. Exercise, on the other hand, increases neurogenesis, and bolsters the health of existing neurons.
The effects can be especially striking in alcohol-use disorders and recovery. In a 2019 review, the authors concluded that “exercise is associated with brain health, alcohol is not, and the mechanisms by which exercise benefits the brain directly counteract the mechanisms by which alcohol damages it.”
